Lord Hill Regional Park

Lord Hill Regional Park is a regional country park located in Snohomish County, Washington. The park features miles of wilderness trails for horse back riding and mountain biking, as well as hiking. The park grounds cover 1,300 acres of wilderness forest. Small ponds and wetlands are located within the park site. A large population of animals, birds, and fish inhabit the park. [ http://www1.co.snohomish.wa.us/Departments/Parks/Park_Information/Park_Directory/Regional_Parks/Heirman_Preserve.htm Snohomish Country official website ]

The park sits on a ridge that running parallel to the Snohomish River. The ridge, which reaches as high as 800 feet, consists of vertical basalt outcroppings that rise from the river floor. Settlers started to come in when Mitchell Lord purchased 80 acres on the hill in 1878 and started dairying on his 130 farm in 1884. His home still remains in the park site. By the mid-1930s, the area attracted the logging industry, and all the old-growth was cut down. In the 1980s, some second-growth timber was taken by the Department of Natural Resources. [ http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/getaways/9704_hike01.shtml SeattlePI.com website ] At present, the park is under the management of Snohomish County Parks and Recreation Department but maintained by a group of volunteers, for the department lacks the resources to staff the park full time. [ http://friendsoflordhill.org/work%20parties.htm Friends of Lord Hill Regional Park website ]

Access

From Seattle, drive north on SR 522 to the Old Snohomish-Monroe Hwy; follow the road west toward Snohomish; turn left on to 127th Ave. SE; drive south approximately 2 miles; turn left on to 150th St SE and proceed to the park entrance.

External links

* http://www1.co.snohomish.wa.us/Departments/Parks/Park_Information/Park_Directory/Regional_Parks/Lord_Hill.htm Snohomish County official website
* http://friendsoflordhill.org/ Volunteer website