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Rules, Policies, & Regulations
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General
- Alcohol strictly prohibited
- Pets must be quiet and under control at all times
- No empty trailers in campsites
- Boat launch is closed when trailer spaces are full (Flowing Lake)
- Day-use parks and areas hours are 7 a.m. until dusk (20 minutes after sunset)
- Fireworks are prohibited
- Do not use hibachis and / or barbecues on table tops
- Destroying, molesting, disturbing, or injuring property, vegetation, or animals is unlawful
Athletic Fields
- Teams may not use fields unless pre-scheduled or without an approved Use Permit in hand
- No alcoholic or tobacco products, food, snacks, drink, seeds, gum, or wrapped candy on the fields, bleachers, or adjacent dugouts (sports bottles with water only are allowed)
- Golfing or use of golf equipment, rockets, model airplanes, remote control cars, and fireworks are not permitted
- No pets on athletic fields
- Bicycles, wheeled toys, and motorized vehicles of any type are not allowed on the fields
- No smoking within 25' of any athletic field, fence, or group seating area
- Observe "Field Closed" signs
- No artificial lighting, of any kind, is allowed to extend use of the field
- Depart the park no later than dusk (fields without lighting)
- See Athletic Field Scheduling Guide for more information
Drones
Per Park Code 22.16.080, drones are not allowed in Snohomish County Parks. No person shall operate any radio/remote controlled or self propelled model airplane, glider, car, boat or any model rocket within a county park except in areas specifically designated by the parks division and posted for such use. At this time, there are no designated areas.
Crabbing (Kayak Point)
Crabbing is allowed from the pier during daylight hours (when in season). Crabbing is not allowed from the pier after the day-use area closes (dusk).
E-Bikes
Class 1 and Class 2 electric-assist bicycles can operate on a shared-use regional trail path (Centennial Regional Trail, Interurban Regional Trail, and Whitehorse Regional Trail or any part of a highway designated for the use of bicycles. E-Bikes are classified as follows:
Class 1: The motor provides assistance when a rider is pedaling and stops assisting when the bicycle reaches a speed of 20 mph.
Class 2: The motor can propel the bicycle without pedaling but does not assist when the bicycle reaches a speed of 20 mph.
Class 3: The motor assists when the rider is pedaling and stops when the bicycle reaches a speed of 28 mph. It also has a speedometer. Riders must be at least 16 years old to operate a Class 3 e-bike (there is no age restriction for slower e-bikes). Class 3 bikes are not permitted on a shared-use path.
Additional information on E-bikes can be found online.
Metal Detectors
- Metal detectors are allowed in County parks with certain guidelines:
- No digging in grass turf areas
- Enjoy your hobby without disturbing other park users, i.e. a busy beach
- Please fill in your holes
- Return valuables to the lost and found at our park headquarters.
- Permits or Permission slips are not needed, however, Park Rangers do have the right to ask you not to use your detector in environmentally sensitive areas, campgrounds, or if they deem it inappropriate for use
- Read more information about metal detectors.
Motor Vehicles
- Speed limit is 5 mph (This is walking speed!).
- Motor vehicles and Class 3 e-bikes may not drive on the trails.
Noise
- For the enjoyment of all park visitors, loud speakers or stereo systems are prohibited
- Campground quiet hours are 10 p.m. - 7 a.m.
Pets
- Keep pets on an 8 feet leash and under control at all times when outside Off-Leash Dog Areas (OLDAs)
- For other swimmers or sunbathers’ comfort and health, pets are not permitted on the beaches, docks, or the swim areas
- No pets on sports fields at any time
- Remember to scoop. You are responsible for removing all of your dog’s feces. Please carry equipment for removing waste with you.
- No pets in Yurts, Yurt Villages, Kayak Kottage, or Cabins 1 and 2
- Please be aware dogs are not allowed in the following parks: Bob Heirman Wildlife Park (Thomas' Eddy), Portage Creek Wildlife Area, and Spencer Island (County side).
Shelter Policies
- No litter producing items. Examples include hay bales, water balloons, piñatas, or raw eggs.
- No nails, staples, or tacks will be used in shelter wood.
- Fires in fire pits only.
- Special cooking units for the purpose of barbecuing for large groups must be approved in advance by the Park Ranger.
- Maintain control of the group. The area shall be kept clean at all times and upon termination site shall be left in condition as found before event.
- Reservations are for the shelter only. Restrooms will be shared by the general public.
- No reservations for parking, (parking is on a first-come, first-served basis only).
- End time on permit is an approximate to sunset. Shelter and activity area must be vacated 1 hour before sunset. Willis Tucker Kite Shelter end times are 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
- There is a parking fee for all vehicles (Flowing Lake, Kayak Point, Wenberg Parks) even with shelter reservations
- Amplified music is prohibited. No boom boxes allowed.
- Please do not remove picnic tables from other shelters or campsites.
Social Media
Social Media Commenting Policy for Snohomish County Parks, Recreation
Snohomish County Parks, Recreation encourages the public to create a dialogue with us as we share what is happening in your parks. To do this in a safe and constructive way we have created this policy to guide commenting on any Snohomish County Parks social media platforms.
Snohomish County Parks reserves the right to remove, hide or block any post that contains:
- Obscene or explicit comments
- Profanity
- Any form of discrimination
- Threats, attacks or insults to any person or group
- Any material that violates copyrights or intellectual property rights
- Private or personal information used without consent
- Commercial promotions or spam
- Comments that violate any law
All Snoco Parks social media profiles/platforms are Snohomish County government pages and all content is a public record and may be subject to public disclosure.
If you have any questions or comments about our policies you may contact our Communication Specialist.
Social Media Contests
All Snohomish County Parks Contest Rules:
No purchase necessary to enter. Contest sponsored by Snohomish County Parks, 6705 Puget Park Drive Snohomish, WA 98296. Must 16 years or older to enter. Entries will be closed at 5pm PDT, on day listed from original post. Winner will be chosen at random from total of valid entries to win prize noted on contest announcement. Prize(s) may not be redeemed for cash value. Winner does not need to be present to win. Odds of winning will be determined by the number of entries. Void where prohibited. By entering this contest you agree to allow Snohomish County Parks to use your name, photo or text, where permitted by law, in related media and promotions. By entering this contest you agree to the rules of the contest.
Questions? Contact Rose Intveld, Communications Specialist, at (425) 388-6621 or rose.intveld@snoco.org..
Volleyball (Willis Tucker)
Note: Unless otherwise specified, a court refers to a single net.
- Pack it in, pack it out. No hanging on nets. NO GLASS! Alcohol is not permitted in the park. No smoking or pets anywhere on the courts, grass or picnic shelters.
- Behavior, including verbal or physical abuse, abuse of nets or poles, excessive profanity, public drunkenness, loud music or actions that interfere with the well-being, safety and enjoyment of other players will not be tolerated.
- All activities other than beach volleyball are not permitted.
- Courts must be booked via Permit for any Club Use, Tournaments, Special Events, Camps, Training services, etc. Please visit www.snocoparks.org then click Sports Fields for more information.
- All users must have a copy of their permit in hand to demonstrate scheduled use. Having this permit in hand resolves any scheduling conflict.
- The general public can book time on the court online at www.snocoparks.org in two hour blocks no earlier than seven days and no later than four hours in advance. No more than 2 blocks (4hrs.) may be reserved in a day by a group/party.
- Drop-in play is permitted only when the courts are not booked. In general, this facility is not “first come, first serve”.
- If a court is not booked and there are ANY players waiting to play, regardless of court availability, an individual or a team places one shoe in the queue. Winner holds court and decides the game format. When multiple teams are waiting, winners please adhere to 2 game limit then off, so everyone can enjoy the court. Teams refusing to yield are subject to removal. Unless otherwise agreed by participating teams, the “Stay On” team determines the format.
- Coaches or trainers who receive payment for training services must secure the appropriate permits from Snohomish County Parks before conducting such sessions, at any County Park, Sand or Grass.
- Shelters are not automatically included with court reservations. Please respect shelter occupants and surrounding spaces.
- Players are asked to rake the sand. Please contact Snohomish County Parks staff at 425-388-6600 for maintenance issues.
- Single-use (non-league/tournament) reservations are limited to no more than 18 people per net.
- Single-use reservations cannot be modified or refunded if cancelled/not used.
Reservations Policy
Overnight & Shelter Facilities
- Reservations can be made through our online reservation system or by contacting the Call Center. Rangers and Field staff can accept drop-in (same day) camping for campsite. They are not equipped to take advanced reservation or accept drop-in camping for yurts and cabins.
- Reservations can be made up to 9 months* in advance, but not less than 3 nights prior to arrival.
- Weekend reservations for overnight facilities require both a Friday and Saturday night stay (your site will not be forfeited if you arrive Saturday).
- Cabin and yurts require a minimum 2-night stay.
- All sites that are not reserved, including disabled (ADA) sites, may be rented by the general public, on a drop-in basis.
- ADA sites are configured to accommodate people with disabilities. They are identified with a "D" in the site number (e.g. D2 and 38D). As a courtesy, non-disabled campers should avoid reserving ADA sites, when other sites are available.
- Payment in-full is due at the time of booking.
- No online discounts. If camper is eligible for a discount, reservation must be made through the Call Center. More information on discounts can be found on our Fees & Prices page.
* Noon of the 269th day (269.5 days). Use of a date calculator app is recommended to help determine exact dates.
Online Reservations
- Campsites, cabins, yurts, and picnic shelters, can be reserved 24/7 online. In addition, visitors can check availability, modify, or cancel reservations online. Maps and photos for most sites and facilities are available for viewing.
- Confirmation Letters are automatically emailed upon successful processing of your reservation. If you didn’t receive one, check the email address you entered (and your Junk folder). Please note: If no payment was collected, your reservation was not successfully processed.
Call Center Reservation (425-388-6600)
- While customers are highly encouraged to utilize the online system, there are circumstances which require reservations by phone. Our Call Center during business hours are 8:30 am - 4:30 pm, Monday-Friday (excluding legal holidays).
- If you reach a recording, leave a message as reservations are made in the order calls are received. Please leave your name and daytime contact number, the campground or park name, and the dates you would like to reserve. Backlogs are common during the busy peak season so please allow 1-2 days for a call back.
- Please note, Call Center transactions are assessed a non-refundable a Call Center fee which is in addition to the online reservation fee.
- Because Call Center reservations cannot be cannot be cancelled online, we highly encourage reservations be booked online.
Transaction Fees
Transaction fees are assessed for all advance reservations, changes, and extensions. In most cases, they cannot be refunded. Change and Cancellation fees (listed in the Fee Schedule) included the Transaction Fee. For more information on Transaction Fees, please visit our Fees & Prices page.
Cancellations & Changes
Most reservation cancellations and modifications will incur a fee. Cancellation refund policy strictly enforced and we highly encourage viewing our Cancellation page prior to making a reservation. Contact the Call Center (M-F, 8:30am-4:30pm) at 425-388-6600 if you have any questions.
Boating, Water craft, and Launch Rules
Hours
Vehicles
All vehicles that are launching or parked in a fee-use park must display a current pass issued by Snohomish County Parks. For more information on parking/launch passes, please visit our Annual Parking & Boat Launch Permits page.
Restrictions
Some lakes have rules specific to dates, hours of operation, direction of travel, and speed. Please review the links below if you are planning to visit the following lakes:
Electric Motors
The county code prohibits the use of internal combustion engines on certain lakes within the county. Since electric motors are not internal combustion engines, they are allowed.
When motors cannot or are difficult to remove, gas cans must be removed, fuel lines disconnected, and the engine bagged. Bagging the engine is simply enclosing the propeller shaft and hub in a plastic bag and leaving it in the tilted upright position. By taking these steps, the motor is not operative or leaking petroleum product into the water. The means of propulsion for the vessel is now by electric motor or manual operation.
Additional Information
- Title 12.08 for a comprehensive list of lakes and restrictions.
- Marine Patrol, 425-388-5401
- Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, 425-775-1311
Rules for Camping
Camping
- Campsite check-in is 2 p.m. Check-out is noon.
- Yurt, cabin and vacation cottage check-in is 3 p.m. check-out is noon.
- No drop-in (walk-in) campsite camping after sunset or for cabins, yurts, or Kottage.
- Walk-in campers should secure their site with a tent or vehicle prior to making payment.
- Payments made at fee machine do not guarantee site, until availability is verified by a park ranger.
- Reservations take precedence over walk-in camping.
- Sites must be occupied by at least one adult (18 years or older)
- All non-campers must depart by 10 pm.
- Alcohol is not allowed.
- Maximum eight people per campsite.
- Additional vehicles in a site (2nd or 3rd - room permitting) is $10.00 each per night (subject to change).
- No more than two tents or one RV and one tent in a campsite (room permitting).
- No empty boat trailers in site (Flowing Lake Park).
- Pets must not be left unattended. No pets in Yurt villages.
- Pets in pet-friendly cabins subject to additional fee.
- Fires are allowed in designated fire pits only. No burning of wood pallets.
- Gathering of forest debris and driftwood prohibited.
- See park staff with any questions or concerns.
- Camping in each park is limited to no more than 14 consecutive nights.
- QUIET HOURS: 10PM-7AM.
Click on the RESERVATIONS tab (above) for related regulations and policies.
Rules are subject to change and additional rules may apply. To review an up to date, comprehensive list of rules, visit the Snohomish County Code page and reference Title 22 (Park Code) and Title 12 (Water Use).