East Kent Ramble: Lake Youngs to Lake Meridian

A long walk along roads and trails in suburban Kent

Hike Length: 7 miles (short version), 13 miles (long version)

Elevation Gain: minor

Hike Difficulty: easy (short version).

Revised 9/22/2021

This is the hike for those who love to cover long distances on easy trails. The highlands east of Renton and Kent are largely suburbanized these days, but King County has created some lengthy recreation trails that make good use of the remaining parklands. This hike follows parts of the Lake Youngs and Soos Creek trails to cover a good swath of the east King County outback. The Soos Creek Trail offers the prettiest scenery as it passes though marshlands and forest groves at the bottom of a long valley, all part of a protected greenbelt. The hike ends at Lake Meridian Park, where you can rest on manicured lakeside lawns before catching the bus back home.

Soos Creek Trail

Getting There

In downtown Seattle, catch Metro 101 in the bus tunnel, and ride it to the South Renton Park and Ride. There, transfer to Metro 148 and ride to SE 177th St. at the end of the line.

The Hike

Walk east on SE 177th Street a short distance to Petrovitsky Road, a wide high-speed arterial. Head right (east) on Petrovitsky on a sidewalk for less than a quarter mile until you arrive at a path leading to a gated gravel road (a waterline right-of-way) angling right (SE) off Petrovitsky. Follow the gravel road through a quiet suburban neighborhood about a half mile to its abrupt end at the fence marking the boundary of the Lake Youngs “Reservation”.

Lake Youngs is used by Seattle for water storage and is strictly off limits to the public, as the numerous no-trespassing signs inform you in no uncertain terms. However, KIng County has created a 9 mile mutli-use trail that follows the perimeter of the Lake Youngs reservation. For the shortest version of this hike, turn sharply right and follow the trail westward.

As you head west on the gravel-surfaced trail, you’ll find little in the way of interesting scenery, but at least the forgiving gravel surface of the trail is good to walk on. To the right runs a continuous chain link fence barring access to Lake Youngs, and to the left are the back yards of houses. At 148th Ave, the fence and trail make a sharp left turn. Now you follow 148th Ave. due south for two miles. The trail makes gradual climbs and dips as it traverses rolling terrain. While walking this long stretch, one looks ruefully at the thick and wild-looking forest locked up behind the fence, and wonders why some trails could not be built there.

At length, the Lake Youngs Trail abruptly turns east, at which point you leave that trail for good . Here, turn left (west), cross 148th Ave. and head onto a narrow paved lane, signed “216th St., no outlet”. The King County Bike Map shows this road as an official “trail”. Follow the lane for a short distance until the pavement ends by some houses; continue on a dirt trail squeezed between two chain link fences. Though poorly signed, the trail is definitely a public right-of-way. Still heading due west, the trail reaches the brink of the Soos Creek Valley, then drops down the slope in a few sharp switchbacks. At the valley floor, the trail joins a paved lane; follow the lane westward across the valley until you reach the crossing point of the wide, paved Soos Creek Trail.

Here turn left (south) and follow the Soos Creek Trail, which takes a winding course through fields and marshlands along the valley floor. The setting is pleasantly rural, open to the sky, and perfect for a stroll on a bright winter day when you’ll get plenty of sun. At one point Mount Rainier comes into view, looking close and large compared to the usual view from Seattle.

If the hard pavement or speeding bicyclists get to you, there usually is a dirt or grass strip alongside the trail that you can walk on. Further downvalley, a separate “horse” path splits off the paved trail. The horse path offers a soft-surfaced (and sometimes downright muddy) alternative to the paved trail, as well as a slightly more natural hiking experience.

As you proceed downstream, the valley gradually becomes more forested and enclosed. From time to time, you cross major arterial streets, but otherwise the setting of the valley is pleasantly rural. About four miles from where you first set foot on it, the Soos Creek Trail finally comes to an end at a parking lot on 148th Ave.

Go left (south) and follow 148th Ave less than a quarter mile until you pass by the shore of Lake Meridian. Here you can leave 148th and walk through the lawns of Lake Meridian Park. At the south edge of the park is 272nd Street, also known as the Kent-Kangley Road and State Route 516. By any name, it’s a big, busy road. The stop for bus Metro 168, the end of the hike, is located on 272nd a short distance east of the park’s south entrance driveway. The bus arrives hourly, and you may have a long time to wait. If so, you may as well relax on the park lawn; the bus stop itself is a lousy spot to spend any time. Use the “172nd and 272nd Street” time point on the bus schedule to figure when the bus will arrive; using the “Lake Meridian Park and Ride” time point may cause you to miss the bus (which you really don’t want to do here).

The Longer Version of the hike

long-legged, fast-striding folk will enjoy the long version of this hike, which simply involves going around the east side of Lake Youngs, adding about 6 miles to the hike’s length. To do the long version, go left (east) instead of west when you first encounter the Lake Youngs fence. In its angling course around the unseen lake, the trail sometimes travels close to roads; at other times, it passes behind the backyards of houses. The perimeter fence is your unerring guide as the trail always follows it closely. The south portion of the trail is by far the best part of the whole Lake Youngs Loop; much of this stretch travels through undeveloped woodland. Eventually, you arrive at the west side of Lake Youngs, at 148th Ave and 216th street. Here the suggested route leaves the Lake Youngs trail, as described previously for the “short” version of the hike.

Alternate Route

On the map below, I've marked an alternate route that allows you to do the whole length of the Soos Creek Trail.

Lake Youngs Trail. The fence bars access to the Lake Youngs watershed land, owned by the City of Seattle

Getting Back

Ride Metro 168 from Lake Meridian to the Kent Station Transit Center.

Transfer to the northbound Metro 150 bus and make the long ride back to downtown Seattle.