There's a lot to do at Flaming Geyser

There is plenty to see and do at Flaming Geyser State Park, even if there isn't much of a flaming geyser.

There is a flame flickering about six inches tall, coming up out of a pile of small rocks and fed by natural gas pockets some 1,000 feet below the surface.

But there are no water eruptions in the Yellowstone sense of the word.

Now I had always been told by older generations of residents that there once was a water geyser here that flamed if you threw a match into it.

But, the story goes, the owner tried to make it bigger by blasting it and killed the water show instead.

Now the internet says that what existed was an eight-foot flame when lit, but it was capped at its current height for safety.

But what the 503-acre park lacks in the way of the geyser it more than makes up for with three miles of freshwater front on the true centerpiece -- the Green River.

The tree-lined river cuts and meanders throughout the property, providing raft, kayak and inner tube opportunities when safety precautions such as life jackets are observed.

It also provides photo and riverside picnic opportunities galore, or you can pick out a spot to simply sit on a log, rock or bank and take in the view and the sound of rushing water over rocks, or to fish from if you are licensed and so desire.

Across the developed park area from the river is a hillside with 4.3 miles of hiking trails.  One mile's worth of trails in the park are even open for horseback riding.

A playground is offered as well as ample fields to participate in badminton, volleyball, Frisbee, softball or catch.

You can find fire pits here, and restrooms including for ADA are available.

Wildlife and bird watching exists for the observant.

How to get there:

The address of Flaming Geyser State Park is 23700 SE Flaming Geyser Rd., Auburn, WA 98092.

From Auburn and Highway 18, go up the Green Valley Road and wind through the farmlands for about 15 miles until you come to the sign for Flaming Geyser State Park to your right.

You go down a short road until you cross the Green River into a field where the road comes to the automated pay station.  Here you can get a $30 annual Discover Pass or a $10 day use pass.

The road continues to cross the field -- where you can fly model airplanes -- until you come to the Green River, which it then follows until its conclusion with a parking lot and recreational fields with picnic shelters.

To get to the Flaming Geyser itself, take a short trail up from the end of the road and parking area past the old resort until you come to a rock lined pit.  In the middle is a flickering flame coming out of a pile of smaller rocks.

Beyond this point you cross a creek and the trail either takes you down to a scenic spot on the Green River or up a hillside into the trees.

Call (253) 735-8839 for more information on the park, which is open year round from 8 a.m. until dusk.

Text and photos by Tim Clinton.