Garfield Ledges Trail
Garfield Ledges is a super easy, super quick hike located near North Bend. I picked it on a day when I didn’t want to spend the entire day hiking, but still wanted a bit of mountain views. It fit the bill perfectly!
Garfield Ledges Trail Review
Hiked: mid-April. Accessible year-round.
Distance from Seattle: 50 minutes
Accessibility: Almost entirely highway and paved road*
Length: 2.2 miles round trip
Difficulty: Easy
Crowds: Light
Trail views: Forested. Ledge has mountain views!
Overall rating: 6/10
*The exception is the last bit of unpaved gravel road (a few hundred feet, tops) to get to the parking lot. If you have a car with lower clearance, prepare to bottom out a bit on this small stretch of road. Pro tip: if there’s space available, do not cross the bridge that leads to the parking lot; park before crossing the bridge. It will add on maybe 3 minutes to your hiking, but will protect the bottom of your vehicle!
Garfield Ledges is easy to get to and easy to hike. The trailhead right near the Snoqualmie River, so I made sure to take a few moments to appreciate the rushing water before heading up the trail.
The trail is quick, but pretty. It’s a relatively new trail, having been opened within the last couple of years, and it’s very easy to follow and a gentle climb. Sun-speckled forest path — one of my favorite types of trails.
There’s not a ton to say about the trail itself; there was nothing tricky about it, it was very easy to follow, and it was short! A perfect family-friendly hike.
The trail ends at the ledge, which is a small area where you can appreciate views of the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River region as well as the surrounding mountains. It’s very exposed, so it would be smart to wear/bring sun protection if you plan to spend any time at the top (and you’ll probably want to, to appreciate the views!) Even though it was only mid-April, I was actually pretty hot on this hike.
After spending some time at the Garfield Ledges, we headed back down to the car. I had seen several parking areas along the road and was curious to see what they had to offer, so I decided to stop by one of them (didn’t do more for the sake of time) and ended up walking around a bit at the Camp Brown Day Use Area which was totally gorgeous! I can’t wait to head back there for a picnic.
Wonderful review; enjoyed the photos mixed with video clips. Together with your comments it gave me a good idea of what to expect/prepare for on this hike. I’ll bring a sketch book for sure. Thank you!!!
Awesome! That is the exact reason I write about these trails. So glad it was useful for you 🙂 Enjoy!