Meadowdale Beach—Reach the Beach through an Emerald Gulch

Quick Facts: Location: Lynnwood Land Agency: Snohomish County Parks Roundtrip: 2.5 miles Elevation Gain: 425 feet Contact: Snohomish County Parks Special Notes: Dogs must be leashed; park open 7 am to dusk: do not park on road Access: From Everett, head 10 miles south on I-5 to exit 183. Follow 164th Street SW west for…

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River Meadows Park─Wander along the Stillaguamish River

Quick Facts: Location: South Fork Stillaguamish River, near Arlington Land Agency: Snohomish County Parks Roundtrip: 2.5 miles Elevation Gain: 150 feet Contact: Snohomish County Parks Notes: Dogs must be leashed. Access: From Exit 208 on I-5 head east on SR 530 to Arlington. One mile beyond junction with SR 9 (just after crossing the South…

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Anderson Point County Park

Short hike to one of the finest beaches on the Kitsap Peninsula Quick Facts: Location: Kitsap Peninsula Distance: 1.4 miles roundtrip Elevation Gain: 250 feet Contact: Kitsap County Parks Recommended Guidebook: Urban Trails Kitsap (Mountaineers Books) Notes: dogs permitted on leash; Park open from 6:00 am to 8:30 pm; do not park along Millihanna Road…

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Chambers Creek Regional Park

Explore an old quarry resurrected as a grand park Quick Facts: Location: University Place (Tacoma) Distance: more than 6.0 miles of trails Elevation Gain: up to 230 feet Contact: Pierce County Parks Recommended Guidebook: Urban Trails Tacoma (Mountaineers Books) Notes: dogs permitted on leash and there is an off-leash area; some trails jogger-stroller and wheel…

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Saint Edward State Park

Explore a different—and wilder side of Lake Washington Quick Facts: Location: Eastside (Seattle) Distance: more than 9.0 miles of trails Elevation Gain: up to 500 feet Contact: Washington State Parks Recommended Guidebook: Urban Trails Eastside (Mountaineers Books) Notes: Discover Pass required; dogs permitted on leash; park open 8am to dusk Trailhead directions: From Bellevue follow…

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Dugualla State Park

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Quiet ambling on Skagit Bay Quick Facts: Location: Whidbey Island Distance: more than 5.0 miles of trails Elevation Gain: up to 500 feet Contact: Washington State Parks Recommended Guidebook: Urban Trails Everett (Mountaineers Books) Notes: Discover Pass required; dogs permitted on leash Trailhead directions: From Oak Harbor, follow State Route 20 for 4.0 miles and…

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Turtlehead — It’s one shell of a view from this Turtleback Mountain summit

Quick Facts: Location: Orcas Island, San Juan Islands Land Agency: San Juan County Land Bank Roundtrip: 5.6 miles Elevation Gain: 1295 feet Contact: San Juan County Land Bank Notes: Dogs permitted on leash; trail (partial) open to bikes (even days) and horses (odd days) Access: Take Washington State Ferry from Anacortes to Orcas Island. Then head…

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Little Cranberry Lake — A perfect complement hike to your Thanksgiving Day celebration

Quick Facts: Location: Anacortes-Fidalgo Island Land Agency: Anacortes Community Forest Lands Roundtrip: 1.9 miles Elevation Gain: 100 feet Access:  From Exit 230 on I-5 in Burlington, head west on SR 20 to junction with SR 20-Spur. Continue right on SR 20-Spur to Anacortes. At traffic light near old town, continue left on 12th Street (still SR 20-Spur and12th Street…

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Flowing Lake–For peaceful wandering, go with the Flow in the springtime

Location: Three Lakes, east of Snohomish Land Agency: Snohomish County Parks Roundtrip: 1.2 miles Elevation gain: 100 feet Contact: Snohomish County Parks Notes: $10.00 day use fee; Dogs must be on leash Access:  From Everett follow US 2 east for 10 miles turning left onto Westwick Road. Follow Westwick Road for approximately 2.0 miles bearing…

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Ephemeral Trail–Enjoy lasting memories on this Paradise Valley Trail

Location: Maltby Land Agency: Snohomish County Parks Roundtrip: 4.0 miles Elevation gain: 200 feet Difficulty: Easy Contact: Snohomish County Parks Notes: Dogs must be on leash; partially open to mountain bikes and horses Access:  From SR 522 in Maltby (5.0 miles east of Woodinville; 8.0 miles west of Monroe) head east on Paradise Lake Road…

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