Rainbow Town Trail

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Puget Sound

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Difficulty: Easy
Length: 0.4 miles / 0.6 km
Duration: 1 hour or less

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Overview: This is one of my favorite short hikes in the park. It is an easy stroll and round trip is only 1 mile long, depending on which route you take. On this trail you will see many artifacts from the mining days of the area and information on the mining activities.

The best way to get to the Rainbow Town Trail is to hike in from the Wildside Trail. From the Red Town parking area take the Wildside Trail and in .1 miles you will see the trailhead marker for Rainbow Town. The trail is fairly level to get here but you will have to cross two small creeks for which bridges have been built. For this section of the park, I would advise you bringing an extra pair of shoes if it has been raining since this trail has a few spots that can have deep muddy puddles.

On the trail you can see a mining cart full with coal from the mines below. Across from the mining cart you can see the sealed passage to the ford mine shaft. While you cannot go into the mine you can read about the mine on the information kiosk in from of the mine.

If you are hiking these trails to learn more about the areas coal mining history I would suggest hiking this trail in addition with; Rainbow Town Trail, Steam Hoist Trail, Red Creek Trail, and the Coal Creek Trails. Together these trails will provide you with a relatively easy hike that can be completed by nearly everyone.

Tips: How to get here:

From I-90 East take Exit 13 and make a right at the stop sign. Continue to follow Lakemont Blvd SE and the Red Town Trailhead parking lot will be on the left, about 3 miles away. The parking area holds 25-30 cars and has additional parking is to the left of the entrance.

The quickest way to get to this trailhead is to take the China Creek Trail from the Red Town parking area. At about .2 miles you will come across the trailhead marker for Rainbow Town Trail on your left.

The next best route would be to take the Wildside Trail from the Red Town parking area. This trail will lead you to the middle of the Rainbow Town Trail. This route would be the fastest route to view the Ford Slope Mining exhibit.

Connecting Trails:

-China Creek Trail
-Red Town Trail
-Wildside Trail
-Steam Hoist Trail

Park Hours:

The park is open year around from 8:00AM to Dusk

Amenities:

-There is no drinkable water located on the trail. Water should be brought with you.
-The nearest restrooms are located at the Red Town Trailhead just to the left of information booth.

Points of Interest

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Trailhead Marker for Rainbow Town Trail

I would suggest taking this trail as continuing on China Creek will shortly come to an end.

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Warning Sign

Not that you will be driving in the park, but a reminder that there are caved in mine shafts off of the trails. Please follow the paths created by the park.

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Wildside Trail Marker

This is a 4-way intersection, going left or right at the trail marker will lead you down the Wildside Trail.

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Coal Cart

A coal cart along the trail. Inside there is real coal, please don't take a souvenir so that others can enjoy the exhibit.

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Picnic Area

This is the only picnic area along the trail. It is located behind the Ford Slope mine shaft. On a nice day this is a great spot for a lunch or snack, provided you arrive early.

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Sealed Mine Shaft

A concrete barricade blocks the path down to the mine shaft. To the right of the mine shaft you can see a ventilation pipe used to expel the built up gasses from the mine.

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Ford Slope Marker

A sign providing you with some information about the Ford Slope mine.

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Information Kiosk

An informational sign that will give you more information about the Ford Slope mine. It explains how they removed and transported the coal.

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Steam Hoist Trail Marker

This is a quick loop that will lead you towards the Wildside Trail, where you can return to the Rainbow Town Trail. This is a very short loop that should only take 5-10 min to hike, longer if you are studying the history along the way.

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Red Town Trailhead Marker

If hiking from the West, make a left to continue back to the Red Town Parking area or you can venture further into the park by making a right onto the Red Town Trail.

Pictures in this guide taken by: gbhoskins

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