Mileage: 1-5 miles
Elevation Gain: 100-1000 ft, depending on how many hills you do. The high was 372ft.
Map: Aerial map or my GAIA. You can, also, find an orienteering map here.
Favorite eats post-hike: K Fresh, Sol Food, Organic Valley Deli 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:
Forest Park consists of 197 acres in the urban area of North Everett and starting a few years ago, they took advantage of some of the wooded area to create a system of trails that is now used for a hill climb challenge. I just use it to stay in shape when I can’t get out into the mountains. The high avalanche warning helped me feel less bad about it.
They say you can follow their route and do 4.9 miles and 1,105ft of elevation gain. I don’t think I have accomplished that yet, especially because I stay inside the park and off the main road. I usually just wander around for an amount of time, in this case about an hour.
The trail system is a mix of wooded trail, moss covered stairs, aged service road and boot path. You can make up your own route, kind of like one of those Choose Your Own Adventure books. It isn’t the wilderness but it is perfect for when I only have a short time. It would also make a great stop if you want to stretch your legs before or after a ferry ride. I will note that because this is an urban park, you can expect a bit more litter than in the wilderness, but most of it is near the section by the main road. A great opportunity to bring a plastic sack and do a little trail clean up!
Up we go!
The different hills are numbered but I don’t carry the map around so I have yet to figure out a logical order. I just pick randomly, going up one and then loop around so I can go down the other way.
For those on a more leisurely pace, a local Boy Scout troop has installed a self guided tour of different natural aspects. The kiosk is located by the picnic shelter*. If you come during the summer, you can also enjoy the spray park and animal farm! No kids needed. 🙂
I also included some of the man made features, such as when the trail takes me up to the parking lot. Curbs are a great way to practice balance for skinny log crossings…
I also called on my inner kid and added some time on the playground working on my upper body muscles. Monkey bars, anyone?
I even got to practice maneuvering around downed trees, just like in my real trail life.
The bushwhacking was optional, I just liked the little bridge so I went through some blackberries to get there. That’s good practice, too, for all those off trail adventures. Right?
It felt good to get out for at least a little bit today, gotta keep in shape for that next big adventure!
My trip reports:
3/29/2020
It was a personal best on the hills at Forest Park today, 3 miles in an hour. This week my goal was to hit as many of the trails and hills as possible which paid off. I even got in a little trail maintenance!
There was 5 of us this time (all family) and like usual we had the trails to ourselves. The trail was in good shape for the most part but there were patches of mud and branches down from last night’s wind. I will have to remember to bring my saw next time. It also looked like someone had brought a shovel to the park and was digging holes. So watch out for those, no one needs a twisted ankle and a urgent care visit.
More flowers and a few of those painted rocks made for interesting stops. Watch those loops that hit the road through the park, moss can make them slick. 🙂
1/3/2020 My GAIA
Chores today meant hill running at Forest Park! I managed to get a little time in before sunset.
The hills were all in good shape but there are a few slick muddy spots. I slipped a bit on the old maintenance road hill in the middle headed down where leaves are plastered about on the mossy surface. A recipe for disaster going downhill if you aren’t careful.
There were a few other folks with the same idea otherwise I had it to myself for most of the runs. Someone has erected a shrine to old beanie babies in the forest, I’m sure there is a story there somewhere!
5/29/2019:
Walking home from work today I took a route through Forest Park to avoid a little sidewalk and use the bathroom.
They haven’t replaced the sign for the nature walk on the ridge yet but I noticed today that the orienteering marker closest to the playground had a opaque you could scan for a map of the park so you can practice your skills! Very cool.
The trail was in good shape and as always the stairs get the heart pumping.
2/5/2019:
Opting to not drive on this lovely winter day, I hiked out from my house and headed towards Forest Park about 2.5 miles away. With a stop at the post office first, I was soon on my way up the hill of Federal Ave towards the pedestrian overpass over 41st/Mukilteo Blvd and into the forest.
Having hiked here a multitude of times, this was the first time in the snow! It is amazing how it transforms even a city park into a magical winter wonderland. The trails and stairs all had snow on them but I never felt like I had to put on the traction which I had brought with me.
I took the stairs down one side and up the other towards the playground and then made my way around the baseball field. The air was filled with the screams of children (and maybe a few adults) sledding down the huge hill into the bowl of the field. Ahhh, the days.
I turned around on the trail when I reached the road exiting out from the main area of the park and took a different route back through the forest and out of the park. The bathrooms were open and the road into the park itself was clear but I would check the website for current conditions. There is probably a lot more snow coming this week! You can read more and see more pictures here.
2/11/2017
This was a nice little training hike for me close to home and prefect because my weekend was jam packed with non-hiking responsibilities.. I often come here when I don’t feel like snow, too. Not that that is that often. Wow, that’s a lot of that’s.
*As of 2/2019 the kiosk is down due to aging. The park plans to replace it this year, meanwhile you can ask for a brochure in the parks office during business hours.
Directions: The 197 acres of Forest Park are located at 802 E. Mukilteo Blvd. You can take the 41st St exit off I-5 (#192) and cross over the freeway going toward 41st and the Mukilteo Ferry. 41st turns into Mukilteo Blvd. Take the first left into the park just after you pass under an old pedestrian overpass. You can park in the small parking lot just into the park on the left, or follow the road up into the main area of the park.
Check out my page Snohomish County for other hikes in the area.
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