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Find Enchantment at Federation Forest State Park

Discover a great place for a winter stroll less than 20 miles east of Enumclaw along State Route 410.

If you are looking for an easy winter hike, check out Federation Forest State Park located a few miles east of Enumclaw off State Route 410.  

In winter the Catherine Montgomery Interpretive Center and restrooms are closed but you’ll find picnic tables, picnic shelters and grills in the lower picnic area near the White River. A picnic in winter can be delightful if you are dressed for cold weather and have a hot thermos on standby.   

The hiking is easy - two main trails, called the Fred Cleator Interpretive Trails, wind through the forested setting: the one-mile West Loop and the ½-mile East Loop. These trails are designated in honor of Fred W. Cleator, an early forester and conservationist. The park also includes a stretch of the historical Naches Trail. The Naches Trail dates back to 1853 as the Naches Wagon Road when the Naches Trail connected Puget Sound to eastern Washington.

The picnic area was enchanting; sunlight filtered through lichen-draped alders and ice sparkled like coarse sugar where sunlight touched the ground. Foothills checkered with snow-covered clear-cuts rose above the dancing turquoise-colored river as it raced toward the lowlands. Tattered thimbleberry shrubs fluttered in the breeze like faded Tibetan prayer flags, while eager alders grew anywhere they could.  

Stroll the interpretive trails and allow time to read interpretive signs explaining the life cycles of evergreens and their close association with other flora and fauna. Douglas firs with their thick, charred bark have stories to tell of ancient forest fires – fat nurse logs provide a conga-line of seedlings all vying for light. Boisterous alders cram the riverbank in their lust for light; lichen-draped branches hang like beaded shawls. Small birds dart through shrubs looking for last-minute seeds and don’t be surprised at the antics of the ever-present Douglas squirrel. Elk are also very much in evidence here by tracks and scat though like most wildlife, they remained hidden.

Equipment considerations: Though the sun was bright, it felt like winter when we hiked here in late December. Snowshoes might be overkill though snow had piled up along the road where snowplows had cleared it away, and the grounds were snow-covered. 

A little history:  The park was originally situated near Snoqualmie Pass (then it was called Big Tree Park).  By the 1930s fire, windstorms and logging had damaged the forest to such an extent that advocates of the park sought a better location to protect old-growth forest. They rightly anticipated a future in which few old-growth trees would remain outside of national parks.

The park was relocated along the White River; with the support of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs of Washington (GFWC-WS) and the cooperation of state legislature, Washington State Parks purchased the land in 1941. Major development took place when Catherine Montgomery willed a generous sum to the Washington State Federation of Women’s Clubs.  

Today there are more than 600 acres of forest within the park with some 18,000 feet of shoreline along the White River. A kiosk near the Upper Picnic Area displays the trail system.

There is talk about Washington State Parks Department of Recreation mothballing some state parks to help balance the state budget; this fine park could be one of them. To find out more about the future of this park (and others), browse trail reports or to volunteer for trail maintenance, visit Washington Trails Association at www.wta.org . Here you can also get information on Hikers Lobby Day in Olympia (February 9, 2011).

To get there:  From Enumclaw travel east on State Route 410 about 18 miles. Federation Forest State Park is on the right-hand side of the highway (milepost 41).  

Stats: Mileage is variable, elevation gain negligible.

Additional Information:  Camping is prohibited; dogs must be on leash and under physical control. Fires are only allowed in fire rings in designated picnic areas. Bicycles are allowed on paved roads only. The park is open from 8 a.m. to dusk (year round); the Catherine Montgomery Interpretive Center is closed in winter. For additional information call Washington State Parks at 360-902-8844 (8 to 5 pm, Monday through Friday) or check online:  www.parks.wa.gov .

Note: January 16, 2011:  State Route 410 was closed for a while due to water over the road. Call the Snoqualmie Ranger District () for conditions on State Route 410 before setting out at 360-825-6585 (they are closed most weekends).

Have a question or comment for Karen? Email her at hikes4ever@hotmail.com.

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