Japanese Gulch ~ March 26, 2013

We went on a short hike at Japanese Gulch in Mukilteo this last week. Here is a link to a map of the trails at Japanese Gulch. I would take the time to look over it so you have a general idea of where you would like to go. The first time that we went on this trail, I brought a map along, but because the trails are not marked and there are a lot of branching trails it was hard to tell exactly which trail you were on.

We parked in the dog park parking lot and accessed the trail on the west side of the dog park. We hiked south and then came down into the gulch, crossed the creek and followed the trail along the railroad tracks north and came back up on the east side of the dog park parking lot.

There are some ups and down and elevation changes and lots of mud (I'd recommend waterproof hiking boots)! We went during the week and didn't see any bicycles, but the trails are used by both hikers and mountain bikers. I wouldn't recommend the trail for anyone that doesn't have good balance or is unsteady, as there are a few bridges and crossings that require some balancing. That said, this is another great, local hike! We probably went about 3-4 miles and enjoyed the nice sunny day.

Here are some picture highlights from the hike:

More favorite signs of spring, Salmonberry blossoms!

My son enjoying a nice seat on a tree

 It wouldn't be a hike without some fungus pictures!

A beautiful view of the water from the trail

Happy Spring trails to you!

Pilchuck Tree Farm Trail - March 8th 2012

I ran across Craig Romano's article about hiking at the Pilchuck Tree Farm. It was some place that I had never heard of before and just what I was looking for!

I followed the directions on the above link. He gave great directions on how to get to the Tree Farm and a great 3 mile trek on the forest roads within the tree farm. These roads are accessible all year round, whereas the trails are only for use between May 1st and October 31st. We parked on the side of the road and were careful not to block any of the horse trailer parking areas. It was a bit muddy on the sides of the road, so I parked carefully to make sure I wouldn't get stuck on the way out. The trails and forest roads are used by equestrians and bicycles as well as hikers. We only encountered 2 horses and riders during our hike.

Much to our surprise, we encountered quite a bit of snow on the ground! It made the hike pretty and the kids were excited to see the snow.

The directions for the 3 mile forest road loop that Craig lists on his article are easy to follow. There is some elevation gain, but it is mainly a climb in one area. It was muddy and wet, especially in the open areas. The hike itself was beautiful and I will definitely be doing this one again. I would imagine that the area gets pretty busy on the weekends and summers.

Do keep in mind that this is a privately operated tree farm and the owners of the land are gracious enough to allow people to use it. Please follow all of the required rules including keeping your dog leashed at all times. For any updates about the trails you can check this website.

There are some pretty views along the forest roads as you walk.

In this picture you can even see Mt. Rainier in the distance. I bet it would be spectacular on a really sunny day!

I spotted a bird's nest

This lichen caught my eye

I didn't see too much color, aside from this Holly

At the end of the hike, we spotted several caterpillars

Hope you enjoy the spring hiking! Happy Trails.

Megan