On a grey December day I started a 2 hour hike from Valleyview Arena, following the main trailhead up into the hills of Valleyview Nature Park.     There was a bit of snow on the ground, but it was fine for hiking boots and a pole for stability.

The route was a series of loops, across benchlands, gullies, and ridges.    The first loop has fine views north to Mt. Peter and Paul and the ridges above the valley.

Single tracks wind along the edge of the silt cliffs bearing east.

All of the trails come to deeply incised gullies so to get to the next benchland, a route down then back up is needed.    We avoided all of the fenced area to the southeast and stayed on City parks and Crown lands.   The benches are grasslands areas with a few trees and some sagebrush.

After doing two more loops I followed the Coyote Crossing Trail which climbs up to Juniper Ridge Park.   From there I looped back down a bike trail (XC Climb) to the Sasquatch Trail.

There are more loops that can be added and another hike is planned to add on those in the next week.

This is the route planned for the upcoming hike: