Coal Creek Trails Map (does not contain all trails)

Hike GPS data for Google Earth viewing

Per Garmin, 3.12 miles/376 vertical feet.

Parking: Plenty of space in the Coal Creek Parkway lot around 4 PM on a partly cloudy Friday.

Parking Lot Warning: Break-ins are so common here Bellevue PD has installed an electronic billboard that repeats "CAR PROWLERS HERE; REMOVE VALUABLES FROM CAR".  So, bring your cheapest car after emptying it.

Trail: The right combination of trail segments (more on that later) ambles pleasantly along the highlight of this area: Coal Creek.  You are never more than a few seconds away from another side trail accessing the water, which is fun for humans and AMAZING for dogs, who greet each stretch of creek with renewed wonder.

Take the main trail out of the parking lot (the subtle scent of sewer dies out shortly).  About 0.9 miles in, you can either follow a switchback to stay on the main trail or continue straight onto the Primrose Loop Trail.  Take the Primrose Loop Trail; it follows the creek for another 0.5 miles before reconnecting with the main trail in 0.7 miles.  Once you reach the main trail, you might even want to take Primrose back because the previous charm of the main trail, between Primrose intersections, has been completely destroyed by development.  What was once a bucolic walk in the country is now like skirting the trash-strewn edge of a flimsy strip mall.  (But, we must sacrifice for progress; if we don't bulldoze our urban forests, where are going to put necessities like YMCAs with valet parking?)

Trail Warnings:

(1) Assume the entire trail is slippery and be very cautious: the weathered-treated wood of the bridges is oily and so slick, some of the metal grates are like sliding down ice, and much of the soil has the consistency of oil pastels when damp - extremely slippery even when not muddy.

(2) Do not touch the devil's club (see picture below)!  If you prick yourself on its spines your skin will blister, itch, and burn for days; and you may end up with scars.  I saw one right along the Primrose Loop Trail where someone might grab it for stability.

Wildlife: Fluttering birds, interesting fungi, and iridescent beetles with reddened thoraxes scrambling around wildly.