Marymoor Dog Park: Your Dogs Won't Rest
At Marymoor Dog Park, Forty acres of cedar-lined walkways and grassy fields host herds of happy dogs, racing back in forth in search of balls, chasing each other, or sometimes just running for the heck of it. For canine joy, the off-leash area in Marymoor Dog Park can't be beat.
The dog area's immanence signals itself early on: coming down the 520 ramp and turning left towards the park, eager dogs appear in the other cars, heads protruding, tails growing increasingly frenetic as they realize that all their hopes and dreams are coming true. The dog park, with its espresso and dog treat stand, its wide spaces where a dog can really run, is just ahead.
Dog walkers can navigate the sometimes muddy grass and cedar areas or walk along the riverside gravel path leading to "Swamp Dog Trail." The trail shifts back into mud and cedar as it presses further, but those that continue on will be rewarded with a view of Lake Sammamish, a water-lily lined vista that can be dazzling on a sunny summer day. Bird-watchers will spot Great Blue Herons in abundance along the water.
Along the riverside trail, fenced areas in the water allow dogs to swim without disturbing the salmon when they're spawning in the fall. Amphitheater-style steps lead down to the water. Expect impromptu showers here as the dogs exit and shake themselves off. Continuing through the grassier parts of the park, walkers will find themselves able to admire the garden sculptures of nearby Marymoor Community Gardens.
A local organization, Serve Our Dog Areas (S.O.D.A.), maintains the park, along with a similar off-leash area, Grandview Park in Seatac. The organization formed in 1977 when the city was contemplating closing the area. S.O.D.A. keeps the bag dispenser stands stocked and organizes periodic work parties where the dog owners who see each other while walking get a chance to work shoulder to shoulder maintaining the park.
HelloSeattle Tip: Prepare for mud when walking here, particularly in the spring. Dogs encrusted with Marymoor mud, though, can be washed off in the dog wash station near the parking lot, a feature not all off-leash areas provide.
Posted on Mar 6, 2011 by Cat Rambo
