Now is time to ride Snoqualmie Valley Trail in eastern King County

You have until June if you want to ride your bicycle between Carnation and Duvall on the Snoqualmie Valley Trail.

Crews are taking a break in their job to shore up the levee that protects eastern King County’s rail-trail and State Route 203 from Snoqualmie River flooding. The trail closes again from June to August.

Work on the levee began last June 1. The trail reopened again in mid-March.

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The packed dirt and crushed gravel trail is the only off-road option to busy State Route 203 between those two historic farming communities. A detour onto the road past the work area is not recommended because of the narrow road and busy traffic.

The work zone is about 5 miles north of Carnation on the trail.

The 8-mile stretch of the Snoqualmie Valley Trail is level between Carnation and Duvall. It passes through the picturesque Stillwater Unit of the Snoqualmie Wildlife Area.

Pausing a several large ponds earlier this week, we could see the work of beavers that have dammed up the creeks. The ponds are home to bullfrogs, whose croaking resonated through the woods. We also worried some ducks that were looking after their ducklings.

A fellow who visits this area often says that he had seen a bald eagle in the past week, as well as a cormorant.

The Snoqualmie Valley Trail runs for about 31 miles between Duvall and Rattlesnake Lake. There is a permanent detour in the trail in Snoqualmie. Last year, the Snoqualmie Valley Trail received an honor by designation as a National Recreation Trail by the Department of Interior and National Park Service.

Let’s hope this work on the Sinnema Quaale Upper Revetment wraps up for good soon.