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3 parks and a trail hike for your next Bainbridge Island overnight visit!

Bainbridge Island is home to plenty of great beaches, pretty views, charming shops and restaurants, and a vibrant community. Our rural character has been lovingly maintained through a network of private and public green spaces.…

Bainbridge Island is home to plenty of great beaches, pretty views, charming shops and restaurants, and a vibrant community. Our rural character has been lovingly maintained through a network of private and public green spaces. Whether you’re visiting for the day, staying a few days or live on our beautiful island, there are many great parks and trails to enjoy.  These are a few of our favorites!

Fort Ward Park

Fort Ward is a shoreline park on the sunny south end of Bainbridge Islandnear Lynwood Center.It’s a great park for all ages. The trails of Fort Ward Park are great for biking, walking or running. You may even see a horse on the trail, and most certainly seals and sea lions out in Rich Passage. There’s a lovely view of the Passage where you’ll also see a variety of marine traffic, including ferries and occasionally submarines and coast guard vessels.There are tide pools along the shore where you will be treated to a variety of marine life. Also at Fort Ward is an old bunker to explore, picnic tables and a boat launch. It’s a great spot to watch the sunset. If you continue further along South Beach road directly south of the park, you will be rewarded with a stunning view of Mt. Rainier. FortWard Trail map

Blakely Harbor Park

You can hike to this waterfront park from Fort Ward Park if you’d like to take in two parks in one day. This 40-acre park is on the former site of Port Blakely Mill, the world’s largest sawmill in the late early 1900’s. Blakely Harbor Park is a scenic and perfect spot for passive recreational use such as picnicking, swimming, kayaking, and wildlife viewing. If your timing is right, it’s a great location for blackberry picking. Eagledale to Fort Ward-Trailmap

Owen’s Playground

Owen’s Playground opened on July 16th, 2016.  At the heart of this inclusive playground is quality, play that engages the changing population of children and adults who utilize wheeled mobility devices, who have sensory processing issues, who have visual and hearing impairments, and who live with the challenges associated with autism, Asperger’s and other disorders. Owen’s Playground aims to serve ALL ages and ALL abilities throughout Bainbridge Island, the Kitsap Peninsula and areas of Seattle who will be attracted to and served by the inclusive nature of the playground and its proximity to the Winslow core. Ask any local kid which is their favorite playground on Bainbridge and you are likely to hear, “Owen’s Playground!” Located mid-island adjacent to the Rotary Park ballfields, this is a convenient location from the ferry, 305 freeway and near to restaurants and shops.

Our Trillium Trail 10k and 5k routes through from Battlepoint Park through the Grand Forest

Go for a hike, run or walk through forest and meadow along our longest contiguous trail system. The Grand Forest seems to be lifted from lowland Olympic Peninsula, with majestic trees and vibrant understory ecosystems. On any given day you may see owls, views of the snowy Olympic mountains, deer grazing in the Hilltop meadow, and of course beautiful Trillium flowers. Follow our map for a 10k loop, along this Cross-island Trail system, or pick your own section of trail to explore from multiple trailheads. trillium 10k and 5k map

Cross Island Trail Map

Blog by Trish Bittman

Bainbridge Island Parks Foundation