Federation Forest State Park — Sunday, Sep. 22, 2013

Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410

A great trail that is suffering because of state funding cuts. We went on a rainy day and it was a great hike for rain because of the tree coverage. It's fortunate we talked to the wonderful volunteer who runs the interpretive center solely with his wife. He explained the trails, how to find the Hobbit Trail, and interpreted the pretty basic map for us. The trail has some fall hazards which the volunteer does his best to single-handedly maintain. But mostly it's quite pleasant and pretty. The first half of the trail contains informative signs. To reach the Hobbit Trail, you need to follow the Greenlee trail, which is not made known on the map or via signage. You will then hit a you are here sign and again the Hobbit Trail is not marked on the map, but the trail head is just to the right of the sign. The trail from here is maintained as well as a single person can maintain it. Do NOT cross 410 after you reach the delightful Hobbit Village. You need to turn around and go back from whence you came. Because it's a single person maintaining the trail, the one across the road is hit or miss. We lost the trail at points and ended up walking alongside the highway until we came back to area we knew the hobbit trail started at. Plenty of mud on the trail and areas where it needs maintenance to control water and mud on the trail. This is an area that could benefit from some volunteers. The man running the center is GREAT, devoted to the park, and does a fantastic job, but he's one man. ok, off my soapbox! My husband and I hope to volunteer next summer. The water fountains do not work, but the bathrooms have potable water.