Pets allowed
Allowed
Guided tours
No
Backcountry camping
No
Lodging
No
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

The Chinook Bend Natural Area is a 58-acre peninsula located 1 mile downstream from Tolt-MacDonald Park in the Snoqualmie River floodplain just east of Seattle. The area is named for the Chinook salmon that return to the Snoqualmie River and all of its tributaries, as many as 20% of which spawn near the bend.

In 2000, the site, which is dominated by natural freshwater wetlands, old pasture, young conifers, and old-growth black cottonwood stands, was donated to King County by the Nestle Corporation for the express purpose of preserving and restoring the natural habitat of the bend. Because of this mandate, access onto the site is limited to a few primitive trails and old gravel roads. This access is more than enough to provide a means for taking a short stroll and enjoying the park's wildlife, including great blue herons, beaver, various migratory waterfowl, red-winged blackbirds, cedar waxwings, and numerous species of swallows.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Congestion

Low

Parking Pass

Not Required

Pros

Bird watching. Steelhead fishing. Solitude.

Cons

Limited trail system.

Features

Flushing toilets
Fishing
Bird watching
Wildlife

Location

Nearby Lodging + Camping

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