Home › Washington › Lake Forest Park › Grace Cole Nature Park
Grace Cole Nature Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 102 Google reviews · Running trail in Lake Forest Park, Washington · Dawn to dusk
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Boardwalk
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Dawn to dusk
Confirmed from Grace Cole Nature Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
What runners say about Grace Cole Nature Park
“Beautiful, peaceful place to reconnect with nature and enjoy the piece of babbling brooks and chirping birds and deep green.”
“Beautiful, peaceful place to reconnect with nature and enjoy the piece of babbling brooks and chirping birds and deep green.”
Very small, but very lovely little park with a nice short hiking trail. Great for a brief excursion with the family (30-45 minutes). Watch out for coyotes! (We saw one from our car on the side if the road about 100 meters from the parking area.) Also note that there aren't any bathroom facilities, water fountains, etc.
Got my cardio! Steep groomed trails with rest benches & a nice creek. Lots of birds and animals - including something quite big rustling around in the bush that I couldn't see! Not too big, took (slow) me 30 minutes to climb the hill and back down, but what a beautiful patch of NW forest. 🐶 friendly & very clean.
I came here because I was feeling down and I thought it was going to be an easy 36 min walk from home but I was wrong! I enjoyed every minute of it and the whole park was by myself, I did not encounter a single person until I was leaving.
It is so nice to have this relatively undeveloped wild space within our city. This is not a park to go play ball in, or even, really, for a picnic (though there are a couple of nice spots to sit and eat lunch.) But it's a wonderful place to go for a short mini-hike and look for wildlife.
Trail conditions & character
“Split in two adjacent portions, the south side has narrow dirt trails, out and back, uphill climb with park benches spread out for rest and nature contemplation.”
“Although Grace Cole Park is a little hidden and parking is very limited, the hiking trails are relatively open and quite relaxing.”
“Beautiful, peaceful place to reconnect with nature and enjoy the piece of babbling brooks and chirping birds and deep green.”
“I had intended on visiting a park in lower Lake Forest Park but decided it wasn't quite what I was looking for to take my dog on a walk.”
“Beautiful, peaceful place to reconnect with nature and enjoy the piece of babbling brooks and chirping birds and deep green.”
“There are two areas to explore - the forest and the boardwalk.”
“) Also note that there aren't any bathroom facilities, water fountains, etc.”
“) Also note that there aren't any bathroom facilities, water fountains, etc.”
“Out of the way, accessible only by car (if you don't reside within a mile) small park in LFP.”
Plan your run at Grace Cole Nature Park
The practical stuff
- AccessDawn to dusk — the gates close, so do not plan a run that finishes after dark
- SurfaceBoardwalk — flat and scenic, and slick when wet, so watch your footing
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms, water — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Stroller / wheelchairReported as smooth and step-free enough for a running stroller or a chair.
- Websitecityoflfp.gov
- Phone(206) 368-5440
- Social Instagram
Hours
| Monday | 6 AM–10 PM |
| Tuesday | 6 AM–10 PM |
| Wednesday | 6 AM–10 PM |
| Thursday | 6 AM–10 PM |
| Friday | 6 AM–10 PM |
| Saturday | 6 AM–10 PM |
| Sunday | 6 AM–10 PM |
Running trails near Lake Forest Park
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Hamlin Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,056 reviews
Public art dots this park offering miles of wooded trails, baseball fields & a covered picnic area.
Pfingst Animal Acres Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 208 reviews
Laid-back park (dog run) featuring trails, ponds and views of the lake.
Lyon Creek Waterfront Preserve
4.6 ★★★★★ 57 reviews
Relaxed, intimate creekside park with benches, eagles, a dock and lake views.
Log Boom Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,270 reviews
Playground, picnic tables and sandy beach area for swimming, paddling and boating.