Hiking the Moss Lake Trails, King County, Washington

GOOD TO KNOW

Moss Lake Natural Area is run by King County, and there is no parking fee. There is a toilet at the trailhead, but it was closed when we were there (probably due to Coronavirus concerns). Unfortunately, there are no picnic tables, and there aren’t many good picnic spots along the hike, either, although you will find a bench or two en route.

In addition to hikers, equestrians and mountain bikers can also use these trails. You can also paddle on the lake, but there is no direct access from the parking lot, so be prepared to portage your boat to the lake. The entry points we found were marshy and muddy, as this area is a wetlands.

HIGHLIGHTS

Moss Lake isn’t a destination hike; it’s pleasure comes from the simple joy of strolling through the woods. Unlike many other lake hikes, the lake isn’t really the focus here, as it’s too marshy to have a real lakeshore. But the woods are lovely, and a nice respite from the nearby urban areas of Seattle and Bellevue.

THE KIDS’ TAKE

The kids were a little disappointed that the lake wasn’t more exciting. But, the trail is easy and fun to explore. When we were there in late July, thimbleberries were in their prime, providing a yummy trailside snack. The old car hidden in the woods near the parking lot was an intriguing discovery.

WHILE YOU’RE HERE

Moss Lake is an easy drive from the Seattle urban area, taking you through some beautiful scenery along the way. If you’re coming from the north, you may pass through Woodinville, well known for its wineries, many with expansive, family-friendly outdoor settings.

As usual, I was hoping to take the family out on a hike over the weekend. But when Michael remembered he was on call for work, I realized plans would have to change. “I’m sure it will be fine,” Michael said (he rarely gets called in). “We just need to pick something not too long, and not too far away. On top of that, I was committed to picking less crowded hikes due to the pandemic. Was there a place nearby that wouldn’t be slammed with people on a summer weekend?

In my search, I stumbled across Moss Lake Natural Area. I’d never heard of this King County Park; like so many outside of the city, it seems to fly under the radar. We decided to check it out, and invited some friends to join us.

Part of the fun, as it turns out, was driving through the hinterlands of King County. I realized I’d never driven much of this route before, as we passed open farmland and wound through wooded hillsides. Part of the drive took us along the Snoqualmie Valley bike trail, which I am now itching to come back and explore further.

At the park, we found a clean, nicely paved parking lot with a restroom (locked, unfortunately, due to the Coronavirus pandemic). A helpful map at the trailhead shows the route of the main trails, but note that there are more trails to explore than those that appear on the map.

Right away, the kids were attracted to a small stream near the start of the trail. We couldn’t see the lake from the main trail, but found a few peek-a-boo views to the left down a muddy side path. A short distance ahead, the trail forked, and we took the lakeview trail to the left.

“Lakeview” is perhaps a bit of an exaggeration. We did spy the lake once, I believe, through the thicket of trees. Before long, we reached another fork, pointing us toward either Winston Highway or the continuation of the loop trail. Curious as to what exactly Winston Highway was, we decided to take a detour, only to find another sign at the park boundary indicating that we could go no further unless we possessed a mysterious “permit”. None of us had one, so we turned back toward the main trail.

As we headed back, I was momentarily startled by the sight of an unusually bright green frog in the foliage. Hey there, little guy! A few other tiny surprises were hidden in the moss. Was it a geocache? We weren’t sure, but left them there to surprise and delight future hikers.

Back on the loop trail, we contemplated our options when two women approached on horseback. We admired their horses, and they, obviously more familiar with these trails, recommended continuing ahead on the loop trail. This would lead us beyond the park boundaries (and beyond the trails shown on the map at the trailhead), but would nonetheless connect back up with the Moss Lake parking lot. They also informed us that it was fine to continue on the trail to Winston Highway past the park boundary – permits were free to obtain from the company that owns the land, but no one enforces this rule, anyway. Please note: we did not go back and try this, so I can’t personally recommend doing so, but the women claimed they take that route frequently.

As recommended, we decided to continue on the loop trail. Soon we were walking along a former road, now overgrown with grass and lined with wild berry bushes. The thimbleberries were at their peak, and the kids eagerly searched for the ripest, reddest berries among the leaves. Eventually, we found a trail branching off into the woods to our right, with a sign indicating this was the “Orange Arrow” trail.

“Orange Arrow,” I mused. “I remember seeing a sign for this trail near the beginning of our hike, not far past the lake. This must take us back.”

We followed the Orange Arrow trail back into the woods, winding downhill through the ferns. Soon, we were back at the main loop trail again, where we turned left to head back to the parking lot.

Now that we were back, it was time for lunch. Since there are no picnic tables at the trailhead (maybe that would be a nice future improvement, King County?), we sat on some large rocks at the edge of the lot. Just beyond, we could see the outline of an old abandoned car in the brush, which the boys couldn’t resist investigating. Oh, the mystery of it!

After a leisurely lunch, it was time to head home. Once again, I appreciated the beautiful drive past forests and fields. Moss Lake may not be high on our list of “must-see” hikes, but it provided just what we needed – the chance to simply enjoy the natural world around us, exploring together with family and friends.