After all of the rain, cold, snow and winter that just wouldn’t quit, we finally had our first spectacularly warm and sunny day! Not a cloud in the sky and at the time that I dropped my kiddos off at school it was in the high 60’s. So, I decided to take my new boots for a walk. It wasn’t quite an official hike but it was a nice 1.1 mile round trip walk through the woods at a nearby park.

Starting up the trail at O.O. Denny Park. Have I mentioned how much I love where I live?!

There were a few small boardwalks to keep you up and out of the mud in the spots closest to the creek but that didn’t mean there wasn’t mud to deal with.

My new boots where a blessing! While most of the trail was dry and very easy to walk, the wet portions were well… wet. Very wet. And by wet, I mean water coming down the hillsides and across the trail and creating a lot of mud and large puddles in those spots. My usual trail runners would have been a soggy and mud covered mess.

Fallen trees always make for some interesting exploration and photography.

The trail took me along and across Denny Creek, a small stream running through a second growth forest of cedars, ferns, plants, and a lot of the mossy goodness you find in the Pacific Northwest. For those people looking for tons of scenery and spectacular views, this is probably not the trail for you but it did afford me the chance to get out, stretch my legs and start prep for the hiking season ahead all while the kids were in school.

Despite all of the water, most of the plants and flowers had not started to bloom yet. I have a feeling that once the sun decides to stick around more consistently and warm us up, that will change quickly. What a spectacular sight it will be too!

The walk itself was very easy with only one short uphill and a steep but short down hill. Despite being next to a popular park near Lake Washington, the trail itself was quiet and very peaceful. I only passed two small groups during my loop hike.

The short uphill of the trail… not bad at all!

The beautiful sunshine of the day filtering through the trees.

Heading back down through the trees to the parking lot.

It took me less than an hour to walk it, including stops for pictures and to read some of the information boards posted along the path. My new boots gave me some trouble though; rubbing and cramping mostly. Ill have to break them in a bit more and see if that helps. If not, I guess its back to REI for me!

All in all, I think that this was a great start to the season. Now I am really itching to get out there and hike! Summer vacation with the girls cannot come soon enough!

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