Day Hike - Paradise Valley Conservation Area

Approach to Paradise had zero issues... until the parking lot, which is quite rutted.  The portapotty was stocked and everyone arrived promptly so we could start walking at 7:30.  11 of us from the Mountaineers met for a 5.5 mile / 387' gain ramble counter-clockwise through the Paradise Conservation area - my first time - and enjoyed 15 bird species including a hairy woodpecker, varied thrushes, purple finches, Pacific wrens, and raven.

I enjoyed seeing some of the nature signage indicating what sword ferns, salal, and red flowering current were - and more. We only saw 2 dogs and their owner over the 3.5 hours we enjoyed the area, no horses, and plenty of bike tracks but no cyclists. Too muddy, perhaps. Many of the waterbars had standing water in them; clearly there has been trail work in places to make drainage better. We only came across a few downed trees following recent high winds.