Began my hike from the Beaver Lake Preserve parking lot near Beaver Lake in Sammamish. The main loop trail through the BLP meets up with the trail to Soaring Eagle Park a short distance from the parking lot. I went left and headed west to get to the junction with the trail going into the Hazel Wolf Wetlands and pond. I saw a new sign for the HWW since the last time I had hiked the trail. There was also a sign about the beavers and their dam that was flooding the trail on the north side of the loop around the pond. After getting to the loop part of the trail on the east side of the pond, I was now on "Ann's Trail". I took the loop clockwise around the pond. Before getting to the foot bridge across the outlet creek from the pond and I passed by the beaver dam. It is a large one and I saw that a metal culvert had been installed through the dam to regulate the water flow. A brush basket was in place to keep the beavers from plugging up the pipe. After crossing the bridge, I met up with another trail coming from the southwest. I stayed on the loop trail and came by the kiosk with a map and info on the Hazel Woof Wetlands. It has a photo of Hazel at the dedication of the wetlands when Hazel was 100 years old back in 1995.
At the next junction I turned right and took the loop trail to a side trail that goes out to a viewing dock at the edge of the pond. I stopped here for a snack break. There a few ducks and geese enjoying the pond. I then continued on my hike around the pond. The low bridge over the pond is like the I-90 floating bridge over Lake Washington. The deck of the bridge is just above the water line. At both ends of the bridge the trail is very muddy and has some water over it. There are a few branches to walk on to keep your feet out of the water. Back on dry land the trail goes up and down along the east side of the pond in the forest. This part of the trail has been recently brushed and one fallen Doug Fir is cut out. You can see the beaver lodge out in the pond from this trail. Back at the junction where I started the loop trail, I took the same trails back to the parking lot.
Only saw two other hikers on my trail and only birds in the pond. To make a longer hike you can use the Beaver Lake Preserve trail down to the lake where there is a nice bench and a good view. You can also take the connector trail over to Soaring Eagle Park for an even bigger loop hike. Lucked out with the weather, as it did not rain, but was pouring as I drove home. George
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