We all hoped COVID-19 would calm down by the summer, but the reality is that we have to learn to live with it until at least early next year. Nonetheless, living with it doesn’t mean not being able to, with precautions, go out and enjoy the many open spaces our community has to offer.
We are lucky to live in an area that has an abundance of parks, trails, and open spaces. The Lynnwood parks system offers many options for an outdoor experience. Some of these parks have limited their activities and areas open to the public, but we’ve narrowed it to a list of parks most can enjoy by keeping their distance or wearing masks. For the most part, according to the Lynnwood parks and recreation website, playgrounds and dog areas are still closed to the general public, so take that in mind.
Remember always to check the hours first before you head out. Just google the name of a park, trail, or open space, and that should tell you everything you need to know. The virus might keep changing the rules of outdoor activities each month or even each week, so keep yourself informed.
With all that said, here are some great outdoor areas, like parks, open spaces, and trails that topped our list:
Gold Park
Gold Park is a nature lover’s dream. Located in south Lynnwood, Gold Park is a preserved and forested open space with trails, grassy clearings, and a seasonal stream. The park has a variety of northwest plants, including ferns, trillium, bleeding hearts, and huckleberries. Community volunteers have built and maintained the nature trails through the park, which helps keep invasive plants under control. It is perfect for seeing native vegetation and you may even spot animals in their natural habitat.
Location: 6421 200th Street Southwest, Lynnwood 9803
Heritage Park
Heritage Park is considered “the interpreter” of heritage for the Lynnwood area. This park celebrates the local agricultural, transportation, and social heritage of Lynnwood. The park features many historic structures that have been renovated and repurposed as community resource facilities. These include the Wickers Building, the Superintendent’s Cottage, Humble House, Water Tower, and Interurban Car No. 55. These buildings are open to exploring and available for rental for your next event. This park is a must-visit for all residents of Lynnwood.
Location: 19921 Poplar Way, Lynnwood 98036
Interurban Trail
The Interurban Trail is a 12-foot wide regional bicycle and pedestrian trail. It is a hard-surfaced, non-motorized trail located in the Public Utility District #1 (Pacific Northwest Traction) right-of-way. The trail begins in North Seattle and continues north through Shoreline, Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace, Lynnwood, unincorporated Snohomish County, and Everett. Lynnwood’s portion of the trail is 3.8 miles long and is mostly separated from motorized traffic.
The Interurban Trail adopted its name from the route it follows. The route was once used by the electric Interurban Railway that ran between Seattle and Everett from 1910 to 1939. Car No. 55, one of the six original electric cars that traveled between Seattle and Everett, has been renovated and is now on display at Heritage Park. You can make this trail as casual or challenging as you would like. From a short hike or bike ride or take on the entire length of the trail.
Location: 212th Street Southwest to 177th Street Southwest, Lynnwood 98036
Lund's Gulch
Lund’s Gulch is a north Lynnwood park on the northern end of Browns Bay in Puget Sound. This open space has mature second-growth forest, steep slopes, and wetlands. This gulch/stream is an optimal salmon habitat that flows through the basin and discharges into Puget Sound. Snohomish County’s regional Meadowdale Beach Park is located in Lund’s Gulch and provides a trail system with direct access to Puget Sound. Depending on the season, you may see many salmon and trout swimming in the stream.
Location: 6026 156th Street SW, Edmonds, WA 98026
Lynndale Park
Lynndale Park is Lynnwood’s largest park. Approximately 22 acres are preserved as native forest. The rest is developed with active recreational uses, including athletic fields and a skate park. The park also offers an orienteering course and is a popular venue for summer day camps and scouting programs. The park includes a hidden gem of an amphitheater that sits deep in the forest and features popular summer performances of Shakespeare in the Park.
Location: 18927 72nd Avenue West, Lynnwood 98036
Mesika Trail
The Mesika Trail is a gorgeous soft surface loop trail that follows a seasonal stream in the forested greenbelt behind City Hall on the Civic Center campus. The greenbelt has mature evergreen and deciduous trees and native shrubs that provide habitat for wildlife and a beautiful view. The name Mesika (pronounced mee-sye-kah) is a Chinook word that means “yours,” and is used to denote ownership – as in “This is your trail.” Enjoy “your trail” for a beautiful family hike.
Location: 19100 44th Avenue West, Lynnwood 98036
Stadler Ridge Park
Stadler Ridge Park is a neighborhood park located in northeast Lynnwood. The park includes forested areas and rolling hills with rocks, stumps, and logs for informal seating and play features. Three slides connect hillside terraces with play equipment. A loop trail encircles the active central part of the park, and nature trails wind through the forested areas. Perfect for your next family or solo hike.
Location: 17428 33rd Place West, Lynnwood 98037
All this comes from the Lynnwood municipal website, lynnwoodwa.gov, so feel free to look at it for updates about hours of operation and safety guidelines during the pandemic for all parks in Lynnwood.
If you’re going to go out for the day, why not hire a cleaning service for your home in Lynnwood or anywhere else in the Seattle metro area? You’ll come back tired to a clean and disinfected home, so you can relax and just enjoy the rest of the evening with your family.
