Our home trail was the first hike for each of the kids, has hosted a birthday party, and provided an easy after-work bit of nature when the during-work part of the day wore us down. A slide in the winter of 2013/2014 closed the trail just three quarters of a mile in. For the last two years the approach to the waterfall was blocked by a fence.
That was bad enough, but for the last month the trail was closed entirely! Since even a short hike was therapeutic we really felt a loss when it was taken away. The good news was the trail was closed so it could be repaired, opening the entire trail. A little birdy told me the trail would open a little ahead of schedule so of couse we headed up.
Although the work isn't done (it'll likely be this summer), the new trail is in great shape. The old trail descended from the overlook and hugged the slope. The new trail doesn't drop and traverses over the slide area before using a few switchbacks to drop back into the valley. Looking at the amount of rock and lumber that has been used to build the new section of trai it's no wonder the trail was closed during the work.
Yes, there are some scrapes on roots and rocks out of place (including the "Daddy Step" I worked so hard to put in place with a Mountains to Sound Greenway crew), but that will all recover and was obviously necessary to move all the material to the construction site.
The entire trail is pretty overgrown and could use some love. There's still a sign on at the trailhead (and on some web sites) indicating the trail's closed, but never mind them. The trail is open!
(Big thanks to Washington State Parks for getting the trail repaired.)
