The 10 best places in Snohomish County for watching wildlife

Published 1:30 am Sunday, August 4, 2019

From peregrine falcons and black-tailed deer to river otters and gray whales, the wild areas of Snohomish County teem with wildlife.

The Herald talked with Snohomish County park ranger Chelsea Bishop about the best places to see critters.

“The county is pretty good for wildlife viewing,” Bishop said. “If you go to any of the beach parks, you’re going to see wildlife — it’s pretty much guaranteed.”

It may be tempting to want to see creatures up close, but follow this important outdoors etiquette: “Enjoy them from afar,” Bishop said. Stay at least 50 yards away — and keep pets on a leash, or better yet, at home.

Here are some places to explore for chance encounters with wildlife:

Narbeck Wetland Sanctuary

7007 Seaway Blvd., Everett

Located near Paine Field, the 48-acre sanctuary includes an open water habitat with waterfowl and wetlands with beavers, ducks and swans. Great blue herons, woodpeckers, blue jays, owls and hawks also hang around the boardwalk that cuts through the center of the sanctuary.

Edmonds Marsh

180 W. Dayton St., Edmonds

More than 200 different bird species have been spotted in this 22.5-acre saltwater marsh in the heart of Edmonds. The boardwalk, waterfront and beach north of the ferry terminal offer the best vantage points to see yellowlegs, dowitchers and wigeons.

Osprey Park

319 Main St., Sultan

Nearly 20,000 pink salmon return to the Sultan River, which runs through this park, in the fall to spawn. Access the trailhead on the south side of the park. Explore the area’s wetlands and see black-tailed deer, beavers and raccoons.

Kayak Point County Park

15711 Marine Drive, near Stanwood

The county’s most popular park, this is where you can see eagles and hawks swooping down to catch fish in Port Susan. Deer roam the forest and owls silently soar high above this 670-acre park.

Spencer Island

5033 Fourth St. SE, Everett

Few places in Snohomish County are as popular for bird watching as Spencer Island. The salt and freshwater wetlands on the 400-acre island make it a rich habitat for more than 300 species of birds, including mergansers, blackbirds and herons. Keep an eye out for river otters in the brackish waters. Kayakers can also launch from Langus Riverfront Park and paddle 1 mile to the island to watch from the water. Dogs are prohibited.

Meadowdale Beach Park

6026 156th St., Edmonds

The park has a 1-mile long trail that runs adjacent to a stream that supports migrating salmon and freshwater fish. Osprey, hawks, owls and other birds also can be seen along the way. The occasional otter or seal may make an appearance at the beach. Leave baby seals alone, if you find them. “Moms will leave pups on the beach and they could be out there for days,”

Bishop said. “That’s tempting for people sometimes. It’s really important they keep their distance. If a seal pup has a human scent, sometimes the mother won’t come back.”

River Meadows Park

20416 Jordan Road, east of Arlington

Deer lovers could be in luck at this park about a 15-minute drive east of town. Eagles also circle above several miles of trails that wind through meadows and forest and alongside the South Fork Stillaguamish River. The 150-acre park is a former farmstead. “It’s a little further out, but it’s really peaceful,” Bishop said.

Portage Creek Wildlife Area

20802 59th Ave. NE, Arlington

This 157-acre wildlife reserve is home to deer, hawks, beavers, raccoons, mink and waterfowl. Rearing salmon, amphibians and small mammals also frequent the area.

Port Susan Bay Preserve

Boe Road and Marine Drive, near Stanwood

The estuary hosts thousands of birds, salmon, smelt, English sole and clams. Listen to dunlins, peregrine falcons and short-eared owls as they swoop for prey over the mudflats, marshes and channels. The 4,122-acre preserve includes much of the Stillaguamish River estuary.

Northwest Stream Center

600 128th St. SE, Everett

The environmental education and interpretive center at McCollum Park boasts spawning beds, fish habitat structures and a stream exhibit, which allows visitors to see cutthroat trout, freshwater mussels, sculpin and crawfish.

Washington North Coast Magazine

This article is featured in the summer issue of Washington North Coast Magazine, a supplement of The Daily Herald. Explore Snohomish and Island counties with each quarterly magazine. Each issue is $3.99. Subscribe to receive all four editions for $14 per year. Call 425-339-3200 or go to www.washingtonnorthcoast.com for more information.