Lime Kiln Trail, WA

The Lime Kiln Trail follows the South Fork Stillaguamish River and gives you a window into some old mining history. The namesake is a century-old lime kiln. The kiln, located 2.6 miles up the trail, is a 20-foot tall stone structure once used to cook limestone. The powdered lime was then transported by the Everett and Monte Cristo Railway to smelters and mills in Everett. Built in 1892 and abandoned in 1934, a section of this rail line has been resurrected as part of the Lime Kiln Trail. Be sure to check out the photos and and historical notes on the trailhead sign (this information is on the back -- we didn't see it until we returned at the end of our hike).


The first part of the hike crosses some private property but is well signed. After passing Hubbard Pond and creek on a well built bridge, walk a short distance to a well-marked junction. Here a sign directs you to head left. Shortly thereafter pickup the sounds of the South Fork Stillaguamish River which you'll follow along for the rest of the hike. This part of the trail is the former railbed of the old Everett and Monte Cristo Railway and has a nice, easy grade.Near the lime kiln site, you'll pass scores of historical relics literally littering the forest floor. Old saw blades, bricks, bottles, stove parts, and bed frames are just some of the items you may see.

Beyond the old kiln, the trail continues for another 0.8 mile, ending at where a rail bridge once spanned the river. You can see two moss covered concrete pads on each side of the rive. A short loop trail to the left leads down to the river bed and nice, wide rocky beach area. A good place to enjoy lunch and the river before heading back.

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