A Homeschool Mom's Hiking Blog: Lowell Riverfront Park Trail

We were so lucky that the day we had picked out to do the Lowell Riverfront Park Trail was the one day that was rain free in a sea of rain filled March days! The river was as high as I've ever seen it! It was really nice to be outside though!

I love these trails that are close to home, but give you the feel of being out in nature, without the drive. :-)

There is plenty of parking in a big gravel parking lot. If you are facing the river, the main part of the trail goes off to the left. If you head to the right, you wind down a short way to a boat launch, some muddy river access if the river isn't too high and the bathrooms.

We went off to the right to start and then turned around and went back the other way. The total length of the trails are probably about 3 miles or so. The main trail is paved and follows the Snohomish River.

There are picnic benches and charcoal grills in several grassy areas along the trail. Last summer, we walked in with some dinner supplies, frisbees, and blankets and had a good time with some friends grilling hot dogs!

At the end of the paved trail you can turn around and head back the way you came. There are several cutoffs that you can take on the way back, both dirt and gravel, that lead to the newer portion of the trail system. The area that these trails take you to is a wetland area and water tower which works as a "filter" of sorts for 3 miles worth of I-5's rain runoff water. It's kind of a neat place and an educational lesson in itself. There is an interpretive sign at the top of the water tower (there are stairs that lead up to the tower/foot bridge).

We saw lots of birds (mainly red-winged blackbirds) and one little lizard in sad shape. On other walks here in the summer we saw a rabbit, birds and lots of snakes - sunning themselves on a group of rocks.