Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Ten Trails Home

Spring is a great time to get rid of clutter, clear out cobwebs, and open the windows and doors for a day of house cleaning. Schedule a day or two to tackle all those neglected spaces in your home that need some TLC. Here are some handy tips for prioritizing your spring cleaning:

Get Rid of the Clutter 

Many of us have way more items than we need and not enough places to store them. Make a monthly donation date to bring items that you no longer use to the local Goodwill or Habitat for Humanity donation center. A good rule of thumb is that if you have not used or thought about it in six months to a year, you can get rid of it and let someone else enjoy it.

Tackle it Room by Room

Cleaning an entire home can seem daunting. Break up the job into rooms and handle one room per day if that is all your time allows for. Another time-saving tip is to group all the bathroom cleaning into one day, so you can tackle multiple toilets, sinks, and showers all in one shot.

Use All-Purpose Cleaning Products 

Save time and money by opting for cleaning products that tackle multiple surfaces. Most household items can be safely cleaned with multi-purpose concentrates that can be diluted for multiple uses. Companies like Branch Basics offer cleaning concentrates that are eco-friendly, and the refillable bottles mean you are putting less plastic waste into the environment.

Give the Fridge and Pantry Some Love 

Springtime is a great time to clear out old and expired condiments from the fridge and wipe down all the drawers and shelving. In the pantry, clear out items that can be donated to local food banks like the one that is local to Ten Trails at the Black Diamond Community Center.

Do Not Forget About Neglected Spaces

Download a handy spring-cleaning checklist so you do not forget about neglected areas in your home that might need some attention. These include dusty ceiling fans, HVAC return grates, areas behind appliances, between the stove and cabinets, and underneath beds and sofas.

Get Kids Involved

Even younger kids can get involved in spring cleaning. Establish age-appropriate tasks for kids and make them fun by incorporating music or setting a family goal and reward for when all the cleaning is complete. www.TenTrails.com 360.469.4043 (more…)

Head to the Coast for Low Elevation Spring Hikes 

Get a jumpstart on the summer hiking season by heading west to the Washington coast for some spectacular low-elevation hikes that offer stunning views with no special snow gear required.

Oyster Dome Trail 

Oyster Dome Trail is one of the area’s most popular hikes and for good reason. Located in the Chuckanut Mountains where the Cascades meet Samish Bay, this 6+ mile hike has it all: views, challenging terrain, boulders, and glimpses of wildlife. The difficult hike is worth the trip. At the top you can catch views of the San Juan Islands, Olympic mountains, and you can see all the way to Vancouver Island on a clear day.

Leadbetter Point Loop Hiking Trail

Located on the northern tip of the 28-mile Long Beach Peninsula, the Leadbetter Point Loop Hiking Trail is the perfect place to go if you are looking to get away from it all. Leadbetter Point is a protected habitat as part of the Willapa Bay National Wildlife Refuge and is home to the endangered snowy plover. This 3.8-mile loop weaves through sand dunes, tidal flats and dense brush forest.

Cape Disappointment 

Cape Disappointment is in the most southwestern part of the state where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. At this state park, visitors will find many trails to hike including the Cape Disappointment North Head Trail. At just over 3 miles out and back, hikers can spot views of the majestic coastline and the Cape Disappointment lighthouse. This hike is ideal during the months of May through October as the trail can get muddy in the winter months. Leashed dogs are allowed on this hike, and a Discover Pass is required for visiting the park. www.TenTrails.com 360.469.4043

Three Ten Trails Community Amenities You Should be Using this Spring 

Ten Trails has many community amenities for residents and the public to use including our award-winning Civic Park and miles of trails to explore. Here are three Ten Trails amenities that you must check out this spring:

Ten Trails Community Fire Pits 

Something magical happens while sitting around a fire with friends and family that does not happen in other situations. In this time when there is a huge emphasis on virtual connections and reliance on technology for socialization, an old-fashioned fireside chat with family and neighbors is the perfect low-tech way to reconnect. Ten Trails has fire pits for residents to use scattered throughout the community.

Ten Trails Community Ping Pong Table

Did you know Ten Trails has an outdoor ping pong table for residents to use? Grab a ball and some paddles and challenge your neighbors to a game! Ping Pong is a great activity to keep you fit, get you outside this spring, and is by nature a socially-distanced activity to do with others.

Ten Trails Community Bocce Ball Courts

Ten Trails’ bocce ball courts are located in Civic Park near the performance pavilion. If you are not familiar with the game, there is a sign posted next to the courts with instructions on how to play. All you need for a great time outdoors this spring is one other player and a bocce ball set www.TenTrails.com 360.469.4043

Visit Local Botanical Gardens this Spring

The Seattle area is home to many beautiful botanical gardens, which are gardens dedicated to the collection, cultivation, preservation and display of a wide range of plants. Botanical gardens are known as such because each plant is labeled with its botanical name. A visit to one of our many local botanical gardens is a great springtime activity for families that is both fun and educational.

Bellevue Botanical Garden 

Located at 12001 Main Street in Bellevue, the Bellevue Botanical Garden is open daily, dawn to dusk, and there is no admission fee. The City of Bellevue owns and manages the garden, which was opened in 1992 and designed to be a space to be enjoyed by the community. The garden encompasses 53 acres of cultivated gardens, restored woodlands, and natural wetlands and showcases plants that thrive in the Pacific Northwest. Bellevue Botanical Garden is also offering virtual gardening classes during the pandemic. Visit their website for more information.

Soos Creek Botanical Garden and Heritage Center

The Soos Creek Botanical Garden and Heritage Center is open to the public seasonally, March through November. The 22-acre garden is located on what was originally 200 acres owned by Norwegian immigrant ancestors of Maurice Skagen. The heritage center is devoted to highlighting the farming life of the early settlers on the Soos Creek plateau during the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. Opening day for the garden in 2021 is March 3, although the heritage center indoor display is closed until further notice during Covid-19 restrictions.

Washington Park Arboretum UW Botanic Gardens 

The Washington Park Arboretum is open to the public daily and admission is free. Take a self-guided tour through 230 acres of gardens, natural areas, and wetlands that includes species of plants that cannot be found anywhere else in the local area. The UW Botanic Gardens also includes a beautiful Japanese Garden which is managed by the City of Seattle and has a small entry fee. This 3.5-acre urban sanctuary features all the elements of a traditional Japanese garden with stones, water, lanterns, bridges, buildings, and plants.

Highline SeaTac Botanical Gardens 

Situated on approximately 11 acres adjacent to the North SeaTac Community Center, the Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden is a one-of-a-kind heritage location created to preserve some of the area’s most treasured gardens. Two of the gardens were physically moved to their current location to prevent their demolition during SeaTac Airport’s third runway project. Admission to the garden is free and it is open daily from dawn to dusk. Leashed dogs are allowed at the garden which features displays of roses and a Japanese garden. www.TenTrails.com 360-469-4043

Golf Courses Close to Ten Trails

Golf is one of many outdoor activities open during current Covid-19 restrictions. Lucky for Ten Trails residents, they have their pick of many fine golf courses all within a short drive of the community! Check with each of the courses listed below before your arrival to be updated with all current pandemic guidelines and be prepared for indoor dining areas to be closed during your visit.

Druid’s Glen Golf Course 

Located just minutes from Ten Trails in nearby Covington, Druid’s Glen Golf Course is ranked one of the top ten golf courses in Washington and offers championship golf and scenic views. This public course offers memberships as well as daily play fee options and is challenging for golfers of all skill levels.

Lake Wilderness Golf Course

Located in nearby Maple Valley, Lake Wilderness Golf Course is a fun, accessible course open for members and the public. The 18-hole course offers short, narrow fairways that test all skill levels, and the scenic setting is enhanced by the course’s many large fir trees.

Enumclaw Golf Course

Another local public course located just off Hwy-410, the Enumclaw Golf Course is an 18-hole facility that meanders through tall pines in a beautiful setting below Mt. Rainier. Enumclaw Golf Course is known for its reasonable fees, scenic fairways, and accessibility for all players.

Washington National Golf Club

Washington National is a popular local course that is well-known as the home course for the University of Washington’s men’s and women’s golf teams. This 18-hole championship course was designed by award-winning architect, John Fought, and features rugged transitional areas, white-sand bunkers and impeccably maintained greens. www.TenTrails.com 360.469.4043  

Five Nearby Hiking Trails to Check out This Spring

Some state-managed parks, wildlife areas, recreation land, boat launches, and natural areas will reopen for day-use activities on May 5, along with some trails and parks managed by the Department of Natural Resources, meaning Ten Trails residents can get back to spending more time in the great outdoors! If you and your family are looking for some picturesque nearby hikes for varying levels of ability, we have provided a few to explore. The Washington Trails Association has provided a thorough list of helpful tips for families who are looking to recreate responsibility. Please visit their website prior to embarking on your hike to review the tips, and be prepared that there’s a chance that some hiking trails and facilities may be closed when you arrive.

South Access Road | Issaquah Alps

The South Access Road Trail is the most direct route to summit Squak Mountain. This nearby mountain is one of the few places left in King County where visitors can walk through a preserved mountain rainforest. Because the land was privately owned for many years, much of the old growth forest remains and can be observed from the trail. The South Access Road Trail is 5.5 miles in length with an elevation gain of 1,606 feet.

Little Si Trail

Short but offering spectacular views, Little Si is the companion trail to the longer and steeper, Mount Si Trail. Little Si is 3.7 miles in length with an elevation gain of 1,300 feet. The rocky trail is popular with local hikers and is best accessed early in the morning to avoid crowds. Like with all Washington State trails, visitors need to display a Washington Trails Discover Pass on their vehicle when parking to hike Little Si.

Tiger Mountain Trail

Tiger Mountain Trail encompasses 15 miles of trail that extends from north to south through the Tiger Mountains with many cross trails to explore. Ten Trails families can spend days exploring the trails and its many hidden gems like Lone Rock, Custer’s Bridge and Wally’s Glen. Make a fun family game out of spotting local wildlife or counting the trail’s many small bridges and creeks.

Chybinski Loop Trail 

Chybinski Loop Trail is located in the Squak Mountain/Cougar Mountain corridor. The trail is 7.7 miles total roundtrip with an elevation gain of 2,100 feet. Hikers looking for a longer loop can also access nearby trails like the Bullitt Fireplace Trail or the Coal Mine Trail. No passes or entry fees are required to access this trail.

May Valley Loop 

Located just outside of Issaquah in the Issaquah Alps, May Valley Loop Trail offers hikers gorgeous views of the city’s downtown. The trail connects with Squak Mountain State Park which features a .3 mile Pretzel Tree Trail that is perfect for little kids to explore with signs that provide a self-guided interpretive walk about the surrounding ecosystem. www.TenTrails.com 360.469.4043  

Small Details Make a Big Difference in the New Master Planned Community, Ten Trails 

Ten Trails’ developer, Oakpointe Communities, has been creating communities in the Puget Sound region for more than 30 years. It is their attention to detail that helps create a quality of life that sets Oakpointe’s neighborhoods apart from all the rest. At Ten Trails, decades of careful planning have gone into creating what is the fastest growing master planned community in King County.

Detailed Landscape Planning

The entire community of Ten Trails is beautifully-landscaped by Pacific Landscape Management. Native and drought-tolerant plants line the community’s many paved walkways, and flower beds with seasonal varieties of flowers that bring year-round color to the community. The community’s many flowering trees create a stunning show in the early spring months, and the late autumn leaf color change creates a beautiful backdrop and welcoming transition to fall.

Comprehensive Trail Plan

Ten Trails has miles of trails for residents to use for biking, walking or jogging. Our nature trails weave through forested areas of the community and were created sustainably using recycled chipped wood. Newer trails will connect future development in the community including the upcoming Retail Village with additional plans to connect the community trails to the proposed King County Green to Cedar River Trail Southern Extension.

Planned Connectivity for Modern Living

Now more than ever before, working from home has become a common practice for many professionals, and Ten Trails has the connectivity residents need to conduct business from the comfort of their home office. Every home in the community is wired for 1 gigabyte speed internet through Wave. The 1-gig internet service at Ten Trails provides downloads and uploads up to 1,000 Mbps, with fast performance and streaming. There are no data caps included with your service, so feel free to surf and stream on multiple devices, appliances and security systems throughout your home.

Ten Trails is Beautiful Black Diamond, WA 

Ten Trails is located in southeastern King County, barely 30 miles from Seattle in beautiful Black Diamond, WA. Take a drive through the community and see for yourself how all the many small details come together to create a one-of-kind new home community. 360-469-4043 www.TenTrails.com  

Ten Trails Easter Egg Hunt April 20, 2019

Visit Ten Trails on April 20th for an Easter egg hunt for kids ages 12 and under! We will have four hidden golden eggs with special prizes for the winners and two separate egg-hunting areas. Head to the Ten Trails Village Green Park at 1 pm to take part in all the fun!

Photos with the Easter Bunny

We are offering free photos with the Easter Bunny, available for downloading after the event on our Ten Trails website! Dress your kids in their cutest Easter best for a keepsake photo memory for years to come!

Great Wolf Lodge Gift Card Giveaway

While you are at Ten Trails for the egg hunt, stop by our Welcome Center or any of our 12 Model Homes, register your name and email address and you will be automatically be entered to win at $500 gift card to Great Wolf Lodge.  A big “thank you” to our friends at Lake Sawyer Church for providing the gift card for this special giveaway!

Food Trucks and More!

After the hunt and your family photo op with the Easter Bunny, grab donuts from the Legendary Doughnut truck, and enjoy a late lunch from Secret Sausage We will also have a free lollipop garden for kids to explore and kettle corn available for purchase. You won’t want to miss this family-friendly event at Ten Trails! 360.469.4043 www.TenTrails.com  

Five of the Area’s Best Spring Mountain Bike Rides 

Did you know that mountain bikers from all over the Pacific Northwest flock to this area for a world-class riding experience? The region between Issaquah and Black Diamond is a mecca for mountain biking at all ability levels. We are fortunate to have these opportunities right outside our doorstep! Here are some of the most popular local trail systems for your springtime ride.

Lake Sawyer Trails 

The Lake Sawyer bike system is  located the area on the west side of Hwy 169 in Black Diamond,  on a mix of private property and King County Parks land. It consists of a web of cross-country trails including some ladder bridges, drops, and other free-ride obstacles with plenty of tight and twisty single-track routes. You won’t find hard climbs here, but there are a few shorter, steep climbs covered in tree roots. As well as some scenic viewpoints. The Lake Sawyer trail network connects to Black Diamond Open Space, Summit Ridge, and Henry’s Ridge.

Henry’s Ridge Natural Area

The official King County name for the Henry’s Ridge Natural Area Trail is the Maple Ridge Highlands Open Space Trail.  In Maple Valley, this network of trails is similar to the Lake Sawyer system with more climbing and descending. This is a suitable spring ride because it boasts good-draining soil and tree cover, keeping the trails from getting too muddy. There are currently eight miles of trails with new trails coming soon.

Black Diamond Open Space Trails 

On the north end of Black Diamond near Maple Valley, Black Diamond Open Space is 1,240 acres of popular riding trails. You’ll find the area’s parking lot on the east side of Hwy 169. Less technical and more flat than other local parks, this is the most family-friendly ride on this list.

Duthie Hill Mountain Bike Park 

Duthie Hill Park in nearby Issaquah consists of 136 acres in a thick evergreen forest on the Sammamish Plateau. It was designed specifically for mountain-biking and is the most-visited mountain bike trail system in the state. The park offers several activity options including technical free-ride trails and XC trails that can be connected into a 5-mile loop. Technical riders will enjoy the progressive jump lines and skill-building features like drops of varying heights, tables and step-down jumps. Although beginners are welcome at Duthie, moderate and advanced riders will love this park!

Tiger Mountain

Tiger mountain offers 12 miles of intermediate to advanced trails plus some fire roads. Riders usually begin by taking the fire road up 3.5 miles to the East Tiger summit then descend via single-track or take a loop on the lower mountain. The climb to the summit takes a lot of effort and is considered quite challenging but worth the Mt. Rainier view on clear days.

Learn More about Nearby Mountain Biking

The Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance is a great resource for all things mountain biking. Visit this site to learn about these rides and all the others in Washington. This is where you can find maps and directions to help you find your next spring mountain bike adventure…Have fun! 360-469-4043 www.TenTrails.com  

Visit Nearby Lake Wilderness Park 

There’s always something to do right outside your door at Ten Trails! With so many parks and green spaces nearby, you and your family members have your pick of places for outdoor recreation! Lake Wilderness Park has amenities suited for all ages, and also is a featured stop along King County’s Green to Cedar River Trail. This popular area trail is set to be expanded by the county, with the new southern segment of the trail reaching  Flaming Geyer Park, and running right alongside our community!

Acres of Park Land Right Outside Your Doorstep

Just a few minutes from Ten Trails is one of the area’s largest regional parks. Lake Wilderness Park is 117 acres of preserved forestland, shoreline, wetlands and, of course, the large freshwater lake. In addition to the natural features, the park also has play structures, tennis courts, a boat launch, and picnic shelters which are available to rent for parties or private events.

Lake Wilderness Events 

Lake Wilderness Park is the site of events held throughout the spring and summer months including the Fishing Derby put on by the Maple Valley/Black Diamond Chamber of Commerce. This year’s derby will be held on April 26^th and Ten Trails is a title sponsor! The park is also the location for the annual Maple Valley Days festival held July 7-9^th  as well and the July 4^th Fireworks Celebration.

Lake Wilderness Arboretum 

Located alongside Lake Wilderness Park is the Lake Wilderness Arboretum, home to beautiful display gardens as well as a forest reserve and children’s discovery forest. The arboretum is open to the public year-round from dawn to dusk, with 42 acres of gardens and forest trails to explore. The King County Green to Cedar River Trail, runs directly through the arboretum, with plans for it to eventually connect to the trails “Southern Segment” which is planned to run alongside the western boundary of Ten Trails. www.TenTrails.com 360-469-4043