Kenmore: Waterfront Parks, Forest Trails, and History

Kenmore brings together waterfront landscapes, nature trails, and history in its parks. Lake Washington, the Sammamish River, and Swamp Creek offer different landscape features—from waterfront access and trails through the forest to themes related to culture and water sports. When planning your stay, specific differences between the locations can help, such as shoreline length, wetlands, trail types, and architectural character. If you’re looking for hotels in Kenmore, these features can help you get to know the city through the themes that interest you.

Lake and River Shorelines

Log Boom Park offers access to more than 1,200 feet of shoreline on Lake Washington in Kenmore. The 12.5-acre Rhododendron Park has 600 feet of shoreline along the Sammamish River. A 2.6-acre wetland separates the main park from the water.

The stated shoreline at Lake Washington is therefore more than twice as long as the one along the Sammamish River. At Rhododendron Park, the wetland is an additional, distinct landscape feature. Thus, the two waterfront areas differ not only in being on a lake versus a river, but also in the landscape described between the main park and the water.

Nature Trails and Park Landscapes

ƛ̕ax̌ʷadis Park (Tl' awh-ah-dees) has elevated boardwalks and nature trails. Facilities for launching hand-carried watercraft add to its waterfront features. The name ƛ̕ax̌ʷadis means “a place where something grows or sprouts” and honors the Coast Salish, who originally inhabited the area. The park thus connects nature with a cultural significance expressed in its name.

Saint Edward State Park is a day-use park. Its trails wind through lush forest to the shore of Lake Washington. The striking brick buildings also shape the park: they are designed in the Neo-Romanesque style. Here, wooded trails and a distinct architectural style come together; both give the park a different character from the waterfront parks on the lake and river.

History, Swamp Creek, and Water Sports

At Log Boom Park, the History Path runs along the trail to the fishing pier. The family-friendly series includes eleven information panels. For visitors interested in the area’s history, the trail also serves as a sequence of stops featuring information panels.

At Swamp Creek, a bridge offers a view of spawning salmon. An open space stretches east to west across the creek between 68th Ave. NE and 73rd Ave. NE. Each feature has its own emphasis: the view of the salmon focuses on a natural event, while the open space is described by its extent and the two roads.

Human-powered water sports are also among the recreational activities offered by KWAC. They include canoeing, kayaking, dragon boating, stand-up paddling, rowing, and outrigger canoeing. Paddles, personal flotation devices (PFDs), and introductory lessons are provided for outrigger canoeing. The range of activities gives you specific points to consider if water sports are part of your trip planning.

Discover more destinations: Newcastle, Sammamish, Tukwila, Seattle, Snoqualmie, Shoreline, Bellevue, Mercer Island.

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