The plan for our Jan 10, 2026 volunteer work party We are continuing our work on Port of Skagit property expanding the Northern State Trail System. In November 2025, we completed our work on Winfield Trail. Our December work party was cancelled due to the flood event; however Port staff completed the lawn crossing andContinue reading “Trail Update: New Year, New Trail!”
Category Archives: Proposed Trails
Trail Update: Our Work Party Plan for Nov 8, 2025
8:45 am Sign-in at the trailhead: Please note the new parking area for volunteers is located on the gravel road behind Trevennen Hall. Directions can be found here. 9:00 am: JT & Paul will lead introductions, make announcements, and explain today’s work. Jenny will explain the jobs and set-up the work groups. Chloe & AmeliaContinue reading “Trail Update: Our Work Party Plan for Nov 8, 2025”
Trail Update: A wildly windy work party!
Wild Weather and Great Progress on the Winfield Trail! Our October 25 work party started out with a bit of chaos then turned into a wild, windy adventure! An early morning car crash on Fruitdale Road knocked out two transformers, leaving much of Sedro-Woolley and Burlington without power. With traffic lights dark and uncertainty inContinue reading “Trail Update: A wildly windy work party!”
Trail Update: Rainy days make for muddy work!
It’s October, and the rain has arrived! “If we hadn’t packed rock into the clay soil, we would have just been sliding all over the place!” Executive Director Jim “JT” Taylor reported. On Saturday, October 11, we were joined by seventeen (17) hardworking and resilient volunteers who made the best of an extremely wet workdayContinue reading “Trail Update: Rainy days make for muddy work!”
Trail Update: Our Work Party Plan for October 11, 2025
This will be our second volunteer work party on Winfield Trail on (Port of Skagit) SWIFT Center property in Sedro-Woolley, WA. At our first session on September 27, the crew made excellent progress building a rock wall and creating level trail tread. At this work party, we will continue routing Winfield Trail through the treesContinue reading “Trail Update: Our Work Party Plan for October 11, 2025”
Trail Update: Breaking Ground on Winfield Trail!
What a great start! On Saturday, September 27, seventeen amazing volunteers rolled up their sleeves and made impressive progress on the new Winfield Trail. Together, we built a long rock retaining wall, cleared or covered exposed roots, and hand-shaped the trail’s surface to make it smooth and inviting. Using power carriers, we brought in mineralContinue reading “Trail Update: Breaking Ground on Winfield Trail!”
Trail Update: Growing the Northern State Trail System in 2025-2026
Trail Project Update – Phase 1 We’re excited to share the first steps in creating new trails at the SWIFT campus! Thanks to the dedicated work of the Port of Skagit and the City of Sedro-Woolley, we’ve received approval to start building Phase 1 of the planned trails. This fall, volunteers from Skagit Trail BuildersContinue reading “Trail Update: Growing the Northern State Trail System in 2025-2026”
Trail Update: September Events!
🌼 September 13 Our final work party at Northern State Recreation Area! We will be focused on trail stewardship activities like managing vegetation and decommissioning unsanctioned trails. 🎉 September 19 Hosted by Skagit County Parks and Recreation, the Port of Skagit, and the City of Sedro-Woolley. Join us for an open house at the SWIFTContinue reading “Trail Update: September Events!”
In the News: Olmsted Park construction in full swing
VINCE RICHARDSON . Skagit Valley Herald Aug 20, 2025 SEDRO-WOOLLEY — Olmsted Park continues to take shape as what was once an empty field is being transformed into a highly-anticipated recreation destination. The city’s newest park, at 1451 North Fruitdale Road, encompasses about 14.8 acres and was formerly a portion of the Northern State Hospital complexContinue reading “In the News: Olmsted Park construction in full swing”
2021: Ivy Control at the Historic Guard Shack and Thompson Pond
Coming back from the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns in 2021 was a challenge. Contracts and permits were delayed, leaving our remaining work at Northern State Recreation Area uncertain. Hill Creek Trail was incomplete, and construction of the Pumphouse Bridge had not yet started. One of the proposals on our docket was a loop trail around ThompsonContinue reading “2021: Ivy Control at the Historic Guard Shack and Thompson Pond”
