Rating: Easy-Difficult

Surface: Crusher fines, some areas of larger gravel. Width: Average: 5-6’ 

Running slope: Varies between 5.5-16.5% in the steepest parts

Shade: Very exposed, some minimal opportunity for shade under trees along trail

Current Conditions On Site: The trails are dry. Please stay on the trail so we don’t widen the path.

Please be aware that certain areas of the site will be difficult to access after a large rain event. This is especially true for our Creek Loop, which is washed out and has a short reroute.

Please be sure to stay on the trail at all times, and do not go off trail, as this disturbs habitats and erodes the surrounding areas.

Picnic: We are currently replacing all of our onsite picnic tables in the gardens adjacent to the parking lot. No food allowed on the main part of the site. 

Structures: There is an amphitheater on the east side of the loop that provides shade for larger groups. Benches are located intermittently along the trail. 

Restrooms: Restrooms are available in the Outdoor Gateway near the parking lot. There are also 2 portalettes down in the site: 1 ADA compliant unit near the amphitheater structure, 1 standard unit near the boardwalk.

Water: There is a drinking fountain and a water bottle refill station located in the Outdoor Gateway near the parking lot.

Service Animals: Service animals are welcome at Bluff Lake as long as they remain leashed and under your control. Our staff may ask you specific questions to verify your animal is a service animal.

Motorized Mobility Device: Motorized Mobility Devices are welcome at Bluff Lake. We ask that the speed does not exceed an average walking pace and that they remain on the trail.

Notes and Hard Spots: 

The Lake Loop trails are wide and have a surface of crusher fine. Trails that are north and east of the lake have shaded areas and are flat. There is an accessible bird blind at the northwest tip of the lake, though getting back from the bird blind to the trail can be challenging due to the slope of the structure’s ramp. 

Once you pass the bird blind and follow the trail south and west of the lake, there is a considerable slope up to the prairie area that can be a challenge with a running slope varying between 5.5-7.5% (top photo on the right). Once at the prairie area, there is considerably less shade. 

Coming down from the prairie area to the outfall, there is another considerable slope that has water runoff ruts and a running slope varying between 6-9%. 

The boardwalk out onto the lake is just slightly too steep for code and has a several inch lip between the trail and the start of the boardwalk (bottom photo on the right).

Work We’ve Done/Are Working On: 

Bluff Lake is engaging with groups who represent people with various abilities, including people who use wheelchairs. Our staff has conducted site visits, audits, surveys, and interviews to shed a brighter light on the accessibility issues that make our site difficult to navigate and enjoy. Results of this engagement include the changes to our portapottie, including adding pavers for easier access to the ADA compliant portapottie by the amphitheater.

Bluff Lake has created a master plan of campus improvements, which will address many of the accessibility issues we have discovered. Areas for improvement include spots on the trail, creek access, shaded structures, seating areas, and more. The recently completed Campus Improvements Project in 2025 included improvements to the parking lot and the ramp trail leading down into the site.

Work We’ve Yet to Do: 

We hope that you will continue to engage with us and tell us the issues you are facing, as this feedback gives us a better understanding of the work that needs to be done. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Natural Resources Director Tess Robeson (tess@blufflake.org).

This map shows trail conditions PRIOR to our Campus Improvements Project, which will address the challenges in the southeast portion of the site (the former parking lot and ramp down into the site).

This map illustrates a work in progress, featuring actual feedback from visitors showing areas we are working to improve.