Hiking West Hylebos Wetlands Park, Federal Way, Washington

Some things just pair well together like summer sunshine and forest boardwalks, or history and wildlife, and that’s exactly what you’ll find hiking West Hylebos Wetlands Park. As you park in a quiet, unassuming area just off a main road in busy Federal Way, you might be surprised what lies ahead.

First on the trail is the restored Denny and Barker cabins—the latter being Federal Way’s oldest remaining structure and a glimpse into the settler families who once called these wetlands home. From there, you have the option of a shorter, slightly muddy Marlake Loop that circles the cabins, or take the left fork and venture into the wetlands along a boardwalk as the peaceful, easy trail slips into a cool, shaded forest, where towering cedars, Douglas firs and hemlocks rise overhead. Interpretive signs help you identify the plants and the birds calling from the canopy and explain the ecological importance of wetlands around you, like the Deep Sink, which is one of the few remaining peat bogs in the Puget Sound area. Both paths eventually bring you to quiet Brooklake, a perfect place to pause before looping back.

To learn more about this easy day hike, head to wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/west-hylebos-wetlands or to federalwaywa.gov/page/our-parks. Plan your visit to Federal Way, located between Seattle and Tacoma, at visitfw.org.