Category: 26,000 Acres of Open Space

  • We’re havin’ a party and everybody’s invited!

    Turning seventy-five may inspire some people to gold-plate their Senior Citizen cards, but we here at King County Parks aren’t slowing down one bit! Instead, we’re throwing a bash, Parks-style, with trees, trails, and treats! Join us as we celebrate 75 years of parks, trails, open space and general awesometicity with a big she-bang on…

  • Cocktails for a cause: King County Parks Foundation night at 50 North, June 26

    Join King County Parks for a very special night at 50 North restaurant near University Village in Seattle. For one night only, on June 26th, part of the proceeds from cocktails like the “Tree-tini” will be donated to the King County Parks Foundation! Launched earlier this year, the King County Parks Foundation supports King County’s…

  • King County Parks celebrates 10 years of Community Partnerships and Grants Program

    Community partners reflect on program achievements developing new or enhanced public recreation facilities in King County Dozens of past Community Partnerships and Grants recipients joined King County Parks this week to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the innovative program aimed at creating new or enhanced public recreation facilities. Community partners representing a variety of King…

  • Spend National Trails Day, Sat, June 1, in Your Big Backyard

    Join us on National Trails Day, Saturday, June 1, to learn more about our growing network of 180 miles of backcountry trails spread across more than 16,000 acres of park lands. Did you know that over our 75 year history, King County Parks has built an impressive legacy of natural lands? You know, the kind…

  • King County Parks Foundation, now in 3-D!

    Last week, our very own King County Parks Foundation was featured in a full color, eight-page insert as part of the Puget Sound Business Journal’s series on corporate citizenship in the region. Download and read the pdf (3.6 MB) online or contact us for a hard copy!

  • Field Notes: Your opportunity is knocking at the Women in Trades Career Fair!

    We are excited to take part in the 34th annual Washington Women in Trades Career Fair this Friday at the Seattle Center’s Fisher Pavillion. This fair features potential employers looking to educate young adults and connect with tradeswomen to fill valued trades jobs such as welding, electricity or carpentry. It’s a great opportunity to engage…

  • Cougar’s Wilderness Peak Trail goes to new heights to honor local legendary climber Jim Whittaker

    On the 50th anniversary of his Mt Everest ascent, local climbing legend Jim Whittaker (REI member number 0001!) is reaching new heights right here in King County. Well, technically, his name will, and that of his climbing partner, Sherpa Nawang Gombu, as we honor their accomplishments by renaming the trails that lead to the highest…

  • King County Council: Happy 75 years to King County Parks!

    Yesterday, we here at King County Parks were in for a special treat, as the King County Council invited us over for a party at Council Chambers to celebrate our 75th Anniversary. Sponsored by Councilmembers McDermott, Lambert, and Phillips, the proclamation recognized King County Parks for growing such an amazing system and taking care of…

  • Congrats to our Green Globe winners!

    On this fine Earth Day, we here at King County Parks like to start off our favorite tree-hugging day with a little celebratin’.  This morning, we joined other King County types at the Olympic Sculpture Park for the 2013 Green Globe Awards, given every two years by King County to celebrate the green, earth-loving contributions…

  • We like to keep our LOL Cats speak to a minimum, that said, you CAN HAZ otter

    You like otters? We like otters. PAWS brought one to the Green River Natural Area to be returned to the wild. Photos, or it never happened, right? Have some photos and video over here, come have a look.

  • Saying goodbye is never easy

    Mike (a 13 year crew leader for WTA) has played a key role in helping complete some amazing trails within the King County Parks system. You might know him from his roles in: Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park, Grand Ridge, Duthie Hill, Taylor Mountain – and as the guy in this photo. The man, and…

  • New trail and entrance at Cougar Mountain now open

    As if Cougar Mountain Park didn’t have enough superlatives attached to it (our largest park, most popular local hiking spot, best for trail running, shall we continue?), here’s one more: New trail! New access point! In Issaquah! Off Newport Way NW! Did you catch you that? Yep, now there’s one more new way to get…

  • Do not be alarmed. The massive burning orb is good for you, do not resist.

    Stop running in circles, there is no need to panic. We have a solution – parks, lots of them. Too vague? All right, let’s get real specific, geocaching. Why? It’s what all the cool kids are doing, AND you get to see some killer parks. What is geocaching? Well, we can tell you it isn’t…

  • Give me shelter

      Island Center Forest’s new “forest cathedral” shelter was designed and built by Nathan Enzian of Fifth Bench Design and Build, on Vashon Island.  The shelter is a timber-frame design that uses old school joinery methods. All of the Douglas-fir posts and beams come from local Vashon forests and were milled at the Vashon Forest…

  • Timber! Outdoor Music Fest: Tickets on sale now.

    For tickets click here

  • We know they’re your best friend, so you want ’em clean don’t cha?

    Council agrees: BOOM, more dog cleaning for the Republic of Marymoor. You may now celebrate in the fashion of Ewoks upon hearing of the destruction of the Death Star. Now go clean your dogs. For those not understanding any of the nonsense above, we are referring you to this well written piece from The Patch.

  • Attention, people who love beer and parks:

      All good things must end, and so it goes for Pliny the Elder in Seattle. For reasons hard to accept, the California-based brewers of one of the most-popular double IPAs around have decided to end distribution of their hoppy wares beyond the borders of the Golden State. In other words, after the last few…

  • B-52 tickets to giveaway on our Facebook page

    Pop over to our Facebook page, and tell us why you love King County Parks, and you stand a chance to win one of FIVE pairs of tickets.

  • Hug your Mother (Nature) today. And tomorrow. And the day after…

  • Random photo post: Anyone else?

    Park(ing) Day visitors, a photo by kingcountyparks on Flickr.

  • Fitness Challenge – Volunteer at a King County Park

    Volunteering at Duthie Hill Mountain Bike Park, a photo by kingcountyparks on Flickr.   Parks  cube-dwellers, torn from the comfort of their monitors, and forced into honest labor. Planted vegetation around the shelter. Plants courtsey of the King County Greenhouse. It’s a great way to get fit and give back.  Check out our calendar and find a volunteer opporutnity…

  • Fitness Challenge Alert!

    Storm damage at Duthie Hill and Tolt MacDonald Park close some high intensity challenges Douggie the Douglas Squirrel was starting to get a bit of cabin fever after snowmageddon so we decided to head out to Tolt MacDonald Park for a Fitness Challenge hike.   As we were heading up the high-intensity hike we were stopped by a giant tree…

  • Field notes: Snowmaggedon damage

    Snowmaggedon damage @ Tolt MacDonald Park, a photo by kingcountyparks on Flickr. Following the week of big snow and wind, there are lots of folks across King County who are dealing with downed tree limbs and other debris in their yards. Just imagine the size of the clean-up job if your yard is 26,000 acres…

  • Little Footprint Big Forest Project Update – Thanks Matson!

     A BIG THANKS to Matson for donating 4 – 24’ cargo containers for our Little Footprint Big Forest project! We just received our first two containers and our crews can’t wait to start the (de)construction.  When completed, the camping cargo container will feature an adaptable floor plan complete with beds, a table, and a multi-purpose…

  • Pints for Parks: Reminder

    The darkest, dreariest days of December are upon us. Short of a trip to the Tropics, we have the perfect antidote to winter’s palette gray tones: Take refuge in the Noble Fir in Ballard, where every pint of delicious beer sold from 6:30 p.m. to closing tonight benefits King County Parks. Just how delicious, you…

  • Random photo post: Three Forks Natural Area and…uh…everything

    Believe it or not a healthy chunk of our 26,000 acres is here. This is above Snoqualmie Falls, looking east. Pictured from left to right. Three Forks Natural Area, Tanner Landing, Middle Fork Snoqualmie Natural Area, Tollgate Farm and Boxley Creek. Enjoy.  

  • The Foothills Trails now for more than just feet: 1-mile segment to be completed in December

    In December, King County Parks will wrap up Phase I construction of the Foothills Trail near Enumclaw.  The one-mile segment, which begins at 252nd Avenue South, continues along the old railroad bed and ends just north of Southeast Mud Mountain Road. This phase made both gravel and paved improvements to the trail entrances at 252nd…

  • Random photo post: Fall colors on our backcountry trails

  • Park(ing) Day 2011

    What do you need to know? We are participating. What is it? Take a look at this link. We will be up at 315 Boren Ave N. schmoozing with the Amazon crowd. Why is it beneficial to stop by our pop-up park? Because we love you, and King County Parks, and are happy to talk…

  • Think you’re an expert on ‘glamping’?

    Enter to win a spot on our Little Footprint, Big Forest judges’ panel We want to hear from you! One lucky King County Parks fan will have the opportunity to join our all-star judges’ panel and help us select the winning design for the Little Footprint, Big Forest cargo container camping shelter contest. All you…