Foothills Trail (Orting)

On the search for a new trail this fall we found our way to the town of Orting about a hour south of Seattle. The Foothills Trail is actually quite long and much of it is urban; but this section going south from the town of Orting is very scenic, especially once you hit the part of it that parallels the Carbon River.

Key stats:

Distance: The full trail extends 21 miles from Puyallup to the town of Buckley. The section we did along the Carbon River outside of Orting was about 2 miles.

Wheelchair accessible parking? Yes, in the parking lot at the skate park in Orting.

Wheelchair accessible bathrooms? No

Trail condition? The Foothills trail is a wide, paved trail that is in very good condition.

Highlights?

The view of Mt. Tahoma (Rainier) is spectacular as you’re only about 30 miles away. On the day we rolled the trail it was crisp, clear and sunny, plus recent snow cover on the mountain made it all the more impressive. It wasn’t surprising that half the town of Orting seemed to be out walking, biking or strolling along the trail.

As mentioned before, the meandering section along the Carbon River is really beautiful and we would have gone farther if it weren’t for a couple of grumpy kids. A couple of us scrambled off the trail down to the river and made rock sculptures. The fly fishing looked promising.

The town of Orting was also a highlight. After coming back to our van parked at the skate park we went to the Los Pinos Mexican restaurant (and had a nice chat with the owner) before walking part of the Foothills Trail through town and learning about the history.

More information about the Foothills Trail here and here.