Flaming Geyser Park in Auburn: A Kid Friendly Hike in the South Sound

Flaming Geyser State Park, located on the Green River near Black Diamond, has over 500 acres of land, including three miles of shoreline along the Green River. This popular day-use park also offers picnic tables, fishing, swimming, trails and even an area for flying model airplanes. A popular natural feature of the area is a bubbling geyser and a flaming geyser.  Unfortunately, the underground methane is depleted and the flame usually isn’t lit anymore but the bubbling geyser still bubbles.  This easy hike is a fun, beautiful way to see the different features of the park.

Go in the main entrance of the park at 23700 S.E. Flaming Geyser Road Auburn, WA 98092. You do need a Discover Pass to park, there is a station where you can buy a day pass at the entrance. Once you drive in, you will see parking on your left and a sign with “Flaming Geyser” and an arrow pointing right. Turn right and follow the road all the way to the end. Park in the lot (don’t forget to display your Discover Pass) and the trail starts at the far end of the parking lot.

At the trail head, you’ll see a white gate and an informational pavilion.

The trail starts out as a wide, gravel path.

Pass the Steelhead  Conditioning pond. The kids might want to check it out, I didn’t see any fish when I was there.

The Flaming Geyser that wasn’t flaming…

Next you can check out the area that has the Flaming Geyser. We didn’t see any flame, but I’ve heard that there is sometimes a tiny one burning. The flaming and bubbling geysers were both  created when coal miners drilling for coal hit pockets of methane. Back then, it is said that the flame shot up 25 feet!

Continue down the path and see the sign for Bubbling Geyser.

For the bubbling geyser, there is a series of wooden steps to get to the viewing platform. It’s a bit steep– but this will be the only climb in this hike. Once you get to the platform, which is built over Christie’s creek, you will have to watch the water for a few minutes and have some patience, but you will see bubbles coming up.  The forest on the way is also beautiful, lots of interesting trees and hanging moss.

There are some wooden steps that are a steep climb
up and then down to a viewing platform.

By the platform is a pretty little waterfall.

The water has a gray sediment. You can read about this on the plaque on the platform.

Once you descend the steps and get back to the main trail, turn right to keep going.

The trail narrows and winds through the forest. You will see some peek-a-boo views of the river along the way. There are several turn offs to get to the river, we turned left at a path that was marked by some big rocks and went down to the riverbank.

After you’ve enjoyed the river view, just make a U-turn and head back the way you came for a 2.5 mile hike.

Once you get back to the bubbling and flaming geyser signs, cross the bridge and hang a right to walk along a paved path by the river with some interpretive signs about the salmon and steelhead trout.

Once you are done, there is lots of open, grassy area for playing, picnic tables, a kid’s play set for climbing and real bathrooms!