McCollum Park Forest Loop Trail — Attraction in Mill Creek

A peaceful and accessible forest loop—perfect for a quick nature reset

I recently hiked the Forest Loop Trail in McCollum Pioneer Park (Everett, WA), and it was a delightful experience. This easy, approximately 1.2-mile loop guides you through a serene forested area along North Creek, offering lovely glimpses of large Douglas firs, redcedars, ferns, wildflowers, and local birdlife—which made for a refreshing escape from the suburbs Washington Trails Association AllTrails.com .

The trail is fairly flat and well-maintained, though some roots and uneven terrain might pose minor challenges for strollers or mobility aids Washington Trails Association 10Adventures . It’s clearly family-friendly and dog-friendly, with a few side paths for a little extra exploring Toddler Trekking 10Adventures .

A highlight was the peaceful wooden bridge over North Creek and the quiet picnic areas near the end of the loop Washington Trails Association +1 . The trailhead is easy to reach, with parking near the pool or playground, and restrooms available Toddler Trekking Washington Trails Association .

Overall, it's a lovely neighborhood trail that feels relaxing and restorative. Whether you're looking to stretch your legs, walk your dog, or enjoy a calming solo stroll, the Forest Loop is a great choice.

Feel free to tweak this with your own personal touch—maybe mention a favorite moment (like spotting salmon, watching kids play, or enjoying the canopy), and perhaps round up to 5 stars if it felt...

On the first beautiful day of a nascent spring, as my partner and I were heading to the local grocery we decided to grab some deli goods and a few other things to give us something to do for relatively cheap. Pulling up a quick search of parks and trails in my area (I live in Silver Lake), I found this beauty.

We started by walking to a picnic table located in the field. I enjoyed my pea salad while she had corn dogs and jojos, and we sat and laughed at a couple of guys jumping their admittedly pretty cool RC cars off of a big grass ramp. Everyone we saw was nice or, at worst, neutral. The table was the only one we saw though so that is kinda too bad.

Afterwards we checked out the trails, and spent about an hour enjoying the quiet of the forest and the quality of each air with each others' company. Not the very best place we've ever visited, but we will definitely be going back - the trails themselves have numerous side paths to take and explore.

Two tips - if it's been wet, wear boots, as their were lots of sludgey spots (it had been REALLT rainy before today though so kinda my bad). Also she left her phone in the car, if we had both done that we'd have gotten a little lost as the trails popped us out in a nearby neighborhood that turned out to be a 10 minute walk back, so bring your phone so you can use Google maps unless you're extremely familiar...

One of my favorite places in Mill Creek. The forest loop takes away the noise pollution as best it can. And the birds and smell of the cedar and salmonberry takes over! Little trails cut in and out of the entire loop. Don't be afraid to go off path, although there are a few dead ends. But it's small enough the turn around and isnt a big deal.

Only four stars because there is quite a bit of trash and the occasional sketchy/inappropriate person. They keep to themselves. And mostly stay in or behind the A frame party rental shelter. There are tons of people around. A lovely playground. A stream that rolls through occasionally. And people leave gifts along the path for kids to find.

The DUI wall is intense if you stop and really feel what it's about. I hope it...