LOCATION
Lord Hill Regional Park
12921 150th St SE Snohomish, WA 98290 Snohomish County Parks website Snohomish County Parks trail map |
PARK HISTORY
Lord Hill Regional Park comprises approximately 1,463 acres of forest lands, ponds, meadows, and associated network of trails. These lands, originally logged between 1905 and the late 1930s, were subsequently acquired by the State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for non-payment of taxes and, to a limited extent, retained by private owners.
Garrett Pagon and Art Sprenkle, who were Monroe Park and Recreation District commissioners in 1980, recognized the recreational potential of these lands and began an effort to establish a park on Lord Hill. Mr. Pagon found that a provision in Washington State law (RCW 76.12.072) allowed for a county to recover lands from the DNR if those lands were to be used for park purposes. After Mr. Pagon and Dr. Sprenkle contacted several county leaders, such as Snohomish County Executive Willis Tucker and Snohomish County Councilman Don Britton, the county established a Lord Hill Regional Park Advisory Committee in 1981. The committee included representatives of the Audubon Society, equestrian groups, the Lord Hill Park Homeowners Association, Dr. Sprenkle, and Bob Heirman of the Snohomish County Sportsmen’s Association. |
Following the recommendations of this committee, the county obtained the first 160 acres by a reconveyance from the DNR. The county subsequently obtained an additional 200 acres through a charitable donation from a private landowner. The Washington State Legislature conveyed the balance of the DNR lands to the Washington State Parks Department in 1988 with the support and assistance of Dr. Sprenkle, who was a Washington State Representative at the time.
The county acquired three additional parcels in the northwest corner of the site from private parties in 1992, and the Washington State Parks Department conveyed the balance of its DNR lands to Snohomish County in 1994. The county later acquired the former Twin Rivers Quarry property along the Snohomish River with the assistance of the Forterra Land Conservancy and with funding from the State Salmon Recovery Board. |
EXPLORE
Lord Hill Regional Park is a 1,463-acre upland nature preserve. This upland nature preserve features a multi-use trail system with designated trails for hikers, bikers and equestrians.
From the higher points within the park, you can enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding Snohomish River valley and distant mountain ranges. View points such as Devil’s Butte Lookout or along the ridge of the Pipeline Trail are popular destinations for viewing the Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges. Enjoy this gallery of park images, then come explore this beautiful wilderness park for yourself! |
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