Looking for more local urban trails?
Try hiking to Coal Creek Falls at Cougar Mountain or explore the Evans Creek Preserve in Sammamish.
LOCATION
Spring Lake/Lake Desire Park is located off Highway 169 (Renton-Maple Valley Road), southeast of Renton.
LENGTH
~3 miles for the route we took to Echo Peak, but many shorter (or longer) options are possible
DIFFICULTY
There are many easy, wide gravel trails at Spring Lake/Lake Desire Park. If you go to Echo Peak, the trail short, but fairly steep and rocky in spots. Expect mud during the rainy season, although the main gravel path remains largely mud-free.
WE HIKED IT
January, 2021, a little over two hours including a few stops
CURRENT INFO
General information about Spring Lake/Lake Desire Park, along with a very handy trail map, is available online with King County Parks. Current trip reports are available online on the WTA (Washington Trails Association) website.
GOOD TO KNOW
- Parking at Spring Lake/Lake Desire Park is free. The lot is small, but only a few cars were there when we visited on a cloudy Saturday in January.
- There are no facilities at the trailhead, not even a garbage can, so prepare to pack everything out with you.
- Dogs on leash are welcome.
- The trails here are well-maintained, especially the gravel path that leads into the park from the trailhead.
- There are signs at trail intersections… sometimes. I strongly recommend downloading a map from King County Parks ahead of time. A general outline of our route is included on the map for this review.
HIGHLIGHTS
Spring Lake/Lake Desire is one of those parks that fly under the radar, seemingly unknown beyond the surrounding neighborhood, but that’s part of the charm. Those looking for a simple walk in the woods will appreciate the lack of crowds. With so many trail options, it’s easy to customize your own hike. For a little workout, hike to Echo Peak, where glimpses of the mountains peek through the trees.
THE KIDS’ TAKE
Spring Lake/Lake Desire is a great place for a family walk in the woods. The hike started off well with plenty of space to run ahead on the wide gravel path. Stream crossings were also fun, giving the kids a chance to take a break and poke sticks in the water. Five-year-old T started to peter out as we began the uphill climb to Echo Peak, but soon recovered, saying, “It’s so beautiful here, Mom!” Aw… The way down passed in a flash — at that point we had three boys with energy to burn, but who were also eager to get back to the car!
WHILE YOU’RE HERE
Looking for a longer hike? Trails connect Spring Lake/Lake Desire Park with McGarvey Park to the north. Adjacent to McGarvey Park is Petrovitsky Park, a typical urban park with play fields and a playground. All three parks are included on the map provided by King County Parks. In need of a bite to eat? If you’re heading north, Renton has a number of good taco trucks and casual Mexican restaurants. Check out Raining Tacos or La Rancherita, to name a few.
Cougar Mountain Regional Park is another great area to explore. We enjoyed the hike to Coal Creek Falls within the park. For the chance to mountain bike as well as hike, head to Grand Ridge and Duthie Hill in Issaquah.
Our Experience
“I put on one hundred layers!” five-year-old T announced at the top of the stairs.
“One hundred layers?” I asked, somewhat doubtful.
“Well,” T paused to count. “Four layers!”
“OK, well, here’s another,” I said, helping him into his jacket. We were prepared for the cold, at least, as we headed to Spring Lake/Lake Desire Park for an afternoon hike. In actuality, the weather was mild for January. The sky was overcast, but there was no rain or wind. With temperatures in the high 40s, it was perfect weather for a brisk, refreshing walk.
My friend suggested Spring Lake/Lake Desire, a King County park located south of Seattle that neither of us had explored. Despite its proximity to the city, it seemed to hide in plain sight. While a few other cars were parked at the small trailhead, we got the feeling that most other visitors were locals from the surrounding neighborhoods. We passed a couple people here and there, but far fewer that I’ve seen on other recent urban hikes.
The trail starts off on a wide gravel path, which gave the kids the chance to let loose for a warm-up run. Signs of the neighborhood disappeared as we wandered into the quiet forest. Moss-drenched maples and fragrant cedars surrounded us. Sword ferns, glistening from recent rain, spread their brilliant green fronds across a bed of decaying leaves. It was beautiful in the way of Pacific Northwest forests in winter — damp and earthy, a melding of brown and green under a grey sky.
We noticed quickly that there are many, many trail options at Spring Lake/Lake Desire Park. Some are well signed. Others… well, this is why I recommend downloading the trail map ahead of time! Not that I did this myself, but thankfully my friend did. It’s so nice to hike with friends who are prepared!
We also noted that the trail was in excellent shape. It was evident regular maintenance was done to keep the path clear and resurface some of the muddier patches. To be sure, there was still mud (would it be winter hiking in the northwest without it?), but overall, it wasn’t nearly as mucky as many other local trails. A few small bridges and culverts cross a tiny creek, where the kids stopped to check out the water.
At one point, we detoured to the left to check out the view of Lake Desire (see map above). Here, finally, we found the mud! Helpfully, someone had placed old pallets over the worst of it. A log at the water’s edge provided a convenient place to sit and take in the view. Lake Desire is mostly surrounded by houses, with only a few public access points, but is a peaceful spot nonetheless.
After leaving Lake Desire behind, we headed for Echo Peak, checking the map again to make sure we picked the correct path. The trail steepened, and T protested that he was too tired.
“You can do it!” I encouraged him.
T grumbled, but kept walking. The terrain shifted, with mossy rocks and boulders edging the trail. Surprisingly, this had a reviving effect on T. “Wow, isn’t it beautiful?” he enthused. “Can we come here again?”
Atop Echo Peak, a small, rocky bald provided a place to rest and take a much needed snack break. Michael and T hadn’t eaten lunch prior to the hike, so no wonder T was feeling out of sorts. After sandwiches, mango licorice, and water, everyone felt better. We took a last look at the peek-a-boo views of the Cascade Mountains, then headed back down.
We left Echo Peak behind, and the boys took off down the steep trail. It wasn’t long before we reconnected with the main trail and found ourselves back at the trailhead. Once again, it was time to head for home, and once again I was grateful for the chance to escape into the woods, even if for only a few hours. Echo Peak may not be a fancy destination, but I agree with T. Yes, it is beautiful, and exactly the break we all needed.
