Kayak Point, the county’s most popular park, to reopen by next weekend

STANWOOD — After almost a year of construction, Kayak Point Regional Park will reopen ahead of schedule on June 14, the county announced Thursday.

County staff closed the most popular park in the Snohomish County system on July 5, 2023, for the first phase of construction. The total project costs $20 million.

Along Port Susan Bay, the park features 3,300 feet of shoreline and welcomes 180,000 annual visitors. Kayak Point offers crabbing, fishing, hiking and camping opportunities, with beachside fire pits and picnic shelters.

County planners initially estimated the first phase of construction would take at least six months, with a possible reopening at the start of 2024. But at the start of this year, the county announced it hoped to reopen the park by summer instead. In February, officials said the park would open July 1.

On Thursday, they moved that opening date up to June 14.

Contractors constructed a new boat launch, updated the parking lot, removed a portion of the sea wall and started building a berm to create a larger beach. Workers have to wait for the next fish window this summer to begin construction on the new fishing pier. The fish window for a project is when construction is least likely to disturb aquatic life.

In the second phase of construction, workers will remove another portion of the sea wall, move picnic shelters away from the beach, complete the backshore berm and plant native vegetation along the shoreline.

County staff expect phase two to temporarily close the park again starting Oct. 15, dependent on whether the project receives a federal grant.

County Parks and Recreation outlined what will be available when the park reopens next week:

• Beach and trails;

• Campground;

• Parking;

• Restrooms;

• Picnic shelters (reservations are open but not reservable until July 1);

• A new boat launch;

• Water trail campsites, accessible via kayaks, canoes or sailboats;

• And overflow parking.

Meanwhile, these amenities remain closed:

• Fishing pier;