On Monday, April 4 our very own Lee Anne Hughes visited New Day Northwest to highlight some of the best King County Parks to check out this spring. You can watch the full video segment here.

Tolt-MacDonald Park

31020 NE 40th St Carnation WA 98014

This park has the perfect location – right at the confluence of the Snoqualmie and Tolt rivers in Carnation. It features a historic suspension bridge across the Snoqualmie River, with forested hiking trails, campsites, and even yurts that you can rent. The park’s picnic shelters and beautifully restored barn can be rented for company picnics, weddings, or other special events and the grass ballfields are available for softball, baseball and soccer. This summer we will host our fourth-annual Timber! music festival. Artists such as Langhorne Slim & the Law, Telekinesis and Deep Sea Diver will be performing.

Dick Thurnau Memorial Park

11050 10th Ave SW Seattle WA 98146

Located in the White Center neighborhood, this park was recently renamed to honor Dick Thurnau, a longtime supporter of King County Parks. It features a popular disc golf course, walking paths, and a small lake. It is also home to the Bethaday Community Learning Space which houses TAF, a nonprofit with a mission to equip students of color for success in college and life through the power of a STEM education.

East Lake Sammamish Trail

The 11-mile-long East Lake Sammamish Trail (ELST) follows a historic railroad route along the eastern shore of Lake Sammamish within the cities of Redmond, Sammamish and Issaquah. The existing “interim” soft-surface trail provides excellent views of the lake and Cascade foothills, and is popular with off-road bicyclists, joggers, walkers and other users. Currently, the ELST is being upgraded in phases to become a fully paved facility with soft-surface shoulders. We are just a few miles from completing that work!  Soon you will be able to ride a bike along a dedicated, non-motorized transportation corridor from the shores of Puget Sound to the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. Stay tuned!

Dockton Forest on Vashon-Maury Island

SW 260th St and 86th Ave SW Vashon WA 98070

Looking for a mini weekend getaway? Pack a lunch, hop on a ferry and spend the day exploring Vashon-Maury Island in the “Heart of the Sound”. With 45 miles of shoreline, Vashon is a gem of the PNW. Dockton Forest and Natural Area is a peaceful setting that offers saltwater shoreline, along with nine miles of hiking, running, mountain bikiing and equestrian trails – all through thick forest.

Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park

18201 SE Cougar Mountain Dr Bellevue WA 98027

Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park is our largest park, at more than 3,000 acres in size. It is conveniently located just minutes from Eastside cities such as Bellevue, Newcastle and Issaquah. Cougar Mountain Park provides an excellent example of our region’s unique historical, cultural and natural heritage. Located in the “Issaquah Alps”, Cougar Mountain Park preserves important wildlife habitat while offering ample opportunities for recreation. The park has four trail heads that allow access to the three-dozen miles of hiking trails that crisscross this park. It will be the site for the 2016 Cougar Mountain Trail Running Series, which starts on May 14 with five days of trail runs scheduled through October.