Oxbow Loop Trail: An Easy Family Hike with River & Mountain Views
Looking for an easy, kid-friendly hike near North Bend? Oxbow Loop Trail is one of our favorite family hikes in the Middle Fork Snoqualmie area, combining a peaceful forest walk, beautiful mountain views, and a relaxing stop along the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River—all in about two miles.
We hiked Oxbow Loop with our 3.5-year-old and found it to be the perfect next step after easier nature walks. The mostly flat trail circles Oxbow Lake through a beautiful forest, with frequent views of Russian Butte, plenty of log benches for snack breaks, and a short detour to a small rocky beach where kids can play by the river.
At a glance:
- Distance and Elevation: ~2 miles RT, ~50 ft elevation gain.
- Difficulty: Easy, Kid-friendly.
- Location: North Bend, WA.
- Time: 1.5 – 2 hours.
One of the best things about Oxbow Loop Trail is how much variety it packs into such a short hike. Between the lake, mountain views, river access, and log benches to stop and explore along the way, it keeps kids engaged from start to finish.
If your little ones have only tackled very easy, flat trails so far, this is an excellent option to help build their confidence before moving on to more challenging hikes.
In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know before hiking Oxbow Loop Trail, including parking, trail conditions, what to expect along the route, and our tips for visiting with young kids.
Trying to get your kids more excited about hiking?
A small reward goes a long way. Use this hiking sticker to build excitement before the hike and give a reward after the hike.
Oxbow Loop Trail Step-by-Step Guide
The hiking guide is broken down into 3 steps – Hiking the loop, At the river, Back to Trailhead
1. Hiking Oxbow Loop Trail [1 hour]
Within 2 minutes of starting at the main trail head, you will come across your first photo-op. A clearing to your left affords views of the snaking Snoqualmie river with mountains in the distance. You will also get views of Russian Butte from this spot as well as throughout the hike.
In the next 0.2 miles, you will reach the smaller trailhead and see the trail forking in two directions. If you go counter clockwise, then you can keep beach time by Snoqualmie river as the end reward (see map below).
As you near Oxbow lake, you will start seeing log benches every once in a while that are strategically placed to provide you with a moment to enjoy the awesome views on this hike.
These rest areas are particularly helpful when hiking with children, allowing them to recharge and refuel during the journey. Continuing forward, you will reach a bridge that serves as another nice viewing point and photo-op.
2. At Middle Fork Snoqualmie River [30 mins]
After you cross the bridge, you will soon come at a side fork with signs indicating access to the river. It is a 5-min walk to the riverfront and well worth the detour.
Because of the full flow of water in spring, the first two clearings towards the river don’t provide as much beach space. But go a little further until you reach a sort of a dead end and this third access will be spacious.
The beach is more rocky than sandy, but manages to provide a good space to relax and for kids to be busy collecting and throwing rocks.
Water is chilled cold, so even dipping your feet in the water for a few mins will relax you after all the heat you have generated walking for an hour. Dear husband took a cold plunge as the sun was still going strong and the temperature was in the 80s.
3. Back to Trailhead [30 mins]
From the river fork to trailhead, the last 0.3 miles will be uphill and a little steep, so expect some kid complains. The views on the way back are more satisfying somehow with clear framing of the mountains between the trees and gives some nice photo-ops again.
Getting to Oxbow Loop Trailhead
Oxbow Loop Trail Directions
- From I-90, exit at Exit 34. For those driving from Seattle, the drive to Exit 34 on I-90 will take around 45 minutes.
- Turn onto the Middle Fork Road and continue for approximately 15 minutes. The trailhead is to the right of the road. The road hugs Snoqualmie river which makes the drive delightful!
- With almost an hour long drive, its a good naptime itinerary i.e. try to co-incide the drive with your kiddo’s naptime and they will wake up rested and charged for the hike.
Oxbow Loop Trail Parking
There are 10-15 spots at the trail head (with the bathroom) and ~5 spots at a smaller parking lot 0.2 miles before the main trailhead.
We went on a Saturday afternoon and had no problems finding a spot. You will need Northwest Forest Pass.
Tips for Hiking Oxbow Loop Trail
Estimated Activity Time
You can estimate ~1.5-2 hours for this activity. Add to that your drive time to and back, plus if you end up spending additional time in the area.
Kid and Family Trip Report
- Infants (upto 1 year) – Parents can easily carry kids in a carrier. The log benches along the way will provide some nice rest stops. Stroller maybe doable (I haven’t tried it) but be prepared to navigate over some steps on a bridge and some rough patches.
- Toddlers (1-3 years) – New walkers would need to be watched and carried for some part of the hike as they may get tired. 2 to 3 year olds can do this hike on their own with oversight.
- Pre-school (3-5 years) and above – Can do this trail independently and will have good fun along the way.
- Families – Great for older parents, group or family activity. The last uphill stretch is short but might be harder on parents with arthritic knees but go slow and you might be able to pull through.
Amenities
- Restroom facilities – Vault toilet available. Alternatively, you can use restrooms at the gas station at Tanner / North Bend before reaching the trailhead.
- Cellular network – There is no cellular network once you enter the Middle Fork road.
Food
There are no food options inside the Middle Fork area, so remember to bring your own food and water. However, there are many options along the way. Listing some locations with a cluster of restaurants and our favorites in each location –
- North Bend – Rio Bravo for mexican food, its outdoor patio and view of Mt.Si.
- Snoqualmie downtown – Snoqualmie brewery and taproom
- Issaquah downtown – Coconut Thai for thai food
Oxbow Loop Trail Trip Planning
- Day trip – Oxbow Loop Trail is a fantastic day trip activity from Seattle. Combine it with another North Bend hike such as Garfield Ledges or a riverside picnic at the nearby Camp Brown picnic area. Or stop by other attractions in the area such as Rattlesnake lake or Snoqualmie Falls. Or add some park time with kids at Snoqualmie Community Park.
- Weekday evening trip – The hike itself takes no more than 1 hour roundtrip. So you could do this hike even on a weekday evening in summer, when the sun sets after 8pm. As long as you can reach the trailhead by 6 PM, you will have enough time to hike the loop, enjoy the views and return to the trail head before sundown.
- Loop anti-clockwise – Hiking the loop anti-clockwise keeps the riverside stop towards the end of hike. This makes for a good end reward for a dip in the cool waters if you are going on a hot day.
- Best time to visit – Spring, summer and fall.
Final Thoughts
I would highly recommend Oxbow Loop trail as an easy local kid-friendly hike near Seattle and Eastside area. The proximity of this beautiful natural area to an urban centre makes it easy on parents to take the kids without too much planning.
