Editor’s note: We will be spending some leisure time this summer focusing on the great outdoors: namely, some of the noteworthy campgrounds and trails found in the Evergreen State. Most of the campgrounds will be within a reasonable driving distance from the Plateau and the same goes for trails. This series will extend into August and, hopefully, provide encouragement to get on the road and enjoy life outside – whether pitching a tent or “glamping” in a luxurious motor home, whether walking a paved pathway or mountain trail.

This week’s entry takes a look at an easy walk from Wilkeson.

All campgrounds were visited recently by the author, his wife and two dogs. On trail days, the pups stayed home.

The original intent of this series was to offer an in-person review of a mildly challenging hike every two weeks – or, at least, what passes as challenging when the hikers are well into the Baby Boomer phase of life.

Failure is never a good option but, well, that’s where this week’s all-too-brief outdoor escapade took us. But we tend to recall the sage advice of Bing Crosby and accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative.

(Really, did we just quote Bing, born in Tacoma but raised in Spokane? Yep, getting old.)

The Foothills Trail: Wilkeson to Carbonado

This might be considered an odd part of the hugely popular Foothills Trail, since it comes nowhere near the 12-foot-wide, paved portion that stretches (on paper anyway) from Enumclaw to Puyallup. Or from Puyallup to Enumclaw, as folks in the Valley like to say.

It’s not a continuous ribbon of asphalt these days, with several projects halting the flow of walkers, runners, bicyclists and the occasional folks on horseback. (More details will be coming in a future edition of the Courier-Herald).

But, back to the trail…

The No. 1 feature of this section of trail is that it’s not paved. So that’s a plus. The trail follows an abandoned railroad line and is a dirt-and-rock experience, following a key link to the region’s mining past.

We cannot, in good faith, call this a hike: there are too many views of clear-cut forest land and occasional peeks at private residences. It’s a slight uphill grade and that’s good, but it’s not unsuitable for kids, aging Boomers and bicyclists.

Getting there: Head south from Buckley on state Route 165, pass through Burnett and continue uphill to Wilkeson. Park somewhere in the small downtown area; many recommend the lot adjacent to the fire station (directly across the road from the trail) but there’s also public parking next to City Hall that adds just a few minutes.

Now, the tricky part – do not head toward Carbonado, as if following 165. Rather, follow a paved path for a half-mile that heads mostly north/northwest, like you’re going back toward Burnett. The paved section will end and real soil will begin.

A somewhat simple walk in the woods might come to a grinding halt when one encounters a formidable wall of large, concrete blocks, advising (in spray paint) that you’re about to head onto private property. This is where you choose one of two options. The cautious among us will turn around and head back to Wilkeson, making this the very definition of an out-and-back trail.

There are plenty of online reviews, however, that note nothing about “no trespassing.” Making an easy climb over or around the blocks allows visitors to complete the counter-clockwise trek that can conclude at the Carbonado cemetery. Or, continue a walk into downtown Carbonado.

Limiting your trek to the concrete blocks and then meekly returning to Wilkeson takes less than two hours, walking at a moderate pace. Pushing through to Carbonado stretches the walk (again, not really a hike) to a relatively easy eight miles.

And while you’re there:

The small communities of Wilkeson and Carbonado, so dependent upon visitors passing through on their way to Mount Rainier, have certainly not been helped by the closure of the Fairfax Bridge.

The lone link to the Carbon River park entrance is in a perilous position. it could be shuttered for years or it could be closed forever. Do yourself a favor and take time to visit the historic towns and their few, but quality, offerings.

OK, no more editorializing.