Hikes to me mean an excuse to eat trail mix and junky foods while walking through a forest. Sometimes a little drive to get there also heightens the adventure. The Snoqualmie Pass area is usually one of our first choices because of the cabin project and it’s only about an hour drive from Seattle and recently we’ve found a hike that is very everyone friendly.
Gold Creek Pond is paved. It goes in a circle. There are places to stop and throw rocks in the water. There are benches to sit on if you need a snack. And it is fairly flat for the 30-45 minutes it takes you to go around the lake. When you finish there are picnic tables and grassy areas if you want to hang out and make this a day’s adventure, or you can drive a few blocks and grab a lunch at the Commonwealth nearby. We’ve taken kids and dogs and grandparents and it’s been a great hike for all. (You do need a Federal Northwest Forest Pass or 5 dollars to slip in an envelope in the parking lot to pay for the day.)
My favorite part is that this hike is so picturesque I always get some awesome photo souvenirs and we always feel so invigorated after a morning outdoors. Do you have a favorite place to hike near Seattle or in Snoqualmie Pass? We’re always looking for places to adventure within an hour’s drive of our home.
Terumi Pong is a Seattle-based family travel writer and mom of twin teenage boys. She loves coffee and pastries, shopping local and looking for greener ways to live. She is also known as Scout’s mom (Scout is a 5ish pound little black yorkie-poo)
We JUST did this hike on Friday. It was so pretty for such an easy hike! Kids never complained once 🙂
I’m so glad! We love this one:) We’ve tried it in the late fall and now in the spring. It’s never been too busy when we’ve visited but I wonder how it gets in the summer?