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Southwest County Olympic View Park
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Description
Southwest County Park is a 120-acre, open space park within the City of Edmonds limits in southwestern Snohomish County.
The site encompasses a series of forested ravines and Perrinville Creek, which flow through the eastern portion of the Park to Brown's Bay on Puget Sound. Olympic View Drive winds through the site on its way from Lynnwood to Edmonds.
The site has two nature trails the larger trail system is on the north side of Olympic View Drive and a smaller one on the south side (inside of the bend in the road). Use of off-road vehicles and bicycles are not allowed on the trails.
Park History
During the mid-1900's, the area was logged and used as farm land and residential home sites. The area along Perrinville Creek, a 120-acre parcel of land composed of forested ravines and wetlands, remained relatively untouched.
Pope and Talbot, early owners of the local forests, eventually transferred ownership of the parcel to the University of Washington. Then in 1971, Snohomish County obtained the site from the University through a State of Washington Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation (IAC) grant. The deed transfer from the University contained conditions on the future development of the parcel, insuring that the parcel is forever managed as a passive woodland open space.
Since 1971, the 120-acre parcel has been known as Southwest County park. The Park has the distinction of being the largest single parcel of open space within the Edmonds city limits. The site's past history lies indelibly on the land as evidenced by the buckboard notches in the site's old growth stumps. Overgrown logging skid roads are now hiker's footpaths.
Bicycles
Since 1992, per the council adopted Master Plan, Southwest County Park is designated a Passive/Sensitive Wildlife preserve (Trout and salmon stream). As such, bicycles are forbidden.
A group of environmentally concerned citizens approached the Snohomish County Parks Management/Advisory Board in the Spring of 2019. At that time the 1992 prohibition of bikes in Southwest County Park concept was ‘re-affirmed’.
Driving Directions
- From Pacific Highway 99, take 168th Street Southwest and head west.
- After passing Meadowdale High school, 168th Street Southwest veers left and becomes Olympic View Drive.
- Follow Olympic View Drive (through the four way stop at 75th Avenue West) to 180th Street Southwest.
- The unpaved parking lot is on the corner of Olympic View Drive and 180th Street Southwest.