SNOHOMISH COUNTY – Snohomish County Parks & Recreation is closing portions of Paradise Valley Conservation Area (PVCA) and the entirety of Southwest County Park (SWCP) due to hazardous trees identified during recent forest health surveys. The closures are intended to protect park visitors from the risk of falling trees while the county develops plans to address declining forest health at these parks.
At PVCA, near Woodinville, hundreds of Douglas-fir trees across a 64-acre section of the 793-acre park are affected by advanced laminated root rot, a native fungal disease that damages tree roots and causes trees to die and fall. At SWCP, in Edmonds, the majority of red alders within the entire 120-acre park have reached the end of their natural lives and are at risk of falling, posing safety concerns throughout the park.
“We understand these are beloved parks by the community, but the safety of our visitors is our top priority,” said Snohomish County Parks Director, Sharon Walker. “Our approach prioritizes visitor safety while working toward healthier, more diverse and resilient forests for future generations.”
Paradise Valley Conservation Area
On October 29, 2026, PVCA will be fully closed to the public while crews build a trail reroute. The new trail will open on October 30, 2026. For the safety of park users, we are closing several trails ahead of the winter storm season and building a new trail to connect to the Wetland Plateau Trail, located in the unaffected area of the park. The closure includes Cascara Trail, Whispering Firs, Mainline Trail, Lloyd Loop, Lloyd family barn and associated outbuildings. The new trail will allow park users to access the remaining unaffected areas of the park, including many trails. See map for more information.
Snohomish County Parks is developing a forest health action plan to address diseased and hazardous trees and improve the area’s long-term ecological health. The goal of the forest health improvements is to reduce the number of dead and dying Douglas-fir trees and plant species like hemlock and redcedar that are not susceptible to laminated root rot. Tree removal is tentatively anticipated for fall 2027, with the county hopeful that the affected area can reopen after replanting in late winter 2028. The timeline remains subject to change depending on funding, permitting and planning.
Southwest County Park
Southwest County Park is closed to the public until further notice due to the majority of red alders within the park having reached the end of their natural life and are at risk of falling. The trees were established around the same time, approximately 75 years ago. Unlike PVCA, where visitors can continue to access unaffected areas through a trail reroute, the widespread nature of the hazards at Southwest County Park leaves no safe alternative route. As a result, the entire park must remain closed. Snohomish County Parks is developing a forest mitigation plan. At this time, there is not a timeline to re-open the park due to the amount of dying trees throughout the park and the hazards they pose to park users. Before the park can reopen, Snohomish County Parks will need to either pursue removal of the hazard trees or verify through monitoring that the alders have died and fallen.
The recent surveys are helping Snohomish County Parks identify forest health challenges and determine appropriate responses that balance public safety with long-term environmental stewardship. For more information, visit the Forest Health webpage.
Author: Lynnwood Times Staff
