Really nice in-city trails and fun neighborhood walk!

This hike is my favorite in the city with dogs, just be sure to go when the tide is 2 feet or lower, so you can enjoy the beach: http://www.dairiki.org/tides/

The trail down is much improved recently, with the muddy bits fixed up and the blackberries trimmed back. The beach from Innis Arden to Carkeek is maybe 5 miles long (10 round trip), mostly sandy, and has no public access points. Dogs are all off leash here and people are spaced out enough that it never feels crowded. What a perfect escape from the city!

Most of the way to the end of the hike is downhill and simple, with some steep stairs and muddy bridges. The way back up is very steep, but there is a sort of clearing/cliff close to where the parking lot is. Once you get far into the hike, you encounter a tree with a rope swing hanging from it, which kids like to play on. You can get to a beach, but you have to go through overgrown terrain and cross train tracks.

Steep and challenging, but short hike. Salmonberries should be ripe in a week or two. Rope swing is in tact. Bridges and boardwalk in need of maintenance. Some balancing and negotiating muddy terrain required toward the beginning of the hike.

The blackberry thorns and nettles were a nuisance, and it was very muddy in places