We were told about this trail by a local who walked through the Ghost Town several years ago. This…read moresounded like a fun adventure so we took a hike. First: the parking area is chained shut and 'tow' signs are in the drive way area that leads to the parking lot. We drove over a one-way bridge (traffic signals control traffic direction) and found a parking area on the right. This area also has the same 'tow' signs but the lot had several vehicles and many people were in the area so we parked. It's a shady lot with a spring water dispenser straight from the ground. (A sign asks that you Venmo money for any water you take from the Spring) We walked back over the bridge, past the gate and onto the trail. Second: the initial hike is a wide incline covered in gravel. This leads you up and around to a Coal Car where the trail divides. The Ghost Town is to your right. The mine shaft and grave yard are to your left. Both trails continue to lead up. One of the hike pages I looked over described this as an 'easy' trail for kids. Regarding climbing over obstacles, the path is clear and it is an easy hike if you go toward the ghost town. However, the grade is pretty steep in that direction. The direction of the mine however has several trees down and most we had to climb over. The trail there is not well maintained. The Ghost Town: This pathway is mostly wide and gravel covered making it the easier of the two trails. We found one foundation covered in undergrowth on the right that you can climb the steps onto a small foundation. You have to really be looking to see the steps. On the left is what looks almost like a retaining wall on the hillside. That's all we saw of a 'town'. The path continues to climb up and around. It may lead out to the road on the opposite side of the hill but we did not walk all the way and I make that suggestion based on maps. This trail is mostly full sun. The Mine Shaft and Graveyard: We came back and took the left branch of the trail where it divides at the Coal Car. This trail runs from wide and gravel covered to single file while walking through raspberry bushes (prickers). Thankfully we had rain jackets on so those tiny thorns did not snag our shirts and I kept my hands above my head to save my skin. Be prepared for that. This trail is mostly shady. It takes a while to reach the mine shaft which includes a plaque with some mine information. The shaft is quite large, goes straight down, is surrounded by a metal railing and topped with a lattice of rebar. The sign suggest you drop a rock in to hear how deep the shaft is, however as this must have been done hundreds of times, rocks nearby are scarce. Bring your own rock with you. Once you have spent all the time you'd like at the mine shaft, take the trail to the left of the mine shaft plaque to continue on to the graveyard. There are a couple of places along the way that will make you wonder 'is this it?' It's not. Just keep going. It's another longish hike in a more gentle upward direction. The path veers off to your right at several points, one of which leads to a wet low area, but overhead here you will see remnants of some coal car rails. There is a trail leading up a steep incline that will take you to the top of the rails if you'd like a closer look. The 'up' is easier than the 'down' on this steep pathway. The graveyard is further ahead, past this coal car rail. Just keep walking. You will see on your right, at the base of a tree, a toppled over headstone that looks like a small obelisk. This, and a wooden sign erected by a local group stating they fenced in a grave, are the main visible signs of the graveyard. The area is completely overgrown, including the fenced in grave. After climbing over trees and fending off thorny raspberry bushes (without the joy of eating some of the berries) this was a disappointing hike. The trail ends here. Some of the downed trees have had a path chopped or cut out so you can walk around or through them but most your scramble over. I am not sure what is happening with this land or why the lot is closed with no explanation sign. I could not find information in a search of local news sites. I do wonder however if it has anything to do with a downtrodden looking 'resort' on the other side of the bridge. They offer you access to a waterfall for a small fee. I believe you can access this waterfall from the chained lot if you take the trail directly down to the river on the left. But this is just speculation. I did not take them up on their offer. If you are here for a nice, uphill hike, take the path to the right at the coal car and enjoy a wider path with some views of the surrounding area. That is a pleasant hike in and of itself. Just don't expect to see a 'ghost town' and you'll enjoy this hike. Happy hiking!

While the hike in and out was nice, easy for kids (of at least aged 5 years), and relatively quick,…read morethe ghost town wasn't really worth the effort (destination).

Decided to go Trout Fishing on Friday (5/16/25) afternoon around 2:00 PM. When we got to the Lake,…read morethere were 4 people at the fishing spot. We set up our gear and poles. It was kind of a gloomy day, so fish weren't biting as often. About 2 hours later, we had caught 3 Trouts each. Getting the next 2 took a while longer, as I caught mine an hour and a half later to get my limit of 5. Dunno what factors caused the fish not to bite that regularly, but it was definitely a very slow day/evening fishing on the shore. Caught a couple of big ones, though. Nice sized fish...

I've been to Lake Wilderness many times over the years for family get togethers, and a graduation…read moreparty brought me here again yesterday! The space here is huge and there's lots to see and do. There's an area with a playground for kids which is camp themed, and there's also different types of sport courts. The bathrooms are clean and well-maintained as well. There's also covered areas that you can rent which have basic grills that you can use for stuff like hotdogs and burgers. The water always seems pretty clean. I haven't swam in it but my siblings and kids have and it always seems fine. They also have boat rentals here which are really cool, and there's a few different types that you can rent. It's a little over $20 an hour but I think it's worth it for sure. It's a great lake and I'm sure we'll be back quite a few times this summer!

Going out on a rainy day in the middle of June was just fine…read more Easy walking trails with lots of trees and gnomes almost everywhere. I wish I would've brought a gnome or two to add to the trail. Definitely next time! Take my advice. Bring a gnome to leave. You'll be happy you did :-)

What an enchanting walk. Thanks to Yelp, I found this trail close to our rental. Plenty of parking…read moreand a LFL (little free library) at the trail head with some childrens books. The Gnome Trail goes left and a Loop trail to the right. There are So. Many. Gnomes! It was a lot of fun to slowly wander, looking side to side, trying to see all the gnomes! There are a couple of sections of trail with almost no gnomes, but most of it has plenty. An abundance if you will. They are everywhere! Hanging from limbs, on logs, under leaves, on tree trunks, in crevases, off in the distance. It's quite fun trying to spy them all. I like the idea of bringing a troll to leave. I would like to leave one in a less populated area. A momento of my visit to Maple Valley. This is a fairly easy trail. There is one steep incline, and some rocks and roots under foot, but the trail is a nice width and fairly easy to follow. Much of it is well blaze. An excellent trail to bring your pre-school child or anyone who enjoys a bit of whimsy.

A MUST when visiting Mt. Rainier / Crystal Mountain resort - it was the perfect way to admire what…read morethe wifey had just accomplished, running down the gigantic mountain, the ride up is about 10 - 15mins, all worth it!!! breath taking views of Mt. Rainier, do dress accordingly, it was pretty windy and about 10 degrees colder up on the mountain. there is a restaurant/restrooms observation chairs and a beer garden at the top! but the view!!! stunning, the greens/whites/ snow peak colors with the sky blue in the background. as usual parking could be hit or miss, they do have several parking lots but the closest one to the gandola ( the paved one ) is on the smaller side, they have other lots designated by letters ( which also unpaved ) Info on Gondola here: https://www.crystalmountainresort.com/things-to-do/activities/mt-rainier-gondola

Came for the day while friends skied. Beautiful, sunny and gorgeous! Snow already melting - this…read moreis the last day of the season. Gondola tickets $54 each and you get 2 round trips.

We were very happy to find this great little spot! Quaint little park with lots of shaded areas,…read moregarage cans, picnic tables. Dogs are welcome on leash. There is a little beach area where we watched people launch rafts and were swimming. There is parking close by with a charge of $5 for the day. Can't wait to go back!

This is a spectacular lake to paddle around. There is a good mix of fancy houses and wildlife to…read moresee as well as majestic views of Mt. Rainier.

Great fields, a basketball/tennis or pickleball court. Kids playground has been closed for some…read moretime now.

Who is the city official that thought the best way to fix the kids playground park is to not have…read moreit? Because the slides you built weren't up to code, you thought removing the swings would discourage people from using the park? This kids park has been yellow taped and closed for months without any improvements. Who's the city official so we can not vote that person in next time.

Bellevue Botanical Garden is a beautiful place. And the fact that it is always free too! It's open…read moreevery day even holidays! To be a small botanical garden, there's a nice walking path and many, many beautiful flowers and plants to see. There are often local community events hosted here. Activities for the young to adults. They have classes that you can find and sign up for on their website as well. And the classes are affordable!! You may even see people taking wedding photos here because again it's beautiful. The park is ADA friendly. The path is dirt and pebbled but can be navigated with a wheelchair. There are bathrooms on site and a small shop. I have never purchased bulbs or plants from here but I know there is a big community around that. The coffee shop in the garden can get busy. But a benefit is we were able to charge my husband's wheelchair there on a visit. While the park is open every day, the coffee shop is not. Definitely this should be a spot for all locals. And not just a one time visit either.

This was a nice little find. We got here late as my sister had to take her son to this de's appt…read more By the time we got to Seattle, it was already 1 pm. Once the entire family met up, we climbed back into the car and headed to Bellevue. Not sur if it was due to the time. But we were surprised there was a lot of parking available. We spent a good 2-hrs here which included getting lost and finding other street entries into the botanical park from a school and from other busy street corner at the bottom of the park. Nice and shaded, quiet little creeks, plenty of seating for those that were inspired to journal, plenty of elderly people using this time to exercise and stretch. We enjoyed the different areas like the swinging bridge, the Japanese garden and even the little cafe they have there. Fairly priced items and plenty of tables to enjoy a refreshment and snack. By the time we were done, the gift shop was already closed. So I took the opportunity to drop a donation into the box instead.