Paradise Valley Conservation Area is a beautiful 793-acre park offering a rich environment with abundant forest areas, wetlands, streams, and more than 13 miles of designated multi-use trails for hikers, bikers, and equestrian riders. Paradise Valley provides refuge for bears, cougar, deer, and other wildlife and the park protects the headwaters of Bear Creek, an important salmon-rearing stream. A majority of the site is wooded with several large wetland areas.
By building trails that twist, turn, and switchback, the creators of the trail system have done a masterful job packing in mileage in a relatively small area. The initial part of the trail climbs a gentle slope to the Red Alder Loop and then to the Bigleaf Maple Trail where the trail becomes, more or less, a ridge run. We will continue onto the Southern Traverse Trail and eventually end up on the Wetland Plateau Trail where we gently descend back to the parking lot.
Thanks to the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance and Snohomish County Parks, the trails are will built and extremely well maintained. For the most part, the tread is smooth, however, there are a couple of places where foundational rocks protrude and the Red Alder Trail does foster exposed roots. Neither category of obstacles should present mobility issues as they are easy to go over or avoid all together.
Distance: 5.3 miles
Elevation gain: 200 to 300 feet total
Bathroom Facilities: Porta-Potty (very clean)
PVCA is located about 2.5 miles east of Maltby.
Bring: snacks, lunch (see highlighted note below as a lunch option), water, trekking poles, raingear
More detailed information will be emailed to those who sign up.
You can learn more at Paradise Valley Conservation Area.
Of course, you can bring your lunch, however, The Maltby Café, known for its cinnamon rolls and all-day breakfast, would be a super place to gather for lunch. They do take reservations and it is highly recommended to have one particularly on a weekend. Please let me know prior to March 15 if you are interested in lunching at The Maltby Café.
RSVP to Joanie Pryor by noon on March 15, 2025
Email: jmpryor AT frc.edu