Mud Under the Bridge: Adventures in the Japanese Gulch

On a downcast Saturday morning, a small group of boys set foot on the journey of a lifetime: a journey on the Japanese Gulch trail. Little did they know what daunting challenges awaited them.

I say daunting, but in reality, the trail was relatively clean, so contrary to the idiom, we did not have our work out for us. Perhaps it was the fact that it was so rainy that almost the entire trail—no, the entire trail was covered in mud. It was so muddy, in fact, that my good pair of black sneakers that I had accidentally brought along with me had miraculously turned dark brown, believe it or not. The trailhead that we entered at, the southern trailhead, is located at the intersection of 76th St SW and 44th Ave W, deep within a residential area. 

Similar to the main trailhead for Meadowdale Beach Park, both the northern and southern trailheads of Japanese Gulch are easily accessible by Mukilteo residents. There also several other locations along the western side of Japanese Gulch where the trail can be accessed. On the eastern front of Japanese Gulch, slightly outside the boundaries of the park, is a long trail that stretches from the northern trail at 5th St to Boeing Perimeter Road. However, because this trail runs parallel to Japanese Gulch, someone walking along this trail would be unable to take in the same forests and foliage as someone hiking on the main trail. 

Clean, Hilly, and a Hike Best Served Warm

If you're curious about the latter part of the subheading, then that's simply because of the fact that this trail is a nightmare to traverse when it's raining. Under such circumstances, the terrain can be rather slippery to walk upon, and utmost caution must be exercised when hiking the middle section of the trail, in which a drastic shift in elevation occurs. When we hiked the trail, the trail was so muddy and steep at times that we had to slide down the trail while holding close to the ground as opposed simply walking down it, for doing so could have resulted in accidental slippage. Unsurprisingly, some members of our group accidentally slipped and fell in the mud as a result of the treacherous terrain.

Under clear skies, this trail would be a lot more enjoyable for dog owners who might wish to walk their pet. In fact, at the northern trailhead, there is a small dog park for pet owners to enjoy some quality bonding time with their amiable canines. Although we hiked along the main trail connecting the northern and southern trailheads, there is a small loop near the southern trailhead for casual hikers who simply wish for a quick, leisurely stroll. 

Weather conditions aside, the trail was surprisingly clean. I was about to say that it was well-kept, but that'd be a slight lie, for there is a bridge along the trail that has since been left in a state of disrepair. From what some of my group members have heard, some city workers arrived to maintain a segment of the trail, but the broken bridge remained untouched. It could just be that the city and local residents have simply acknowledged that the bridge has collapsed and are purposely avoiding or overcoming this obstacle. 

Mukilteo Community Garden

One cannot mention Japanese Gulch without calling attention to the community garden located at the southern trailhead. Here, local families can reserve a small plot to plant crops or perhaps even tend to the plants of another individual while they're away. The sense of community that the garden provides is quite remarkable, and we cannot help but appreciate the message of self-sustenance that it's trying to promote.

According to the official website for the Mukilteo Community Garden, the garden has been open for over twelve years and supplies food to the local community, including schools and food banks. If you happen to hike Japanese Gulch at some point, don't forget to drop by and check out the Mukilteo community garden!

Hopefully, the Sun Shines Down on Japanese Gulch 

To prospective hikers seeking the thrill of adventure, Japanese Gulch awaits your beck and call. At least, figuratively speaking. The point is that to those who are seeking an additional challenge to their everyday life, the slopes of Japanese Gulch will not disappoint. The trail appears to be relatively clean, but that could just be because so few people seem to hike it. That, and perhaps the reason why it would seem that way to us was because it was raining hard that day.

If one does not mind the fact that there is currently a collapsed bridge along the trail, then we encourage eager hikers to give this trail a try.

We hope that you continue to follow us in the next hike!

Click here for more photos from this hike!