- Home
- Parks and Facilities
Martha Lake Airport Park
| Documents | |
| Other Link | Parks Home Page |
Features
- Picnic Shelters
- Playground
- Restrooms/Sanicans
- Skate Park
Description
A 28.76-acre property just north of Martha Lake and east of I-5. Park amenities include picnic shelter, youth softball field, soccer field, skate park, off-leash dog area (OLDA), outdoor art exhibits and restrooms. The restroom is winterized and closed November-March.
Directions
From 164th Avenue Southeast:
- Turn north onto Meadow Road and follow to 146th Street Southwest
- Turn right onto 146th Street Southwest and follow to park entrance on right
The Big Rock
The big rock in the park is one of the largest glacial erratic boulders in urban King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties. The retreating ice sheet dropped this massive rock at its current location about 12,000 years ago. It is a magnificent reminder of our region's recent glacial past.
An erratic is a piece of rock that has been eroded and transported by a glacier to a different area, then left behind when the ice melted. Glacial erratics give us information about the direction of ice movement and distances of transport. Glacial erratics can be any size from small pebbles to large boulders the size of a house.
Pack it in - Pack it out!
Trash cans have been removed or significantly reduced at this park. Please plan accordingly. To learn more about this program, please visit our Pack it in - Pack it out page.
Pack it in - Pack it out!
Trash cans have been removed or significantly reduced at this park. Please plan accordingly. To learn more about this program, please visit our Pack it in - Pack it out page.
Park History
The Ed Hauter family ran a small airport on the land from the late 1950s to the late 1990s. At one point the facility hosted about 80 aircraft at its hangars and tie-down spots. The Hauter family sold most of its property to Snohomish County in 2000 passing up higher offers from developers who could have built more than 100 homes. Park construction began in early 2009.
Councilman Dave Gossett remembers that he was a legislative analyst in the late 1990s when Councilmember Barbara Cothern asked him to work with the executive branch to find a way to purchase the Martha Lake Airport property. The Executive was also interested in purchasing the property for Willis Tucker Park but the county did not have the cash to purchase either at the time.
Working with parks staff, the County Council came up with the idea of borrowing the money and using a combination of future park mitigation fees and real estate excise tax (paid upon the sale of a home) to pay the debt service. It was a way of having growth pay for the parks needed by growth. Thanks to Councilmember Cothern's constant efforts, the county was able to purchase both parks.
Sports Fields
The softball and soccer fields are geared for youth participants (12 and under). Fields can be rented by contacting the Park's Administration office at 425-388-6600. Please visit our Fees & Prices page for a complete list of rental charges.
Picnic Shelter
Located conveniently close to the park's playground, the picnic shelter can be reserved year-round. Please keep in mind, restrooms are closed (and Sanicans are in place). To reserve the shelter, please click HERE. To find other County parks with shelters click HERE.
Off-Leash Dog Area
Opened in the winter of 2020, this park has a one-acre fenced Off-Leash Dog Area (OLDA) that includes a separate area for shy dogs.
The Skate Park
The skate park at Martha Lake Airport Park was the first in the county parks system (there is another at Cavalero Park). Much thanks goes to Colton Heaverly who worked with the design team to include a skate park for neighborhood youth. Only 12-years old at the time Colton started his quest, he gave many impassioned speeches to the county planning team and community organizations and gathered large lists of signatures to support his requests. Now an adult, Colton is very pleased with the results.