Tag: natural area

  • Commemorating Juneteenth by reflecting on race and the outdoors

    A message from our director Dear Friends, The collective anger, unrest, and activism of this extraordinary moment in history makes this year’s observance of Juneteenth all the more significant. For us at King County Parks, it also brings an opportunity to reflect on how systemic racism has affected and continues to affect the ways we…

  • Harvey Manning Trailhead Dedication, June 29

    Harvey Manning Trailhead Dedication, June 29

    Please join King County Deputy Executive Fred Jarrett and longtime Cougar Mountain advocates and enthusiasts on Weds, June 29 at 11 a.m. as we celebrate Harvey Manning and his infinite contributions to Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park. We will be unveiling the newly renamed trailhead to honor Manning’s legacy of protecting Cougar Mountain. Among the…

  • 3 FREEkin’ Awesome Activities at Marymoor Park

    Never mind those pricey (but fun) concerts; you can enjoy Marymoor Park for free this summer. Warning: If you drive you’ll have to pay the $1 parking fee, but that’s totally worth these activities! 1) Outdoor Climbing Wall Grab your gear and head out to the Marymoor outdoor climbing wall. The wall stands at around…

  • Random Photo Post: Tanner Landing

  • O Grady Natural Area + WTA =’s more trail

    O Grady Natural Area + WTA =’s more trail

  • New Maury Island Shelter – Rainier in HD

    New Maury Island Shelter – Rainier in HD

    With some help from our Community Partnerships and Grants program the Friends of Maury Island Marine Park have put together a shelter to weather any storm. View is okay, I guess.

  • Park Alert! Limited deer hunting opens Oct 12 at Island Center Forest

    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…

  • New trail at Cedar Creek uncovers Ewok village (we swear!)

    This past Saturday, May 11, locals and trail enthusiasts gathered to celebrate the opening of the brand spankin’ new loop trail through Cedar Creek Park, an Ewok-like forest paradise nestled between Covington and Maple Valley in unincorporated King County. Cedar Creek Park is actually 2 parks: King County’s portion, called Cedar Downs, and the City…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • New and improved trails coming to Big Finn Hill Park

    Big Finn Hill Park, which is nestled between Saint Edward State Park and O.O.Denny Park in Kirkland, is a versatile place: its 220 acres feature both a ballfield complex and a trails system.  Some 3.5 miles of twisty, looping trails wind through the park’s forest, offering a lovely backcountry experience for hikers and mountain bikers…

  • Field Notes: Last spike + volunteers = Trail complete in Grand Ridge Park!

    On Thurs, Feb 23, after 77 days and more than 4,600 volunteer hours of work over the course of 17 months, volunteers from Washington Trails Association put the last spike into the 600-foot-long boardwalk across the north hemlock bog in Grand Ridge Park. For 10 years, WTA volunteers have been building and improving Grand Ridge’s…

  • Did that squirrel just take my sign?!?

    Welcome, Fitness Challenge participants and curious onlookers. In the coming months, The Plog, along with King County Parks’ Facebook page will be your go-to location for updates about the King County Parks Fitness Challenge, a fun way for King County employees to fulfill the Healthy Incentives program and go for gold. Today is the first day to…

  • 2011 King County Parks Highlights Reel, Part 1

    This year has been a busy one here at King County Parks – we’ve added some new acres here and there, converted a few muddy old fields to synthetic turf, and removed a heck of a lot blackberries. Here’s the highlights reel: New stuff! Paved 1.2 miles of the East Lake Sammamish Trail in Redmond,…

  • Random photo post: Cavanaugh Pond Natural Area

  • Better weather is coming…

    …and King County Parks is ready to meet all your sunny (or not-so-sunny) day needs! As you’ve probably figured out by now, except for a few rare days here and there, the weather has been just plain ugly for the first four months of 2011. To wit: April has recorded the coldest average monthly high…

  • Leave a legacy this weekend

    We are planting trees at Cavanaugh Pond this weekend as part of its overall restoration. Feel like joining us? We’ll have snacks and our undying gratitude for you for helping us maintain and restore this beautiful piece of land. For more info try these links: our calendar, the Pond’s web page, or if you can’t…

  • Thanks to our summer AmeriCorps volunteers

    AmeriCorps volunteers wrapped up a week-long stint of removing Scotch broom at Ring Hill Forest last Friday, and we just wanted to say thanks. With partners like these we keep the invasives at bay. AmeriCorps – heck, yeah!

  • Vashon Island + Island Center Forest + Planting Trees = Weekend Getaway!

    Weekend getaways are fun, especially when they’re in your big backyard. Grab a ferry, head to Vashon and help King County plant trees on Saturday, Jan 30th from 10 am to 2 pm at Island Center Forest. This is part of a pilot project that is exploring the carbon sequestration potential of healthy soils through…

  • The Canyon Creek bridge at Grand Ridge

    Grand Ridge Park is located near the Issaquah Highlands in the “Issaquah Alps” along the I-90 corridor. The park is a 1,200-acre site featuring lush forests, winding creeks, and some 7 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding. For several years now, King County Parks has partnered with Washington Trails Association to…

  • Random Photo Post: Chinook Bend

  • Chinook Bend – No access to natural area and adjacent Snoqualmie River during summer work

    A summertime project that will improve conditions for wild salmon and nature lovers alike along the Snoqualmie River will mean temporary access restrictions at King County’s Chinook Bend Natural Area. To ensure public safety, the county’s 59-acre natural area and a 2,000-foot-long stretch of the Snoqualmie River that borders it will be closed to the…