Japanese Gulch — Friday, Feb. 17, 2023

In search of a more scenic spot to walk my dog, I opted for Japanese Gulch which is a quick 30-min drive from Seattle.

I originally parked at the northern dog park trailhead (which is the trailhead described in WTA’s ‘Getting There’ directions), but there was a sign indicating a bridge out just up ahead. I decided not to wade through the mud so I hoped in my car and backtracked down to the southern (76th St) trailhead.

Both parking lots were all but empty when I arrived on a gray Friday morning. Starting from the south, I combined both the northern and southern loops to get the full 4-miles out of this trail system. Signage was great at all major intersections, but many of the minor trails are not signed. I would recommend pulling up the map on your phone (or taking a picture of it at the trailhead) if it’s your first visit. The northern loop was by far my favorite section as you get some peeks of the Sound through the trees — if you only have time for one loop, I’d recommend that one! The southern loop is nice for more classic PNW forest views. #lovelocaltrails 🙂