This was a really easy urban hike on a pleasant spring afternoon, and a new one for both of us. I, and my hiking buddy Marin who is visiting from New Mexico, set out for the Klahanie neighborhood between Issaquah and Sammamish. We weren't sure what we would find, and knew the lake was surrounded by large homes and townhouses. Fortunately, the developers left a wide buffer zone around Yellow Lake, traversed by a gravel path through the tall trees. The entire area is a park and urban wildlife sanctuary. The buffer zone is wide enough that occasional views of homes through the trees do not seem intrusive. The loop trail is only a mile and a quarter long, with less than 20 feet of elevation change (whew!) We parked in the lot by the swimming pool and information center along 244th Pl SE, just off SE Klahanie Blvd, and located the trailhead across a small bridge, past the park playground equipment. We took the right fork and soon came to a dock that extends out into the lake, the only viewpoint from which the entire lake can be seen. The surrounding homes were not evident, and the lake could as well have been in a more remote location. Yellow-flowering water plants were in bloom (perhaps the original inspiration for Yellow Lake's name.) A number of mallard ducks had gathered near the dock in response to a couple of misguided folks tossing them bits of white bread. The ducks seemed to relish it, unaware of the nutritional shortcomings. We continued on around the lake on the uncrowded trail, noting a number of signed side trails that lead out to different parts of the Klahanie neighborhood. We noted a few wildflowers, and heard a woodpecker tapping. We saw no additional wildlife, and almost too soon we were back at our staring point.

Yellow Lake is a rewarding loop tucked away in the Issaquah Highlands, offering a year round option to hike, bike, trail run, or even take the kids to see ducks at the lake. We have often found this trail to be a great urban trail option when the mountains have bad weather or the need to get out into a small piece of nature is too great to resist. This particular outing found us using the trail to do some trail running. The day was warm, but not as unbearably hot as it had been earlier in the month. We ran into many others out enjoying the trail system as well from walkers to runners to families out for a stroll. There are multiple entry points to the lake, see the link below to plot out your urban adventure.