The story below is from the City’s of Mountlake Terrace’s newsletter called City Happenings. We will be highlighting some of the stories this week. To read the entire newsletter, view the PDF at CityofMLT.com.
[box typ=”normal”]Unbeknownst to many, Terrace Creek Park has a mile-long trail that provides park visitors an opportunity to experience the serene tranquility of an urban forest.
The meandering trail within this 60-acre park located at 23200 48th Avenue West contains lush vegetation, a year-round stream, a variety of native plants, and mostly alder and conifer trees. The trail can be accessed from 221st Street, just west of 48th Avenue, or from the open space area of the park at 232nd Street.
The park’s ecosystem provides an excellent habitat for birds and wildlife including bats, opossums, raccoons and squirrels. Dr. Robin Lesher, a Mountlake Terrace resident and Ecologist with the USDA Forest Service referred to Terrace Creek Park as an “ecological jewel” in south Snohomish County. Lesher stated, “The park is an important natural area as it represents a fairly intact second-growth forest, in the midst of a dense population center, and provides low elevation habitat for a diversity of plant and bird species.” Year-round residents include five species of woodpeckers, most notably the pileated woodpecker, as well as sharp-shinned hawk, chickadees, nuthatches, kinglets, wrens, and various songbird species.
Terrace Creek also provides habitat for migratory birds that fly north each spring to breed and raise their young here. The alder community provides a major food source for these birds, and decaying older trees provide sitesfor cavity nesters.The southern part of the trail opens to a meadow and pathway that welcomes visitors to other active recreational opportunities including a play structure, gazebo, benches and picnic facilities. Families, walkers and joggers frequent the park, along with disk golfers who enjoy playing the course located within the forest.[/box]
My favorite park as a kid. I remember turning a corner and seeing a deer here when I was walking home from high school once.