Lund's Gulch - The Baby Salmon Are Hatching

Visitors to Lund's Gulch, a Snohomish County Park, are first greeted with sweeping views of the northern Puget Sound. Starting on top of the little cliff, you can see for miles, especially on this sunny Memorial Day. This view shows the Olympic Peninsula in the distance.




Lund's Gulch is a beautiful park right in the middle of the suburbs of Lynnwood, just about 20 miles north of Seattle. In 1878, early pioneer John Lund homesteaded Lund’s Gulch.



In 1968, Snohomish County acquired 114 acres of Lund’s Gulch. How fortunate we are to have this beautiful park right in our neighborhood.



Since 1996 the City of Lynnwood, in partnership with the Brackett's Landing Foundation and Snohomish County, has purchased over 77 acres in Lund’s Gulch with Snohomish County Conservation Futures Program funds to protect the sensitive areas and wildlife habitat from impacts of development, and to preserve this undisturbed natural area in public ownership.



Here's the Ranger's sign showing the different salmon, and cautioning not to disturb the spawning fish, and the surrounding wildlife. The gulch empties right into the Puget Sound, and makes a peaceful spot for the salmon to spawn. Now it's spring and the baby salmon (called Fry) are hatching.



Here's the pretty gulch.



Here's the easy trail.  You have to walk down from the top of the cliffs on the paved trail about 400 feet through a mature forest of Douglas fir, so going back up hill is a bit of a climb, but very manageable. Once you reach beach level, you're on forested trails like this.  If you're looking for a long day hike, you're in the wrong spot.  This is a pretty walk, almost 3 miles, and plenty of beach to play on.



A mass of yellow flowers along the way.



And also flowers that are going to turn into berries this summer.



Here's the great, family park grounds, and just on the far side is the entry onto the beach.



See the beautiful sunshine through the tree tops on the trail that is alongside the bubbling gulch. This walk is dedicated to my friend George, G-man. He was a wonderful friend to me and to many; he always made you feel good. I always looked forward to hearing from George. An ever-loyal 12th man, a fisherman, such a good person and family man. A Marine who passed away on Memorial Day, far too soon. George, you are missed.