You feel like you are at a remote mountain lake but the house is only 30 minutes from downtown Seattle. This is your private house, deck and dock. You’re not sharing with anyone. Echo Mt (880 ft) and 80 acre Lake Desire dominate your view. This single level home (1,824 sq ft) has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, dinning room, large deck, ample off street parking for 3 vehicles. Private dock, 65 feet of waterfront, standup paddle board, canoe, paddle boat and 2 kayaks. Plus18+ miles of natural hiking trails and easy access to airport, Seattle, Mt Rainier, Puget Sound, skiing, mountains, Costco, Boeing, Ikea, Park n Ride for sporting events, restaurants, top destinations, shopping and hospital. Located in quiet neighborhood on dead end road.
Lake Desire offers a serene setting for fishing, swimming, kayaking, hiking trails, wildlife viewing. Lots to do on property, lake and the adjacent wilderness area.
All new appliances, including dishwasher plus full size washer and dryer. Comcast high speed WiFi, cable TV, DVD BlueRay player with sound bar.
We want our guests to enjoy quality sleep. Therefore quality mattresses is a top priority. Master bedroom has Tempur Pedic adjustable bed with Zero G. The other beds are also top quality mattresses, springs, and bed frames to ensure a good night's sleep.
Weber gas grill, patio heater and deck with a fabulous lake view. Portable air conditioner and at least one fan per bedroom. If the power goes out a large emergency generator can run the whole house. The owner has power equipment for clearing snow from parking area in the wintertime.
The house is a single level home. There’s a single 4" step up at the front door entrance. The house is very accommodating to most people with limited mobility. Including grab bars in both nshowers. With your safety in mind we schedule generous gaps between guests to allow time for careful cleaning and disinfecting. Hand sanitizer, disinfectant, starter rolls of paper towels and toilet paper provided during your stay.
Guests must provide photo ID at time of booking and provide the purpose of your trip and ages. Not responding will result in being declined.
Parking is limited to 3 vehicles. No parties or daytime gatherings of 12 or more people. No loud music or noise, no smoking, vaping, no pets and no fireworks.
We try to accommodate earlier check-in and later check-out as house cleaning schedule allows. Often this isn’t know until a few days of your arrival.
SEASONS OF NOTE when to go.
▪️Daffodil Festival - March, La Conner day trip … various shades of yellow fields everywhere
▪️Tulip Festival - April, Skagit Valley day trip … rainbow colored fields everywhere
▪️Whale watching - April to October (1 hour drive)
▪️Seaplanes to San Juan islands - Regularly scheduled flights May to October are just 25 minutes away from Lake Desire. Arrive 15 minutes prior to your flight and 50 minutes later you are in picturesque San Juan islands for lunch. After an afternoon at your destination and you’re back to Renton in time for dinner. Your seaplane takes off from Renton and flies low over Seattle. Watching sailboats and looking for whales as you meander up through Puget Sound and the Straights of Juan de Fuca. The flight and an afternoon on San Juan Island is special treat you will never forget.
▪️Salmon viewing - June through October Chinook, coho, sockeye, pink and chum salmon travel upstream through the nearby Cedar River. It’s as easy as walking on a bridge and looking down.
▪️Salmon and steelhead fishing - July through November in the Puget Sound area. Charter fishing only 30 minutes away from the VRBO.
▪️Mushroom Season - March to December but peak season is October and November.
▪️Typical ski season - Thanksgiving through March. Snoqualmie Pass 1 hour or Crystal Mt 1 1/2 hours.
On Lake Desire
▪️Year round - Every season has its own merits including misty rise off the water and the sounds of a loon. Each season offers different bird life. Less people activity encourages more wildlife viewing including beaver, muskrat and otter. Temperate winters allows for year round fishing, hiking, kayaking and more.
▪️March - Lake Desire awakes from winter as green leaf buds, forsythia and daffodils appear as a fresh touch of color.
▪️April - Lake Desire eagles and osprey are constantly fishing on the lake to feed their hungry hatchlings. Guests frequently see eagles and osprey. Those that frequent the lake occasionally are treated to close encounters.
▪️May - Our personal favorite time of year when it’s color galore as giant rhododendrons, wisteria, lilac, tulips, cherry trees, and more are in full bloom. Fawning season typically begins in mid May and continues through June. Nothing cuter than a pair of fawns doing zoomies in your backyard.
▪️June - On Lake Desire the eagle activity is typically is at its most active April thru mid July. However eagles are a constant presence year round.
▪️BOOK EARLY - Our June thru August calendar books early! Summer is busy with kids out of school, people fishing, swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding and hiking our 18+ miles of natural trails.
▪️September to early October - Weather is typically very good, the crowds are low and prices are reduced. This is the favorite time of year for most of the locals.
▪️October - November - At times large numbers of red headed mergansers gather on Lake Desire deploying their unique organized fishing methods. At times forming a line of birds the full width of the lake.
RESTAURANTS OF NOTE - this is only the best local places to eat!
▪️5 minutes away
Five Sisters Thai - fresh athletic Thai food just like what you would expect in downtown Bangkok.
Wild Garlic Chinese - fresh ingredients and delicious food that represents many different Chinese provinces and regions.
▪️12 minutes away
River Rock Grill (Maplewood Golf Course) - Indoor and outdoor dining overlooking the golf course. New chef and menu is awesome offering tasty steak, seafood, and specialties like beef stroganoff and more in a casual atmosphere.
Gyro Makers - Is just a little hole in the wall place with awesome, flavorful Mediterranean food and generous portions.
Burger Buds - a bit difficult to find. It’s a food truck hidden away behind the 76 gas station. Occasionally a long wait line but WOW! Amazing burgers makes this worth the effort. An order of fries is huge and should be shared. Unfortunately there is no seating area. I like to grab an order to go and drive 3 minutes north to Fred V Habenicht Park. It has covered picnic tables next to grassy area near the Cedar River.
Shawn’s Meats - If you want to grill your own then Shawn’s Meats is an excellent butcher shop serving quality Painted Hills Natural Beef and more.
▪️18 minutes away
Marianna Ristorante - Great Italian restaurant in downtown Renton. If you like seafood ask for the “Linguini Allo Scoglio” it is not on the menu but it’s my go-to almost every time we eat here. Marianna and all her children were born in Sicily.
The Melrose Grill - A bit crowded and noisy however it is the best steakhouse south of Seattle located in downtown Renton. You won’t be disappointed. “Boom Boom” Boone Kirkman a local boxing legend who fought George Foreman for the Heavyweight Championship has past ties to the Melrose.
Ivar’s - Ivar Haglund was a folk legend restauranteur in Seattle. The Ivar’s Seafood Bar at the south end of Lake Washington, in Renton’s Gene Coulon Park carries on the tradition of quality fish n chips at lakeside. Or if you prefer Kidd Valley burgers is next door. Both are inside the park next to huge shared covered picnic shelter overlooking Lake Washington and the Olympic Mountains in the background. You can watch seaplanes come and go.
▪️25 minutes away
Black Diamond Bakery and Restaurant. Founded in 1902 (123 years old) originally catered to the wilderness loggers and coal miners. The bakery still bakes from scratch daily. Countless types of bread, pastries and goodies. Plus the restaurant has fabulous old fashion breakfast to get the day started right. Eat a hardy breakfast, grab a fresh loaf of bread (sliced on request) bring some cold cuts and sandwich makings plus a pastry or two and continue on through Enumclaw to Mt Rainier National Park for lunch at Paradise. If you go make sure to make a little sidetrack to Tipsoo Lake. Always a favorite tiny little gem.