Pets allowed
Allowed
Elevation Gain
50.00 ft (15.24 m)
Trail type
Loop
Distance
2.00 mi (3.22 km)
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

Located on the west side of Tolt-MacDonald Park, the John MacDonald Nature Loop Trail is a family-friendly hike that is short and easy, and it is ideal for exploring both the historic and current conditions of Pacific Northwest forest ecology.

Beginning at the Yurt and Family Camping Area in the park, the trail makes a virtually level 2-mile loop through second-growth native forest that is lush with western red cedars, bigleaf maples, skinny Douglas firs, and a forest floor filled with sword ferns. Watch for old-growth cedar stumps, many of which still show little details of the region's logging history. Many of the stumps still have the notches that lumberjacks created to insert planks used as a platform for sawing or chopping the tree.

If you are returning on the loop alongside the river, be sure to pack a few snacks for a picnic at the park's North Shelter.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Congestion

Low

Parking Pass

Not Required

Pros

Forest with remains of previous old-growth.

Cons

Limited views of the Snoqualmie River.

Trailhead Elevation

80.00 ft (24.38 m)

Features

Backcountry camping
Shelters

Location

Nearby Adventures

Nearby Lodging + Camping

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