Happy Trails to You: Lowell Riverfront Trail

If you read my last Happy Trails post about Japanese Gulch and decided it wasn't the place for you, the Lowell Riverfront Trail might be more your speed. It's a wide, flat, paved trail that stretches about two miles North from Rotary Park.

Another mile of gravel trails loop around the wetlands to the west, so it's easy to go up to five miles without too much repetition.

The wetland trails are well-groomed, so the only messy hazard to worry about is occasional flooding near Rotary Park when the river gets too high.

The whole park is beautiful, but the Snohomish River is the star.

Peeking through the trees // Christopher Bragg

It seems like it's foggy every time I go. I love to watch it roll in from the farms on the other side of the river, cows marching and munching their way through the grass.

Lowell Riverfront Trail in the fog // Christopher Bragg

If you're lucky, you get to see the sky catch fire when the sun rises.

There's plenty of parking at Lowell Riverfront Park and Rotary Park just down the trail, and even though I never park there, walking around Rotary Park's picturesque parking lot for some extra distance is always lovely.

Even the parking lot has a chill vibe // Christopher Bragg

I choose street parking in Lowell so I don't have to worry about traffic backing up at the railroad crossing when I leave. Instead, I enter via the pedestrian bridge and waterfall staircase. It's part of a drainage system for I-5, and the wetlands act as a natural filter for the water on its way to the river.

The man-made waterfall under the pedestrian bridge // Christopher Bragg

Keep in mind that the trail doesn't end when you emerge at Riverfront Boulevard. Turn right, rejoin the trail, and follow it all the way to the future site of a new city park.

A rusty crane on the riverfront // Christopher Brag

It would be irresponsible of me not to mention homelessness. Several encampments have been cleared out near the trail, and the area is close to the Everett Gospel Mission. While walking, you may see someone sleeping nearby or passing through with a shopping cart.

I don't believe this is a reason to avoid the area, though — if more people visit, it becomes safer.

But I’ve never had a terrible encounter.

I've been politely asked for water or a light, and usually we just exchange good-mornings as we pass one another. Once there was a man screaming and ranting on the trail, but he didn't do anything when I walked past him, and when I warned an elderly couple down the trail about him, they said, "We'll just ignore him."

While it's the only place in Everett I find a bit creepy in the dark, I always decide it's worth it once the sunrise starts.

Lowell Riverfront Trail opens at 6 a.m. year-round. Enter via Lowell Riverfront Park, Rotary Park, the pedestrian bridge at 3rd and Main, or Riverfront Boulevard.

Restrooms are available at Rotary Park near the boat launch, and several benches and wheelchair-accessible picnic tables can be found along the trail.

See my first piece for Live in Everett for more info about things to do in Lowell, and check out Henry J’s Lowell neighborhood spotlight.

Christopher Bragg works from home in Everett and loves walking, swimming, and cats. You can find him all over town, but only if you keep weird hours and avoid crowds like he does.

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