Category: 180 Miles of Backcountry Trails
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@ Work: Windfall
The week’s storm has kept our crews on windfall patrol. This time of year always brings the pain. In the form of fallen trees in inconvenient areas. After major and minor windstorms, or heavy rain, our staff are quite busy removing the obstructions. In the mosaic below are photos posted to issues in SeeClickFix by…
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Winter Weather Safety
With winter weather kicking up in the Puget Sound region, King County Parks urges all trail visitors to practice safety when venturing out on any of our trails, both our paved regional trails and backcountry trails. Windy days can bring falling tree branches and other debris that can block a trail. When walking or hiking,…
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Busy Week for our Backcountry Trails Crew
Last week, our Backcountry Trails Crew (BCTC) did WORK. Here’s a little recap of some of the projects they completed to provide sustainable trails that are accessible year-round in King County. A small but mighty team, the multifaceted BCTC services all corners of King County. Here’s what they did in just one week so I’m…
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@ Work So You Can Play: Grand Ridge
Prep work underway for a new rock turnpike on the Water Tower Loop Trail at Grand Ridge. Staff are prepping the area for work parties with our peeps the Washington Trails Association (WTA). Want to join in the fun? You can bring your pumpkin spice latte.
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#OptOutside in 28,000 Acres
Today is as good as any other to be outside. Yesterday should have given you plenty of motivation, as well as pie, and more than likely, regrets. Come on out and run, walk, hike or play out in Your Big Backyard. We don’t have to have awkward political conversations out here. #OptOutside
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Friday – Avoid the #mallbrawl, #OptOutside with us
Our friends over at REI condensed our mantra into a hashtag. Words to live by. Also the hashtag that can spare you mall jail. You know. Yer all enjoying your pumpkin spice latte, with your 60 inch 4K TV on your shoulder, when some joker brushes past you and he’s got the gall to grab the last 3D-printing-self-replicating-housekeeping-drone…
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More trail, less traffic – we want to hear from you!
We know you love our parks and trails – so much so that on any given day with half decent weather, our trailheads are bursting at the seams with traffic. And while we’re ecstatic that you love to visit our parks, we want to make sure that that congestion isn’t causing safety issues for park…
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Trail Spotlight: Fall begins on the Chief Sealth Trail
One of my favorite trails, since it’s part of my commute to work, is the Chief Sealth Trail. While not maintained by us here at King County Parks, it’s still considered part of the Regional Trails System in King County. With its southern terminus at 51st Ave S and its northern terminus at South Angeline…
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Weekend activity: Explore Tolt MacDonald Park
At less than one hour from Seattle, Tolt-MacDonald Park in Carnation is a true recreation destination. The 574-acre park sits at the confluence of the Snoqualmie and Tolt Rivers in the beautiful Snoqualmie Valley and features stunning views of the Snoqualmie River and local farmland. Here are some activities to explore: Check out the suspension…
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Inspiration for your three-day weekend: explore Soaring Eagle Park!
Take advantage of this three-day weekend and hike Soaring Eagle Park! Celebrate the red, white and blue by enjoying the gorgeous weather and the great outdoors. Soaring Eagle Regional Park is 600 acres of mature forests, wetlands, and wildlife habitat. The park features 12 miles of trails that are regularly used by hikers, mountain bikers…
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Volunteer Opportunity 6/25: Duthie Hill Park
Calling all kindred spirits! We are in need of volunteers this Saturday, 6/25 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m at Duthie Hill Park. Volunteers will be helping with invasive plant removal in the planting areas around the main parking lot. Families, individuals and groups are welcome. Contact Lina Rose, Volunteer Program Coordinator, for more information…
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Evergreen Mountain Bike Festival June 11-12th 2016 at King County’s Duthie Hill Park
It’s time for the annual Evergreen Mountain Bike Festival at King County’s Duthie Hill Park. It’s TWO DAYS this year which means more venders, demos, skill clinics and beer than ever before! Check out the list of vendors and demo fleets attending. This is an event for the whole family so bring your munchkins to…
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National Trails Day Love from Eddie Bauer
Eddie Bauer‘s staff was kind enough to come out and help us do some trail work at Cougar Mountain, Big Finn Hill and Soos Creek in honor of National Trails Day. Hugs all around. If you’d like more pics, you can always find them over here.
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Happy Bike Everywhere Day: Weezer AND Panic! at the Disco Concert Ticket Giveaway.
Help us celebrate one of the nation’s most extensive multi-use networks with more than 175 miles of trails for recreation and non-motorized mobility and commuting. On Friday, May 20, it’s the annual F5 Bike Everywhere Day organized by Cascade Bicycle Club. People from across King County will be hopping on their two-wheelers to show their…
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The 2016 Cougar Mountain Trail Run Series begins this weekend!
Saturday, May 14 marks the first race in the annual Cougar Mountain Trail Run Series. Since 2003, participants have raised over $155,000 for King County Parks. Way to go, runners! There are a total of five races throughout the summer and fall. Participants have the option to run one race or challenge themselves to complete…
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Photo Diary: Tahoma School District forest ecology field trip at Ravensdale Park
In the past week, every 7th grader (120-190 students per day) in the Tahoma School District participated in a forest ecology field trip led by King County Parks staff. These young arborists spent the day rotating through three unique and interactive stations at Ravensdale Park and the Cemetery Reach Natural Area. At the first station, teachers…
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2016 Cougar Mountain Trail Run – Open For Registration
Get the deets here. Get outside. Get healthy. Get some.
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Random Photo Post: Ring Hill Forest
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Who’s Down For Some Shinrin-yoku? Forest Bathing, Yo
It’s big in Japan. Wikipedia: In Japan, a forest bathing trip, called Shinrin-yoku (森林浴) in Japanese and Mandarin, Sanlimyok (산림욕) in Korean, is a short, leisurely visit to a forest. We really don’t care if you label it, just get outside. Oh, and you didn’t hear it here, but while you’re out there you’ll probably score some phytoncides. Shhhh Wikipedia: A forest bathing trip…
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Knowing Is Half The Battle – Q&A With WTA
This is a great time of year to remind folks how fragile our trails can get, and just what goes in to keeping them available to everyone. We decided to focus a bit of our attention on the newer trails that have come online within the last so many moons. Again, we like our third party…
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Password: Margaret’s Way
In case you missed the announcement of our bouncing baby mountain, welcome to Cougar-Squak. What?!? Can this be real? Baby mountain?!? Yes. You know how we know it’s real? Third party validation. In the form of the one and only Seattle Times. Tan Vinh gave one of Cougar-Squak’s trails a nice write up. Mentioned that…
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An Icy Morning On Vashon
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Trail Alert: Cougar Mountain
Reminder that crews are clearing trees from the trails. They have chainsaws, but are friendly. We apologize for any inconvenience.
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Trail Alert: Cougar – Sky Country Trailhead
Tree blocking the entrance. Will update this post when it is removed. Be safe out there kids.
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Trail Alert: Duthie Hill – Parking Lot
Duthie’s parking lot will be closed until approximately 9:30 a.m. this morning, as we remove debris from the wind storm. For those of you planning to start your Wednesday morning by riding in a dark and rainy forest.
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Updates on Grand Ridge Trail
On Friday, King County Parks worked with Mountains to Sound Greenway staff as well as forty volunteers from Ernst and Young on some major updates on the Grand Ridge Coal Mine Interpretive Loop. The loop trail, including the area around the back country kiosk (pictured) was graveled, a rock curb delineating the kiosk area is…
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Cat Unleashed On Leash!
http://www.kmtr.com/news/local/323049831.html?embed What?!? This is cat-razy! First. That cat is on a leash. That right there is some serious trail etiquette. Second. That cat knows some great backcountry trails. Cougar Mountain and King County Parks welcome our backcountry feline overlords. In the immortal words of Ralph Wiggum “My cat’s breathe smells like cat food.”
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King County continues levee work along Green River
Maintenance along levees from Tukwila to Kent means intermittent closures to sections of Green River Trail. Maintenance work by King County continues along a dozen miles of levees that protect the cities of Renton, Tukwila and Kent from Green River flooding. This work requires temporary, intermittent closures of sections of the Green River Trail, which sits…
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Duthie’s Dry As Dirt – Ride With Caution
It’s all dried up people. We have posted signs on site asking folks to be careful, and mindful of the current conditions. Evergreen, our amazing steward, has posted some tips and tricks for riding in this current climate. Please check them out, and be safe.
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Timber! Just Days Away
Have your tickets? If so, what are you hitting up first – the river, a hike, mountain biking with REI, kayaking, bubble football, mustache waxing? Don’t really matter, whatever you choose it all coalesces into one crazy-awesome experience. Don’t believe? Check it. Video never lies.