Martha Lake Loop

What: A 2.5 mile walk around Martha Lake

Where: From Martha Lake County Park, circling through the lakeside neighborhood

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Why: Martha Lake is an oasis in the otherwise traffic-laden 164th Street corridor. The entrance to the park is off Sixth Avenue W. Park at the park and begin walking north on East Shore Drive. It’s shoulder-walking the whole way, except for a short sidewalk out of the park and the last stretch on a paved trail through the park, but there are few cars in this quiet neighborhood. Larch Way can be somewhat of a thoroughfare at 5 p.m., so be sure to step off the road on the curves and always walk facing traffic. Enjoy snatches of lake views and the lovely landscaping of the waterfront homes as you meander around. After skirting the lake, take the stairs back into the park right on the corner of 164th Street SW and Larch Way. It’s only .2 of a mile straight across to the parking lot, but this little haven is worth lingering in for a while. There’s a small beach, a picnic area, a playground, a wetlands boardwalk and three fishing docks. And restrooms, too. Dogs must be leashed and scooped after, of course. While the trek around the lake may not be good for baby strollers or wheelchairs, the park trails are paved, except for a short path beyond the beach.

Sally Birks