I’m interested in volunteering at Lord Hill. How can I learn more?

Please contact Tony Trofimczuk (Tony.Trofimczuk@co.snohomish.wa.us), who is Parks’ volunteer coordinator. 

NOTE: Volunteer work is temporarily on hold while we launch a new enterprise-wide volunteer system which will help us better coordinate with our volunteers and provide better consistency and communication. Launch is planned for 2022. We look forward to working with you when volunteer work resumes! 

How do I share my thoughts or get involved with the Lord Hill Regional Park Preferred Plan Process (LHRP PPP)?

The Preferred Plan Process concluded July 2022 and the report can be found here Version OptionsLord Hill Regional Park Preferred Plan ProcessUPDATESOVERVIEWFREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONSHeadline. We wish to extend our thanks to everyone who contributed to the planning process over the past six years. We will begin implementing the Preferred Plan this fall, as staff and funding allow. For information on upcoming work in the park, visit the main park page.

NEWSLETTER: You can sign up for our monthly “Updates from Snohomish County Parks” public newsletter for regular updates on upcoming work at Lord Hill Regional Park here How do I share my thoughts or get involved with the Lord Hill Regional Park Preferred Plan Process (LHRP PPP)?.

Project Contact: Emily Griffith, Snohomish County Senior Park Planner

Email: emily.griffith@snoco.org Phone: 425-388-6620

Where can I learn the history of this project and what has already been done?

Visit the project webpage for the final Preferred Plan report.  For information on upcoming work in the park, visit the main park page.

Lord Hill Regional Park (LHRP) is a gem within the Snohomish County Parks system, one that we are looking ahead to preserve in light of our changing climate and growing population within the county and the region. As a regional park, Lord Hill is shared between many different recreational uses and we recognize there are opportunities to optimize the trail system to improve user experience and safety. LHRP is mostly a natural area, and the Parks Division is committed to preserving critical areas and habitat throughout the park.

With a Master Plan originally published in 1988 and last updated in 1996, plans for the park were outdated. Use of the park has changed significantly in the last thirty years and it has become clear that currently, the park does not meet the recreation needs of its users. Parks initiated a planning process in 2016 to update the Preferred Plan for Lord Hill to respond to current use of the park and proactively plan for future use.

The Preferred Plan takes a holistic and long-term look at how recreation uses interact with each other and the environment within the park. The highlights of the plan include: 

• A cohesive trail system update
• Updated trail guidelines for all trail building 
• A balanced system of multi-use, hiking-only, hiking/biking, biking-only and equestrian/hiking trails 
• Increased safety at trail intersections 
• North entrance reconfiguration including a parking lot swap 
• Decommissioning of unsustainable and/or rogue trails 
• A comprehensive wayfinding and signage plan 

Who primarily uses LHRP and who does it serve?

As one of the largest parks in our county parks system at nearly 1,500 acres, LHRP is an important regional park for not only the county, but the region. LHRP serves recreational needs for all of Snohomish County’s 800,000 residents and the many visitors who enjoy Snohomish County’s beautiful recreation areas. Regional parks and trails contain features that draw users from across the county and are highly valued by Snohomish County residents. The service area for regional parks and trails such as LHRP is county-wide. The park serves a wide range of user groups including wildlife watchers, hikers, equestrian riders, mountain bikers, nature enthusiasts, educators and more. 80% of visitors to Lord Hill Regional Park use it for hiking. We know that with increasing use we need to adapt our trail system to create a safe and enjoyable experience for all users, whether you prefer to walk or ride.

Why were changes made over the past six years while the process was still ongoing?

Trail systems are dynamic and require ongoing maintenance and work by staff and volunteers to keep our trails in good condition. While we tried to minimize changes made in the park during the six years of the planning process, some necessary adjustments were made to the trail system to respond to points of concern for safety, points of conflict, and/or for environmental reasons. 

For information on upcoming work in the park, visit the main park page.

What is the status of the Preferred Plan? When will there be an update available? 

The Preferred Plan Process concluded July 2022 and the report can be found here Version OptionsLord Hill Regional Park Preferred Plan ProcessUPDATESOVERVIEWFREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONSHeadline. We wish to extend our thanks to everyone who contributed to the planning process over the past six years. We will begin implementing the Preferred Plan this fall, as staff and funding allow. For information on upcoming work in the park, visit the main park page.

Who has the “right” to determine the future of the park?

As the land managers of LHRP, Snohomish County is responsible for the present and future of the park. We make design and planning decisions based on best practices, our experience and expertise, goals created from public input in the Parks & Recreation Visioning Plan every six years, input from public meetings and comments, Snohomish County code, comprehensive plans, data, national best practices, innovation, climate resiliency and environmental stewardship. The guidance documents we use to inform our decisions are approved by County Council and the Executive. We use park planning experts, consultants, county staff, specialists, and the public input in every park project and for the LHRP PPP.

What data is being used to guide the Preferred Plan?

For the final report, supplemental reports, meeting agendas/materials/notes, survey results, etc., please refer to the “Documents” tab. 

Visitor usage data has been counted in various ways over the years, including through traffic counts, trail counters, and in-person counts. 

Have other parks that have shared-use trails been studied?

This is a conversation happening in many parks around the county, region, and country, and we have looked at many different solutions as part of the process. We are adapting them to Lord Hill as a unique park with unique needs. 

Why modify existing trails instead of creating separate, parallel routes for other users?

More than 75% of the park remains undeveloped, creating the experience of being immersed in nature. We intend to preserve the natural areas and character of the park by minimizing the amount of development.

Will you honor promises made in the 1996 Master Plan? 

The Preferred Plan builds from both the 1988 Master Plan and the 1996 Supplemental Master Plan, while recognizing that use of the park has changes significantly in the last thirty years and the current park does not meet the recreation needs of the users. The Preferred Plan takes a holistic and long-term look at how recreation uses interact with each other and the environment within the park.

How have you collected and incorporated public feedback on the process? 

A summary of the planning process and public engagement are incorporated into the final report, found here. We wish to extend our thanks to everyone who contributed to the planning process over the past six years.

Are you using national trail building standards during this process?

Trail design guidelines were developed as part of the Preferred Plan process and documented in the final report, found here Version OptionsLord Hill Regional Park Preferred Plan ProcessUPDATESOVERVIEWFREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONSHeadline.

What is the difference between a Preferred Plan and a Master Plan? Why choose a Preferred Plan?

Preferred Plans are a site-level planning process that considers the long-term improvement of park properties to reflect community needs, knowledge and concerns. These plans identify site amenities, costs, phasing, implementation strategies and management considerations of the park. Preferred Plans are completed through a public process to develop overall park objectives and general site design. 

Preferred Plans are guided by staff experience and expertise, goals created from public input in the Snohomish County Parks & Recreation Visioning Plan (PRVP), input from public meetings and comments, Snohomish County code (SCC), comprehensive plans, data, and national best practices for innovation, climate resiliency and environmental stewardship. Adopted documents (including the PRVP, SCC, and the Comprehensive Plan) are approved by the County Council and reviewed by the Executive for use as guidance for planning processes for the county’s park system. 

Preferred Plans are developed prior to major capital improvements at county and regional parks. Smaller parks may have preferred plans if site conditions allow for a diversity of features and amenities that may need to be implemented in phases. Preferred plans should be updated if  if there is an indication that they no longer meet the community or county goals, as recreation trends change. Preferred Plans are vetted by the public and staff during the planning process. 

Preferred Plans differ slightly from Master Plans in a few ways, although they are generally very similar processes. A Preferred Plan is not formally adopted by the County Council, but they are kept informed of the plan whereas a Master Plan is formally adopted with a motion through Council. Public input is sought throughout both processes and the Preferred Plan is driven by public input, whereas Master Plans are potentially modified by Council input. Preferred Plans pursue State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) determinations at the time individual construction projects (or phases) are implemented, whereas Master Plans go through non-project SEPA review during the planning process and before adoption. 

Once a plan is completed, Preferred Plans provide greater flexibility in adaptively managing a park, by providing the ability to undertake projects not specifically identified in the plan by vetting the work directly through a public process with stakeholder input. To update a Master Plan’s implementation strategies, however, requires Council process, review and approval to deviate from the adopted plan.

The Snohomish County Parks and Recreation Division typically uses a Preferred Plan process rather than a Master Plan process because of the greater flexibility in responsively and adaptively managing parks.

Are bikers being excluded from Lord Hill?

No, bikers are not being excluded from Lord Hill Park. Multi-use and shared bike/hiker trails are still part of the Preferred Plan. However, not every style of mountain biking is compatible with Lord Hill for a variety of reasons. Lord Hill lends itself best to cross-country, natural trails both in terms of terrain and as a shared park.

We are taking a holistic and long-term look at how the whole trail system is operating for both how recreation uses interact with each other and with the environment. Many trails, whether multi-use, hiker-only, shared bike/hiker or shared equestrian/hiker may be changed to create a more safe, enjoyable, and sustainable cohesive system.

Are equestrians being excluded from Lord Hill?

No, equestrians are not being excluded from Lord Hill Park. Changes in the trail system.

We are taking a holistic and long-term look at how the whole trail system is operating for both how recreation uses interact with each other and with the environment. Many trails, whether multi-use, hiker-only, shared bike/hiker or shared equestrian/hiker may be changed to create a more safe, enjoyable, and sustainable cohesive system.

Have incidents in the park been documented? If so, how can someone have access?

Yes, there have been some incidents in the park that have been documented. What is meant by an “incident” can vary greatly and are handled on a case-by-case basis. For details, please file a public records request.  

Have you developed or are you promoting “high speed” trails for mountain bikers?

No.  Lord Hill Regional Park does not have steep terrain for downhill style mountain biking like many other parks, and we are not turning LHRP into a downhill mountain bike park. The mountain bike trails in LHRP are intended for beginner and intermediate level riders. We cannot put a speed limit on these soft-surface trails. There is no county code addressing non-motorized trail speed limits, and non-motorized speed limits are not a soft-surface trail standard and are not enforceable, as feet, horses and mountain bikes do not have speedometers.  We are designing trails to ensure trail intersections are clearly signed and traffic is alerted to slow down. We ask that all trail users share the trails with respect. 

How will mountain bikers access the park from the neighborhood to the east?

There is a multi-use park entrance from 139th Ave SE that connects into the Pipeline Trail. This is a local access point, no public parking is provided. 

Why are the parking lots being swapped?

The use of the upper and lower parking lots is being changed as part of the reconfiguration of the whole north entry into the park in direct response to user safety concerns and to improve user experience. The new entry will create more separation between equestrians and mountain bikers until further into the trail system, providing more direct access for each user group to the trails they more frequently use and dispersing users into the park which reduces the concentration of traffic at a single intersection and reduces points of conflict.  

By shifting general use to the lower parking lot and equestrian use to the upper parking lot, many safety concerns expressed by the equestrian community will be addressed.

1. Bikers riding through the current equestrian lot: The Boardwalk Trail, the current access trail from the upper parking lot, is a long and steep trail. Many users, including hikers and bikers, choose to avoid the Boardwalk Trail by traveling through the lower parking lot and using the entrance roads to travel to or from the upper parking lot. While many walk either themselves or their bikes, there are some users who stay mounted and ride through the parking lot, posing a safety risk to horses that are vulnerable while transitioning between trailers and the trail. 

By swapping general parking to the lower parking lot, users are provided a gentler access route and more direct connection to their desired trails, eliminating the need to ride through the equestrian lot. In addition, no biking trails connect to the upper parking lot, keeping horses and riders safer while in the parking lot. 

2. Access to equestrian trails with minimal bike interaction: Another major concern expressed during the planning process was that the only access to the shared equestrian/hiking trails was via often crowded multi-use trails and interaction with mountain bikes was unavoidable. By shifting equestrian use to the upper parking lot, an equestrian/hiking-only entrance can be created. By directing equestrian traffic north along the Beaver Lake Trail and bike traffic south and east along the Main Trail, much of the connection to the east side of the park is bike-free. In addition, with the reclassification of the trails in the east area of the park, less bike traffic is anticipated along the stretch of the Pipeline Trail connecting the equestrian/hiking trails. This allows equestrian users to choose if they wish to ride multi-use trails or stay on trails designated for equestrian/hiking use.

As we also heard from the equestrian community, horses need time to adjust to being in a trail environment, and it is safer for them to have more time on the trails before encountering bikes. This reconfiguration will provide over a mile of equestrian/hiking-only trail before joining a multi-use trail, allowing horses to acclimate more safely to the trails. 

Why create a new entrance trail for the upper parking lot?

The new trial will provide a gentler, more sustainable entrance for equestrians and hikers coming from the upper parking lot. 

The current access trail from the upper parking lot, the Boardwalk Trail, is not suitable for equestrian use and would require extensive work to make safe and enjoyable. Much of the trail is steep, and there are signs of erosion along the alignment. The trail would need to be re-routed to create a gentler, more sustainable alignment and even still users would have to traverse a large hill to reach the parking lot. In addition, creating safe crossings would result in significant impacts to the wetlands along the trail. 

The new trail will be gentler and designed for equestrian use. The trail will connect into the existing Equestrian Bypass trail, which will be updated to accommodate being the major entrance trail for equestrian use. 

With the new trail, the Boardwalk Trail will be decommissioned, restoring natural drainage patterns and removing the boardwalks from the wetlands, protecting them from further disturbance. 

Will there be enough parking available?

Parking capacity is always carefully considered at all of our parks. We recognize that there is more demand for parking at Lord Hill than we can meet on the busy days. The capacity of both the upper and lower lot will balance current demand and use patterns with the available space and carrying capacity of the trail system to ensure that the park is not loved to death.

Why were entrances removed from the park? 

No official park entrances have been removed from the park or the map. Previous iterations of the map showed some trails that connected directly onto private property from the park. These were removed from the final version of the map and will not be shown on future maps for clarity with the public and to discourage trespassing. 

Who enforces rules and regulations at LHRP?

Our Snohomish County Park Rangers patrol LHRP regularly, along with the other facilities they patrol. We encourage park users to follow all rules and regulations, respect other park/trail users and follow right-of-way etiquette on the multi-use trails. If you would like to report an issue, please call: 425-388-6600 or email: contact.parks@snoco.org. Read park rules here Who enforces rules and regulations at LHRP?. Learn more about education on the education tab.

Is Snohomish County building a new bike park?

Snohomish County is committed to providing more mountain biking amenities and supporting mountain biking as a growing sport in the county. While our current parks don't provide enough space for the sport, our long-term vision is to find a dedicated place for mountain biking to help reduce user conflicts at Lord Hill. This is still some time away, since it is currently in the idea phase. Funding and other critical steps are being identified. Snohomish County Parks is looking at currently owned sites such as the undeveloped property off Dubuque Road near Flowing Lake and other areas for potential mountain bike amenities. If these sites are not feasible, the parks division is interested in acquiring property that could be an excellent location for mountain biking. Balancing environmental and community impact is essential when assessing any of these properties for future plans. 

What does the future of Lord Hill look like now that the planning process has concluded?

The Preferred Plan is the foundation for the next chapter of Lord Hill, creating the road map for a safer, more enjoyable and sustainable park. The plan outlines the physical changes that will happen in the park with the modifications to the trail system, parking lots, and installation of signage, however, parks are dynamic and need adaptive management to respond to the ever-changing environment and needs of the community. 

Over sixty projects were identified as part of the planning process, ranging in size from the reconfiguration of the north entrance to a drainage fix along an individual trail. Work will happen in phases, and we estimate that it will take more than 10 years for this plan to be fully realized. Many years of work are ahead to fully realize the updated trail system and build all of the improvements identified as part of this planning effort.

For information on upcoming work in the park, visit the main park page.

The park is free now. Will you start charging for use? Will LHRP be turned into a “national bike-only attraction” to fund the parks division?

No. Lord Hill Regional Park is planned to remain free for the public to use and is not being turned into a monetized bike-only park. County officials and park staff are continuing the Preferred Plan process to preserve LHRP as a multi-use public park for present and future generations.

How will you maintain the safety of the trails for all users?

Ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience in the park is our priority. We are improving safety throughout the park in many ways including through the design of our trails and improved wayfinding. Following the example of many other successful trail systems that accommodate multiple types of recreation, we will be reclassifying many of the trails to create a system where shared-use trails connect users to trails designated for specific recreational use such as hiking, riding horses, or mountain biking. This allows visitors to experience the park as a whole, but also helps minimize conflict on trails not designed to support multiple types of recreation. Trail intersections are another area of focus to improve sightlines and signage. A comprehensive wayfinding and signage plan with updated trail maps and better indicators throughout the park of trail names, type of trail, and distance to points of interest will also help park users and emergency services to better navigate the park.

How will you enhance protections for the environment and wildlife?

Of Lord Hill’s 1,500 acres, over 75% is undeveloped natural area and that will not change with the updated plan. There are many ponds, streams, wetlands and other critical areas throughout the park, and we strive to protect them now and into the future. As new trails are proposed and existing trails are updated over the years, we will do our best to route trails away from sensitive habitat. Where the community has expressed a recreation priority and we need to have a trail cross a stream, for example, critical area studies are done and mitigation is provided. Parks also works with our Surface Water Management division and the Snohomish County Healthy Forest Project to continue habitat improvements along the Snohomish River.

Will hikers/equestrian/bikers be allowed on every trail? 

Not every user will be allowed on every trail, but there will be trails available for all user types. There will be various types of trails:

• General shared-use/multi-use (all forms of non-motorized recreation)
• Hiker only trails
• Equestrian/hiker
• Biker/hiker trails

Do you have more questions about LHRP and the PPP? We want to hear from you! Please email them to Emily Griffith.