Pratt Connector to Pratt River Trail

Hikers used to have one option on the Middle Fork Trail; cross the bridge and head upstream along the main Middle Fork Trail. Thanks to work done by WTA and Mountains to Sound Greenway, hikers can now turn right (downstream) on the fine new Pratt Connector Trail. At a junction one-quarter mile in, a boot path leads to Rainy Lake and Preacher Mountain. Just a short drive from civilization, this is a good moderate choice if you're seeking a relaxing, riverside ramble.

The Pratt Connector turns right after the bridge and continues downstream to the Pratt River. WTA crews worked three years to build this trail as a safe option for hikers who were fording the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River for access to the Pratt River Trail.

The new connector is a flat, fast highway; a less-challenging walk perfect for getting out when the weather is bad up high. Some creek crossings do require a little balancing, but using trekking poles for stability should take care of that. At the turnoff for Rainy Lake one-quarter mile in, a path leads up and to the left of the Pratt Connector to Rainy Lake and Preacher Mountain.

As you near the Pratt River, turn left at the signed junction -- turning right leads to "Big Tree" -- and climb one switchback to an old logging railroad grade, which continues on moss-covered railroad ties far up the valley on a straight, even grade with some minor washouts.

This forest was logged in the 1930s and '40s and recovered poorly, so you'll hike through a dense monoculture of unthinned Douglas firs with a lot of the biggest stumps you'll ever see. You'll find some artifacts of the old railroad, but please don't take anything.

If you can arrange a car-swap with partners, a thru-hike to the Talapus Lake or Granite Mountain trailhead is a great way to extend your hike and explore even more of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.