Happy Trails to You: Neighborhood Goodies

Editor’s Note: Originally published November 23, 2018 Updated March 31, 2022.

All over Everett and in our neighboring cities, you can find tons of great places to walk. It's one of the best things about living here.

In this final 2018 edition of Happy Trails to You, I'll share some great neighborhood spots you should check out, especially if you're close.

Loganberry Lane
Enter via 18th Ave W or Kasch Park

I meant to visit Loganberry Lane after spotting a glowing comment about it in a Google Maps review, but still hadn't gotten around to it when I listened to Live in Everett Podcast 78. In that episode, Linda War Bonnet said it's her favorite place to tell people about in Everett, and I decided then that it'd be my next place to check out. I had an errand to run in the area, so I got a bagel from Street Coffee and Bagels and headed over.

A delicious bagel and a delicious walk // Christopher Bragg

You can enter via the fenced-in dog park at the end of 18th Ave W off 100th St SW, but that's a good way to end up covered in muddy paw prints, especially if you're carrying a bagel.

Look for the trail running north and south along the east side of the Kasch Park ball fields for an alternate entrance. I only had about 20 minutes to explore, but that's enough for a quick mile and I could tell there was lots more to see.

It'd be a huge understatement to call Loganberry Lane and Kasch Park hidden gems. They're secluded enough that you've probably never seen them unless you went to them specifically.

Interurban Trail
41st and Colby

The Snohomish County portion of the Interurban Trail runs 18.8 miles between the Everett Herald headquarters and the county line in Edmonds. On foot, it's unlikely you'll get to all of that in a day. For my longest stretch, I caught a bus at South Everett Park and Ride up to Everett Station and walked all the way back.

Nearly eight miles total, but I only saw the first 6.5 of the trail. On other walks in the area, I've been as far south as 128th.

Somewhere along the Interurban Trail // Christopher Bragg

Interurban Trail is definitely more geared toward transportation. I-5 is never far and much of the foot traffic is residents getting to the nearest bus stop or the mall. You'll see a lot of cyclists while there, so keep right on the trail and always be aware of your surroundings.

Silver Lake
Thornton A. Sullivan Park or Hague Homestead Park

It's not huge by any means, but a couple of laps around Silver Lake is a great way to start your day. Just keep in mind that there's a lot of private property along the lake, so you'll have to get a block or so away whenever you encounter houses or apartments.

Still highly worth it, as it's the best spot in South Everett to watch the sunrise.

The sunrise along Silver Lake // Christopher Bragg

For even more distance, you can pop over to Interurban Trail or just explore the neighborhoods nearby. When I lived down there, I especially liked walking the beautiful streets East of 19th.

Forest Park
802 E. Mukilteo Blvd

South Forest Park and the surrounding neighborhoods are very lucky to have Forest Park. Its pool and water park, event venues, seasonal petting zoo, and sprawling green spaces provide fun and relaxation year round. Editor’s note: sadly, the pool and seasonal petting zoo are closed due to budget cuts.

There are trails near the entrances as well as another that leads into the woods west of the swim center, but their combined length doesn't make a long route on its own.

You can walk down from the park via Olympic Blvd to Howarth Park, or do the Forest Park Hill Climb Challenge.

The route of the hill climb challenge // Christopher Bragg

If you're thinking of doing some more serious hiking soon, this hill climb is a great way to train. Following this route gives you almost the same distance and elevation gain as the hike to Heather Lake.

Narbeck Wetland Sanctuary
7007 Seaway Blvd

If you live off Merrill Creek Parkway, you've got easy access to great neighborhood walks on gorgeous residential streets. To get away from all the houses and business parks, pop over to Narbeck Wetland Sanctuary. The loop trail and half-mile interpretive trail don't add up to the longest walk, but it's still a fun place to visit. When driving in, look for the most beautiful sign in the city.

The sign welcoming you to Narbeck Wetland Sanctuary // Christopher Bragg

If you're there and ready for some big climbs and longer distances, you can follow Seaway all the way to the Boeing Recreation Center and enter Japanese Gulch. There's also a trail next to the Hearthstone at Merrill Creek apartments that leads over the greenbelt to the top of Narbeck Ave.

I've found lots of other small trails around town which I'll keep to myself out of respect for the neighbors. To find some nearby on your own, examine your neighborhood and the surrounding area in person and by looking closely at maps.

On Google Maps, trails they know about show up as solid green lines if they're paved and dashed lines if they're gravel. I've also found a lot of cool neighborhood trails by watching for paths between houses, just be aware that some of those are for residents only. When that's the case, they'll be marked clearly with signs.

I'll be back this spring with more posts in this series, focusing on places further out of town as well as more difficult hikes. Happy trails to you, until we meet again!