New Trail Opens on Heybrook Ridge

In 2017, a total of 230 volunteers spent 21 days working at Heybrook Ridge County Park near Index. All of that work has paid off. On Oct. 21, volunteers and representatives from Friends of Heybrook Ridge, Snohomish County and WTA gathered at the trailhead to celebrate the project’s completion.

The official ribbon-cutting had a great turnout despite the rain. The trail has officially been open since October 21. Photo by Britt Lê.

The project came together thanks to many partners. In 2008, Friends of Heybrook Ridge spent months raising the money to buy 130 acres of Heybrook Ridge and rescue the parcel from being logged. Since then, the Friends group has made four more purchases, totaling 143 acres, and worked closely alongside Snohomish County Parks and WTA to restore the trail to the ridge.

The trail is 3.3 miles roundtrip and gains 760 feet of elevation. It ends up on the same ridge as Heybrook Lookout, although farther to the west. As part of an ongoing partnership with Snohomish County, WTA helped support the project with our volunteers and expertise. The celebration for the project concluded with a group hike up to the ridge, which on a clear day features stunning views of the valley below. The new trail will help provide some relief to other popular trails along Highway 2, and plans are forming to expand the trail even more in coming years.