Take note! From October 12 -31, Island Center Forest will be open to deer hunting for a limited season, and no other access will be permitted on 200 acres of the park.

While hunting will be allowed on the former state lands that now make up Island Center Forest, hunting will NOT be permitted on the adjacent 40-acre Gateway and 81-acre Natural Area properties, which will be open to all other allowable uses. Hunters are required to purchase a modern firearm hunting license.

In response to public input and in close collaboration with the Friends of Island Center Forest, King County initiated a limited hunt at Island Center Forest in 2011, when more than 60 hunters registered and eight deer were harvested. In 2012, when the county established a five-year pilot project for limited hunts, 40 hunters registered at the trailheads and four deer were harvested.

Vashon Island’s largest public open space, Island Center Forest and Natural Area has nine miles of trails that are shared by hikers, mountain bikers, runners and equestrians. Island Center Forest was formerly owned by Washington state and is the only public land on Vashon Island where deer hunting has historically been allowed. King County Parks does not allow hunting on any other parklands.

The deer hunting season at ICF ends on October 31, with all permitted uses resuming on November 1.

Read more about the deer hunt in our press release. See the backcountry trails map for Island Center Forest or visit one of the many other parks on Vashon and Maury Islands, like Dockton or Maury Island Marine Park!