Today turned out to be a great day to hike one of our favorite trails. Mild temperature and no rain made for one fine hike. Since this hike is about a 5 minute drive from our house, we hike it often. The trail is well maintained and can be hiked year round. During nice weather the parking lot is packed though. Today there were a few hikers and joggers, but it was pretty quiet. The tide was in today so there wasn't an expanse of beach to walk, but there was enough to do a little beachcombing. We had the whole beach to ourselves for about 20 minutes. That was nice. I really can't recommend this hike enough. It's such a fantastic urban hike that you can enjoy year round. While there is an elevation gain of 425 ft going back to the parking lot, it should be hikeable for most people and great for families with young children. To see more about our hike visit http://1retromama.blogspot.com/2011/12/lunds-gulch-meadowdale-beach-county.html .

We decided to check this out today. Fun short hike with enough elevation gain to make you breathe a little. The trail looks like it gets lots of work and even after some fierce rain in the last week or so there wasn't any problems. Saw a Salmon in the stream, not sure what type it was. This is a nice little walk out to the beach, lots of benches and even bathrooms along the trail.

This is a fantastic urban hike right in the Lynnwood area. The trail is 1 1/4 mile one way. It meanders along a stream and there are many great viewpoints to stop and enjoy. We didn't see any fish in the stream today though. Along the way there are signs identifying some of the trees found in the area. There are a few large hollowed out stumps that may be good for climbing on. Once at the bottom you will come to an open area that has the ranger's house, a covered picnic shelter (that can be reserved), and toilet facilities, along with the beach access. To get to the beach, pass through the tunnel under the railroad tracks. Watch your head if you're more than 5 feet tall (I don't have to worry about that). Awaiting you on the other side, is beautiful Puget Sound. Once done at the beach, you will have to hike back. That is when the workout begins! You will have to climb the 425 feet back to the parking lot. Thankfully there are several benches along the way for weary hikers to rest. I highly recommend this hike. Because this trail is so well maintained, it can be hiked all year long. While I do think that toddlers may have some difficulty on the way back up because of the elevation gain, it's not impossible. We have hiked this when our kids were pretty young. This is a popular hike. The parking lot is often full so get here early on nice days. One gripe I do have about this hike are the dog owners who have chosen to let their dogs off leash on the trail. To see more about our hike visit http://1retromama.blogspot.com/2011/10/lunds-gulch-meadowdale-beach-county.html

Today I only had time for a quick hike to Meadowdale Beach. Beautiful day, but everyone else had the same idea. Very crowded on a weekday. Trail was dry and wide enough to handle the crowd. Downhill to the beach and steep uphill on the way back. 2.5 miles total and hikeable by all ages. A bit hazy at the beach but views were still beautiful. This is one of our family's staple hikes since it is so close. Check out my complete review and pictures at: http://livinthehikelife.blogspot.com/2011/09/meadowdale-county-park.html

Did this hike with my daughter and a friend who was visiting from CA. It's a nice little "hike" (more like a walk), great if you want to get some exercise on a trail but don't have time to drive too far out of the city. (It only takes us about 15 min to drive to the trailhead.) The trail is in excellent condition, the weather was lovely, and my friend was impressed with views of the mountains and the Sound.