Five Mile Lake County Park trails

Location: Auburn.

Length: About a half mile.

Level of difficulty: Flat-to-gentle grass and dirt trails.

Setting: Set on land purchased by King County in 1966, this pleasant multi-use park offers large grassy meadows and a trail along the northeast shore of Five Mile Lake. In the southeastern part of the park, trails lead up to a forested knoll with a fort-like structure that overlooks the lake and its fringing marshes.

Highlights: The first white settlers arrived in the area in the mid-1850s. A marker set in the middle of the park commemorates Old Military Road, King County's oldest highway, which passed by the park area (the modern Military Road generally follows the original route). The road, originally an Indian trail, was completed in 1860 and built to aid the movement of troops. According to the King County Road Services Division, in 1860 every man in King County between 18 and 50 was required to contribute three days of labor in constructing roads.

Military Road became the first overland route connecting Seattle to other Western Washington cities. The road ran from Fort Vancouver (the headquarters for the Hudson's Bay Company's fur-trading operations) on the Columbia River north to Seattle, passing through Olympia, Fort Nisqually, Fort Steilacoom and Fort Puyallup. Although it was a territorial road, it was officially known as "Road No. 1" of King County. A photograph of the lake and then-dirt Military Road circa 1870 can be seen on www.historylink.org.

Facilities: Restrooms and playground.

Restrictions: Leash and scoop laws in effect.

Directions: From Interstate 5 (northbound or southbound), take Exit 143 and head east on South 320th Street. In a half-mile, turn right on South Military Road, and in 3 miles the park will be on your right. No public transit within walking distance.

Information: 206-296-4232 or www.metrokc.gov/parks

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