Paradise Valley Conservation Area sits near Lord Hill Regional Park in Maltby, Washington. The area spans above the plateau west of Paradise Valley and Paradise Lake. Meanwhile, Woodinville City High Point lies near the southwest.
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Check out Paradise Valley by Sumas Mountain.
Paradise Valley Conservation Area at a Glance
Access: Paradise Lake Trailhead (park info)
Round Trip: 9 miles
Elevation Range: 360′-440′
Gear: none
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: yes
Playlist: Ooyy
The Conservation Area
The area was once a private tree farm when the Lloyd family allowed recreation. But that was until Snohomish County acquired the 667-acre land in 2000, closing it for public use. It quickly turned into a conservation area afterward.
Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance soon contested through public meetings and direct contact with the county. As a result, the area was again open to the public on Earth Day 2009. It now offers 25 mixed-use trails totaling 12 miles.
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Walking Through the Maze
Despite the rain, many people were out and about past 8 AM. I went south on the plateau trail with plant signs and much red alder. As I walked past tall salal over mud and water puddles, the weather improved to drizzles.
The outer loop hugged the boundary and crossed many inner paths. Glad to see signs at every fork. Otherwise, the maze-like trails would be a problem without the map. Meanwhile, the lettered signposts didn’t make much sense.
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Exiting Paradise Valley Conservation Area
The loop sometimes went by private homes. Seeing things kept in the yards was too close for comfort. Before noon, the sun looked like it’d come out, then the drizzles returned. Apart from croaking frogs, there were no signs of wildlife.
I met a 10-year-old dog, Gypsy, and her owner before reaching the northeast. Then I went on “Lloyd Detour,” a track that took incredibly dizzying tight corners. Before long, I was back at the lot with the same number of cars.
See more trip photos here.