Miles: 2 miles of trails
Elevation Gain/Highest: 20ft/550ft
Map: Kiosk at trailhead, my GAIA
Favorite Stop After Hike: Soundbite Cider, or just Pack A Cooler. You can learn more about these places in my Must Hike Must Eat Eating Out Guide.
Find out current conditions and as always, practice Leave No Trace. Pretty please.
Hike Details:
This almost 43 acre park has two loops, a smaller inner loop over curving boardwalks and a larger perimeter loop with interpretive signs, that add up to 2 miles around a wildlife wetland refuge nestled next to the Boeing aircraft plant. Operating since 1999, the first “mitigation bank” in Washington State is available for recreational use with trails, interpretive signs, viewpoints, picnic tables, and a restroom at the parking lot. It is interesting to see the techniques used to return the area into a wetland area where wildlife will thrive.
My hike:
11/20/2019
Sunshine! Okay, at least it wasn’t raining when I left work.
Pulling into the parking lot, I noticed the trail closed at 5pm. Plenty of time for a short stroll through the loop and then once around again on the north end. There were quite a few folks out with the same idea. Most of the fall leaves carpet the forest floor now; crunch, crunch, crunch. Didn’t drown out the urban cacophony but a bird calls echoed across the water.
It was nice to get out while the weather was good!
11/28/2018
I had fun exploring another after work hike, just about 10 minutes away!
I did the big outside loop clockwise from the parking lot and when I reached the inner boardwalk loop on the other side I took that all the way around and back the outside loop, continuing to my car for a total of almost 1.6 miles. There were warning signs everywhere about an aggressive owl so I have to admit I was a little excited I might get to see an owl. Not sure what I would do if I did, though. We all hear about what to do if confronted by a bear or cougar but what about owls? Duck and cover?
Any woooo, I didn’t get to see an owl, although I heard quite a bit of wing flapping above me. Just ducks, I suppose.
The walk was lovely and tranquil, saw just two other people. The boardwalk wasn’t slick, which was nice, despite all the leaves. Looking out into the marsh area with the sun setting made for the perfect way to relax after work!
Directions: Narbeck Wetland Sanctuary is found at: 6900 Seaway Boulevard in Everett off SR 526. Toilet and trail map at the parking lot.
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