Completion of Denny Creek Trailhead Project celebrated

The expanded parking lot has 169 stalls and is expected to alleviate congestion in the area.

By Mallory Kruml • August 21, 2024 7:30 am

On Aug. 13, Congresswoman Kim Schrier (D-District 8) joined representatives from Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, the United States Forest Service (USFS), the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe, and Outdoor Alliance Washington Organizations to celebrate the completion of the Denny Creek Trailhead Project.

Just 30 minutes east of North Bend, the Denny Creek trailhead is a highly trafficked recreational hub for hiking trails to the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Franklin Falls, vistas of Mt. Baker and other prominent North Cascades peaks.

According to the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, about 90,000 visitors fish, hike or camp near Denny Creek each year. It’s also a popular spot for snowshoeing or backcountry skiing in the winter.

In past years, visitors often faced a lack of adequate parking, which led to vehicle congestion and inaccessibility for emergency services.

Following a months-long closure to make way for construction crews, the trailhead now has additional parking lots complete with stalls for RVs, horse trailers and buses, according to the Washington Trails Association. The total number of parking spaces has increased to 169 from 65. Additional restrooms have also been installed.

The $3.2 million project was funded by the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) and the Recreation Conservation Office of Washington State.

According to her office, Schrier voted to approve the GAOA, enacted in 2020, which authorized billions of dollars in federal funding for maintenance projects to make recreation spots safer and more accessible for all.

“Here in the Eighth District, we have some of the most stunning natural beauty in the country, and it is our responsibility to maintain this landscape and make sure it is accessible,” said Congresswoman Schrier. “I’m proud to have worked in Congress and supported legislation like the Great American Outdoors Act, which makes crucial investments in our parks and public lands, and I am happy to see that funding make a difference here in the Eighth District through the completion of the Denny Creek Trailhead project.”

The GAOA provided the Mountains to Sound Greenway Corridor with $13.2 million in the first two years following its passing and spent nearly $3 million on the Denny Creek Trailhead Project.

While parking lot construction was completed in October 2023, “visitor use dropped significantly so the public didn’t really have a chance to take advantage of the improved access.” wrote Adrian Cortez, the press secretary for Schrier’s office. “This summer the Forest Service continued work at the site with Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust to finish some landscaping and revegetation at the site with the remainder of the GAOA allotment. The Forest Service wanted to do a ribbon cutting event after most of the finishing work was completed.”