A wonderful aspect of Vashon Island is the abundance of parks, preserves, and nature trails, largely due to the hard work of the Vashon-Maury Island Land Trust. Growing up on Vashon, I knew of a few parks, but to really get a walk or short hike in, one needed to stick to the roads or find somewhere off island. Nowadays, this is not the case. From 440 acres in Island Center Forest to the narrow Shinglemill Creek Preserve that follows the salmon spawning stream, there are plenty of options all over the island, thanks to the Land Trust, Vashon Parks District, and King County Parks.
I recently visited two areas I had never been to, the Christensen Pond Preserve on Wax Orchard Road and the in-development Neill Point Natural Area on the southern end of Vashon Island.
Christensen Pond was a lovely walk. No dogs allowed, but I enjoyed following the loop and focusing on nature more than my disruptive fur-kids for a change.
Neill Point was a very different experience. The trail is clearly under construction with some well-defined paths and other choose-your-own-adventure routes that follow pieces of flagging tape. It was a fun but very muddy experience and I’m looking forward to coming back to see what improvements have been made.
Some favorites I also recommend are Island Center Forest, Maury Island Marine Park, and Fisher Pond. Here’s a great resource for many of the island trails—come check them out!
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