After parking at Sweyolocken boat launch, we did a Sunday afternoon hike heading north to Heritage and Bellefield loops.

Highlights:
- Circling the blueberry field, I saw a small snake wiggled quickly off the path as we approached
- Overgrown skunk cabbage with what seems to be impossibly huge leaves
- The relatively high water line of the slough didn't water-log the path, and it was fun to wave hi to kayakers under the bridge as we went over it.

The mix of gravel, boardwalks, dirt, and wood chip trails made for a fun mix along the bigger trail loop. The paved section we ended on seemed popular for folks with bike and stroller wheels while we were there, but the views in this section come with a fair amount of freeway noise. Overall this was a great, quick way to hike when we ended up with a couple of unexpected kid-free hours. I'll go again with my kid, especially once the Seattle to east link light rail connection is finished. The nearby station and park & ride are right next door!

Met up with a friend and their dog to do this pretty relaxing walk in nature. We ended up doing a figure 8 route with the Bellefields Loop and Heritage Loop trails and included a visit to the Otsbo Boiler House remains near the Winters House trailhead. This would be a 2.5-3 mile flat walk depending on which trailhead you use. There were occasional swarms of gnats, but no mosquitoes…yet.

The water level of the slough is quite high right now. A couple of the nature info signs on the Bellefields side next to the water were in some very soggy ground, which made me wonder about the longevity of their posts. On this loop there were also the largest bush-sized skunk cabbage I’d ever seen. I had no clue until today they could be this big. Other plants we enjoyed included yellow water lilies in the slough, creeping buttercups in the fields around the blueberry bushes, blueberry flowers on those bushes, “wild” flowering rhododendrons, and numerous small spring flowers. We kept an eye open for river otters that have been spotted here but did not have the pleasure of their company. We did see geese, ducks, pollinators, and much to our surprise, shiny green faced bullfrogs jumping back into the marshy blueberry farm water as we walked past on the Heritage trail.

Parked at the South Bellevue Park & Ride. Trailhead for the Perimeter trail starts down a convenient stairway on the south end of the parking area. Trails seem newly mulched and boardwalks are in good condition. Bird song at 9AM was especially vibrant. Saw no waterfowl or wading birds at the creek.  Workers using chainsaw to trim the blueberries perhaps discouraged some birds.

Not much to add to recent trip reports.  With the icy weather, we opted for this local walk and did 5 miles around the Bellefield and Heritage Loops, around the Blueberry Farm and to Winter House and back.  

We arrived at 8am, parked at the lot by the Environmental Center and the Restrooms were still locked.  Luckily we found an employee to unlock the facilites for us.

Disclaimers

Quick-and-dirty version

Access: North entrance @ 118 Ave SE (park info)
Round Trip: 5 miles
Elevation Range: 0'-120'
Essential Gear: none
Dog-friendly: yes

Between the detailed hike descriptions and the New Year's report, there isn't much else to add. I didn't catch the previous report beforehand and wasn't sure whether the Periphery Trail south of the light rail station was accessible. Gaia GPS map had (and still does) labeled "No Access."

That said, I was able to extend my pre-planned route of 3.25 miles to 5, using all the available park trails.

The Trail

• Overall well-maintained with interpretive signs and few benches.
• The mulch-covered Heritage Loop Trail is soggy near the ditches.
• Northwest extension of the Heritage Loop Trail to Ostbo Boiler House comprises wooden walkways.
• The paved portion starts from the light rail station down to I-90 Trail (part of the Periphery Trail) and continues to the southeast.
• I-90 Trail crosses under Bellevue Way exit twice in the southwest and I-90 on-ramps twice in the southeast.

My Route

1. From the lot north of the Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center, go south and get on the upper Bellefields Loop Trail.
2. Follow the path west, then walk alongside the slough to the slough bridge and cross over to the west.
3. Complete the Heritage Loop, plus the extension trail, before moving down toward the light rail station.
4. Hop on the paved trail past the boat launch before joining I-90 Trail east.
5. Go north beside 118 Ave SE before taking the lower Bellefields Loop Trail to the slough and back.
6. Resume north on 118 Ave SE to finish the trip in the north lot.

Highlights

• Waterfowl throughout the slough, mainly ducks
• View of downtown Bellevue high-rise buildings and Newport Hills
• Early morning solitude due to the rain

Lowlights

• Constant noise from I-90 and somewhat nerve-racking to pass underneath the on/off ramps