King County Parks - Your Big Backyard

Looking for a job that's fun, helps the community, and provides you with life-saving skills?

Become a lifeguard with the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center through our FREE lifeguard job training program! No previous experience necessary. Get hired now and we’ll pay you to get trained and fast-tracked into part-time lifeguard positions with flexible hours and good pay.

Apply for WKCAC lifeguard positions today! Application and more info: https://bit.ly/kcac-lifeguard

Marymoor Park is King County’s most active park, attracting over 3 million visitors each year.

To keep up with the growing use of the park, we have developed a Draft Marymoor Park Plan that will guide how we make future updates or improvements. We want to hear from you! Please take a quick 3-minute survey to give your feedback and tell us what's most important to you at Marymoor. The survey is open until September 27, 2024.

We're also hosting a virtual open house on September 12, from 6-7 p.m. to gather more feedback.

Take the survey and register for the open house: https://publicinput.com/marymoor

Another step toward healthier kids, families, and communities!

Dow Constantine, King County Executive and the King County Council just approved $5 million in King County Parks grants to fund 63 local projects, providing more equitable access to parks and recreation across the region.

From expanding after-school programs to enhancing playgrounds and sports fields, this funding will help:
• Connect youth with the outdoors 🏞️
• Support sports programs in underserved areas ⚽
• Upgrade parks, ballfields, and aquatic centers 🛠️
• Grow culturally relevant health and wellness programs 🌱

Explore these community-driven projects: https://kingcounty.gov/en/dept/dnrp/about-king-county/about-dnrp/newsroom/news-releases/09-04-youth-sports-grants

King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks

Thank you to everyone who shared feedback for the upcoming 2026-2031 King County Parks Levy!

This spring, more than 4,800 people shared priorities across five major themes drawn from past engagements in the 2020-2025 levy period, as well as suggestions on what success in each of these themes looks like.

View the feedback and outreach results summary on our project page: https://publicinput.com/kingcountyparkslevy -54917

Looking to give back to your community and have a great time while doing it? We're hosting a volunteer event at Skyway Park tomorrow (Saturday, August 17) from 9:00 AM to noon.

Join us for some fun in the shade by Taylor Creek while we have our last push to prepare for fall planting. The more blackberry we remove now, the more locally evolved trees and shrubs we can plant in the fall!

Sign up: https://parksvolunteer.kingcounty.gov/opportunities/xpGPFjyB90

We'd love to have you join us!

The next Archaeology in the Park event is tomorrow, August 1 at noon at Skyway Park! We hope to see you there.

Summer is the perfect season for outdoor adventures, and what better way to enjoy the warm evenings than by catching a movie under the stars?

King County parks are transforming into open-air theaters and offering a delightful blend of films for people of all ages. We’ve also sponsored city-based events so wherever you are in the county, there’s a movie in the park happening near you!

We've got Shrek tonight at Movies at Marymoor Park and lots of hits on deck for the weekend! Check out our latest blog post for all the location and date information for outdoor movies this summer: https://kingcountyparks.org/2024/07/18/enjoy-movies-in-the-park-all-summer-long/

City of Burien Government City of Auburn - Government City of Tukwila - Government City of SeaTac - Government City of Kent Government City of Snoqualmie Government City of Kenmore - Government City of Covington, WA - Government Federal Way, WA Si View Metro Parks

What's the history of King County's parks? How long have people been using the land & in what ways?

Join our archaeologist Brandy at an Archaeology in the Park event to hear stories about our region’s past and get a chance to see, touch, and learn about local artifacts of history.

No need to sign up — just drop by & follow the signs!

Upcoming events:
July 19: King County Aquatic Center from 10AM - noon
August 1: Skyway Park from noon - 2PM
August 7: Black Diamond Open Space from 8:30AM - 12:30PM
August 15: Tolt-Macdonald Park from 11AM - 2:30PM

It’s hot out there, and it’s a great time to head out to regional trails to enjoy the PNW summer. But pavement can reach temperatures of up to 160 degrees on these hot days, which can potentially burn unprotected paws.

Before walking your dog on a paved regional trail or other pavement, place the back of your hand on the ground and hold it there for 5 seconds. If it’s too hot for you, it’s too hot for your pup.

Consider walking your pets on grass or dirt, or adjust your walking time to early mornings/evenings when the pavement is cooler. And remember to bring plenty of water for both of you. Happy trails (and tails)!

Warm weekend ahead! Remember, King County rivers and lakes can be dangerously cold even on a very hot day. Sometimes, the safest choice is to stay out of the water. If you do go in:

RAFT WITH A PRO: Always raft with a professional guide.
FOLLOW SAFETY SIGNS: Obey all safety signs, notices, and warning flags, including lake closures due to pollution.
CHOOSE LIFEGUARDED BEACHES & POOLS: There is a lifeguard shortage, so not all swim beaches have lifeguards.

Find a lifeguarded beach/pool in multiple languages here: kingcounty.gov/watersafety
Stay safe, and enjoy your weekend!

Stay safe on the water this Independence Day! Remember, always wear a lifejacket and swim where there are lifeguards.

It's time we talked about the birds and the bees (and the beetles, and the wasps, and the butterflies, and...)

Pollinators play a critical role in so many parts of our local ecosystem. You can help support local pollinators by planting native plants, re-thinking chemical use in your garden, leaving leaf cover in colder months, and growing cover crops over winter.

These are just a few of the many pollinator species you can find in in King County Parks! Let us know if you see any of them while on your outdoor adventures!

A milestone moment for Eastrail and regional connectivity!

Today, we're celebrating a major milestone as U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell have secured a $25 million grant for King County Parks. This funding, administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation, will help close the final gap of the southern segment of Eastrail by crossing Interstate 90.

King County Parks plans to use the funds to retrofit a steel bridge spanning 16 lanes of Interstate 90, marking significant progress for Eastrail. This 42-mile trail will connect South and East King County communities to Snohomish County with a spur to Redmond. The project will also include building 1.7 miles of new paved trail and creating safe connections to the 20-mile Mountains to Sound Greenway trail. This funding will not only enhance regional trails but also create sustainable, healthy communities with new access to high-capacity transit. Stay tuned for more updates as we work towards completing this exciting project!

Read the full story: https://kingcounty.gov/en/dept/dnrp/about-king-county/about-dnrp/newsroom/news-releases/06-24-eastrail-i90-bridge-raise-grant

Dow Constantine, King County Executive, King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, City of Bellevue, Washington - Government, City of Renton, WA -- Government, Eastrail Partners

Happy summer solstice! If you're looking for ways to enjoy the extra sunlight on the longest day of the year, look no further than the beautiful destinations in .

Don't forget to wear sun protection and be aware that water can be dangerously cold even when temperatures outside are hot.

Photo locations:
1. Tolt-MacDonald Park 📍 Carnation
2. Five Mile Lake Park 📍Algona/Pacific
3. Maury Island Natural Area 📍Vashon/Maury Island
4. Cottage Lake Park 📍 Woodinville

Check our Backyard FunFinder to find more places to explore and stay up to date on closures and alerts: KingCounty.gov/Funfinder

Promoting Environmental Justice and Youth Engagement - King County Flood Control District By Steven Schauer, Deputy Executive Director The data speaks volumes about the urgent need for programs aimed at creating equity across all sectors, particularly within the environmental space. People of color bear the brunt of environmental problems yet remain significantly underrepresented in posi...

Juneteenth, also known as Jubilee Day, Freedom Day, Liberation Day, and Emancipation Day, commemorates June 19, 1865. On this historic day, enslaved people of African descent in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom — over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.

King County first celebrated Juneteenth as an official county holiday in 2022, and each year we recommit to building a more equitable, racially just future. Join us in celebrating this day of reflection, service, and action.

A Juneteenth celebration graphic with three horizontal photo strips on a dark brown background. The top photo shows colorful chard leaves, the middle photo features bright yellow sunflowers with a white daisy, all grown at Horseneck Farm by BIPOC farmers, and the bottom photo displays vibrant green ferns. Below the photos, the text reads “June 19 Juneteenth Freedom Day” in yellow, red, and green.

Eastrail is getting more connected this month!

Join us on June 23 as we open the new NE 8th bridge in Bellevue and unveil the community-led Japanese American Heritage art installations.

The new trail bridge will provide a critical safe crossing over one of Bellevue’s busiest roads and will be the largest non-motorized way for commuters to efficiently access to the Wilburton Light Link Station.

The opening event starts at noon where the trail meets the Sound Transit Wilburton Station on the newly opened 2 Line. Take light rail or ride your bike to beat the traffic and avoid parking!

More information at eastrail.org/event/ne-8th-overcrossing-opening

We’re excited to announce the full music lineup for CHOMP! 2024! 🎵 Enjoy live music by Deep Sea Diver, Broken Social Scene, Ural Thomas & the Pain, and more. Plus, experience the best local food, sustainability resources, and activities for the whole family.

Learn more: chomplocal.org

We're running this weekend!

The Big Backyard 5K/10K is happening this Sunday, June 9 at Marymoor Park.

Have you registered yet? If not, now's the time to do so. Join 700 other running and parks enthusiasts for this annual celebration of King County Parks. Offering a 10K, 5K and 1K Kids Run, we've got a distance for everyone in the family.

Register: bby5k.com

The outdoors are for everyone. Everyone deserves safe, welcoming parks and natural areas that are free from discrimination, where their rights are honored. We celebrate the contributions of King County's LGBTQIA+ community, upholding our commitment to ensuring our region’s parks, trails, natural areas, and facilities are inclusive spaces for all.

Visual description: Six-colored Rainbow Flag and five-colored chevron. Images of landscapes, flowers, and facilities to visualize the colors.

Breaking ground on history!

Today, we celebrated the start of an exciting transformation for the historic Wilburton Trestle! 🎉 This 120-year-old landmark will soon be a stunning 1,000-foot-long trail bridge added to , an emerging 42-mile regional trail connecting South and East King County communities.

Thanks to a public-private partnership — Washington’s Climate Commitment Act, Amazon, City of Bellevue, Kaiser Permanente, and the King County Parks Levy — we’re creating a trail bridge that offers skyline views of Bellevue and connections to regional trails and high-capacity transit.

Once the transformation is complete in the summer of 2026, the public will be able to walk, bike, or roll directly to the trestle from the nearby Wilburton Station on Sound Transit’s recently opened 2 Line. Read more: https://bit.ly/3V7nrJ9

Movies at Marymoor Park is back for its 20th season this summer! Enjoy big screen movies, food trucks, and variety entertainment on a beautiful grass expanse in the middle of Marymoor Park in Redmond.

Tickets and more info at MoviesatMarymoor.com

Full BECU Movies at Marymoor presented by InnovAsian lineup:
July 10: Back to the Future
July 16: 10 Things I Hate About You
July 24: Shrek
July 31: Barbie
Aug 7: Pitch Perfect
Aug 13: Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone
Aug 20: Encanto
Aug 28: The Princess Bride

What movie are you most excited for??