The Fennel Creek Trail is a great, short trail to walk in Bonney Lake, and yes, it’s open.* If you’re looking for a place in your neighborhood to get outdoors, it might be a good option for you. Here are directions and a description of this trail on Fennel Creek, beginning in the Willow Brook area.
This is a beautiful park in Bonney Lake with two short hiking trails. Finding the trailhead is a bit tricky, because it is located in/behind the Willow Brook neighborhood. Once you find the area, which is a residential street, look for a paved road in between two houses. It will feel like you are driving into someone’s backyard, but if you see the post with a white Stormwater Facility sign, plus a smaller sign below it indicating that the park closes at dusk, you are in the right place!
Drive in and you will find a small parking lot. Unfortunately, I didn’t see any restroom facilities, so be sure to make a pit stop before you hit the trail! Leashed dogs are welcome.
The main trail starts with a boardwalk, you will see a sign designating the trail as a path to Victor Falls Elementary. After the boardwalk, then you will come to a series of steep steps. The stairs go up several levels with benches for resting at each turn. There is a narrow dirt path along the side for walking bikes up the hill. At the top of the hill, the trail flattens out and takes you behind Victor Falls Elementary. Pass the school, then turn left at the end and the trail continues a bit longer, ending back in the neighborhood, but not the same entrance as before. It is about a half mile to the end, about one mile roundtrip. This trail might be tough for little kids due to the steep stairs.
If you turn around and retrace your steps, be sure and look at the trees along the boardwalk for one of the Bonney Lake Gnome Doors. *Note from SFM: I am not sure what the current status of the gnome doors is. At one point they were subject to a lot of vandalism, and we got some comments here suggesting that they had been placed in areas that were hard to access. If you have any thought son that, let me know! Back to the Fennel Creek Trail…..
The second trail is to the left of the the boardwalk and is flat and wide. You will see lots of forest and greenbelt to your right as well as Fennel Creek. Check out the storm water pond on the left and you might spot a few ducks. This is not a loop, you just go to the end then turn around. It is about a mile round trip, good for younger kids.
Both of these trails are scenic, peaceful and make nice, short outings. Let us know if you go!
Address:
11110 185th Ave E Bonney Lake
*As of May 4th, all Bonney Lake trails were open except for the one at Victor Falls. Openings and closings have been changing rapidly during this time, so you may want to confirm it for yourself before you head out.