Tag Archives: Parks

Spotlight on Pioneer Park

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Mercer Island residents value their community for its small town feel just minutes away from the hustle and bustle of big city life in nearby Seattle and Bellevue.  Pioneer Park, a 113 acre forest located on the south end of Mercer Island, is one of the many features that makes the island a special place to live.  Unlike most parks in which trees are clear cut to make way for open grassy areas, Pioneer Park has been preserved in its natural, forested state since the city purchased the land in 1964.  The result is a secluded woodland retreat with 6.6 miles of trails through alder, big-leaf maple, Douglas fir and old-growth cedar trees that islanders can enjoy close to home.

Pioneer Park is divided into three quadrants and is centered around the intersection of Island Crest Way and SE 68th St.  Island Crest Way is the main road that connects the island’s quiet neighborhoods to interstate 90 on the north end, which makes the park easily accessible for residents of nearby cities.

Northwest Quadrant – Located across the street from the south end shopping center, the northwest quadrant is the most popular section of Pioneer Park.  Primarily a deciduous forest, this quadrant is encircled by the NW Perimeter Trail, a wide, flat, hard-packed trail that is easily accessible to wheelchairs and strollers.  The Fire Station Trail and the Horse Trail that run along the southern and eastern edges of this quadrant are both dedicated for equestrian use, while many other trails that crisscross the quadrant are perfect for hikers, bicyclists, and dogs on leashes.  Parking for this quadrant is located on 84th Ave SE near the northern tip of the park.

Northeast Quadrant – Separated from the northwest quadrant by Island Crest Way, this section of the park has the most even mix of deciduous and coniferous trees and the most varied topography.  The main path in this quadrant, Overlook Trail, cuts through the center of the park and runs along the edge of a ravine where it offers two overlook spots.   From Overlook Trail, visitors can access Ravine Trail that leads down into the ravine, through wetlands and connects to a bridge that crosses a small stream.  This is the only quadrant of the park not open to horses.  Parking for this quadrant is located midway along SE 68th St.

Southeast Quadrant – This 40 acre quadrant, located south of SE 68th St, is designed for and primarily dedicated to equestrian use.  Hikers, bicyclists, and dogs on leashes are also welcome on these trails, but must yield to horses and riders.  The Mercer Island Saddle Club houses 20 horses on a five acre site located adjacent to Pioneer Park and their members are frequent users of the southeast quadrant horse trails.  This quadrant consists primarily of Douglas fir trees.  Parking is located on Island Crest Way just south of SE 68th St.

As a forested retreat a short drive from Seattle and Bellevue, with accessibility for hikers, bicyclists, dog owners, wheelchair users, horseback riders, and children in strollers, Pioneer Park embodies many of the qualities that make Mercer Island a great place to live.

Spotlight on Luther Burbank Park

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Luther Burbank Park is a 77 acre park along the shores of Lake Washington situated on the northern tip of Mercer Island.  The park provides local residents with access to three-quarters of a mile of waterfront and a variety of recreational activities.

Before Luther Burbank was a park, it was the site of a parental school where troubled boys from Seattle were taught to farm.  From 1904 to 1966 students learned to grow crops and raise cattle on the shores of Lake Washington while living in the two-story, brick boarding school that still stands in the center of the park. 

The agricultural school was named for Luther Burbank, a famous Massachusetts horticulturist who pioneered plant hybridization and tree grafting and who created the baking potato.  Burbank’s legacy can be seen today not only in the name of the park but also in his creation, the Himalaya blackberry, that grows throughout the park.  While many demonize this plant for its invasive qualities, it is also well loved by the people who gather in the park each fall with baskets for berry picking.

Today children come to Luther Burbank Park not to work but to play on the swings, slides, monkey bars and tunnels of the playground that stands beside the former school.  The park also offers many recreational activities for adults, including 3 tennis courts and a half basketball court.  For theatre lovers, a nearby amphitheatre with tiered seating hosts Shakespeare in the Park in the summers.

The southern end of the park features a sandy beach and a public swimming area where lifeguards supervise swimmers from late June through early September.  Nearby picnic tables and grills overlook the beach, making this an ideal spot to gather with friends and family for a weekend BBQ and a swim in the lake.  Other tables and grills are scattered in scenic locations throughout the park.  Some are available on a first come, first serve basis, while others can be reserved for larger get-togethers.

Slightly north of the swimming area, along a picturesque, wooded path, is a secluded pier popular with local fishermen.  Several more boat docks can be found nearby, providing ample lake access for fishing enthusiasts and boaters alike.

Near the northern tip of Luther Burbank Park is a fenced, off-leash dog area.  As one of the only off-leash areas in King County with access to Lake Washington, this dog park is extremely popular.  Dogs can enjoy a swim while their owners toss a tennis ball for a game of fetch in the lake. Nearby the ruins of a former cow barn serve as another reminder of the park’s history as an agricultural school.

West of the dog park is a wetland and conservation area.  This wildlife habit can be viewed from a boardwalk that runs alongside the wetland.   Much of Luther Burbank Park remains an undeveloped refuge for the many wildlife species that live here, including rabbits, beavers, raccoons, muskrats, tree frogs and 135 species of birds.

From children to athletes, dog owners to fishing enthusiasts, theatre aficionados to nature lovers, Luther Burbank Park has something to offer every resident of Mercer Island and the nearby Seattle and Eastside communities.