Paradise Valley Conservation Area — Sunday, Jul. 17, 2022

I was looking for a new place for a short dog-friendly hike and came across Paradise Valley.   We (dog and I) arrived at the trailhead at 11:00 AM on a somewhat unseasonably cool and cloudy Sunday morning in mid-July and found the parking lot to be about half-full.  When we finished the hike just shy of 1:00 PM, the trailhead parking was full, with the exception of the space in the interior of the parking lot reserved for horse trailers (there were no such trailers present).

I would highly recommend having a map of the trail system on your phone.  You can download one from the Snohomish County website about the property, or take a photo of the map displayed at the trailhead kiosk.  The numbered waypoints corresponding to trail intersections, all of which have marker posts, are a convenient means of navigating the spaghetti bowl of trails in the network here.  Those who often rely on a "sense of direction" will likely find that does not work here due to the thick woods and winding trails and numerous intersections of multiple trails.

One of the photos I'll attach to this trip report will show, highlighted in yellow, the route followed by me and my four-legged friend. The route was as follows (Waypoints refer to the official map of the park; if you are reading this review well after its July 2022 publication, be aware that the trail system may change).

• Begin at parking lot on "Mainline Trail" (Waypoint 1)
• Waypoint 9:  Took "Red Alder Trail"
• Waypoint 19:  Rejoin "Mainline Trail"
• Waypoint 11:  Take "Southern Traverse Trail"
• Waypoint 13:  Take "Forest Ridge Trail"
• Waypoint 17:  Very short distance on "Lloyd Trail"
• Waypoint 8:  Return on Mainline Trail to trailhead

Total distance according to my Fitbit:  4.47 miles; elapsed time:  1 hour 40 minutes; # of steps:  10,051.

A few comments about this hike:

• The hiking is pleasant, but it's really just a walk through thick woods.  Don't expect anything breathtaking like so many other hikes in Washington state - no scenic vistas, no waterfalls, no rock formations.  But that's OK.  Not every hike needs to be high on the awe factor.
• Today, all of the trails were dry, with easy footing.
• The "Forest Ridge Trail" (a hiking-only trail; no horses or bikes) is overgrown.  The route is always clear; there is no ambiguity in route finding.  But you'll be pushing your chest through vegetation much of the way.  I might have chosen a different route had I known this would be the case.
• In general, there is more undergrowth than in most Washington forests, probably because this is a forest still regenerating itself after having been farmland.  This means if you are walking a dog and encounter bikers, it may be difficult for person+dog to step aside.
• Do be aware that hikers and bikers do share many of the trails.  Some trails are also open to horses, but I did not see any horses today, nor did I see any horse poop.
• I would urge all those with dogs to please observe leash laws here.  While some dog walkers often make a habit of letting their dogs go off-leash on uncrowded hikes, leashing up when encountering other hikers, that tactic doesn't really work here because bikers with whom hikers share the trail can come very suddenly and with little warning.