The great thing about boardwalks is that they can accommodate kids in strollers or people in wheelchairs, making a nature walk accessible to everyone!
This park on Kirkland’s waterfront has three different boardwalks. Here you might spy river otters playing at the edge of the lily pads or turtles sitting on a log.
This boardwalk isn’t very long, but it’s in a spectacular spot, where the Sammamish River joins Lake Sammamish. Stroll through the willows and the cattails right out to the lily-pad-strewn water.
Looking up the slough from the middle of this park, you can get a view of office towers through the trees, but this natural area feels far away from the bustle of Bellevue.
Most of this Bothell park is on an enormous peat bog, a wetland that teems with life. Look for small creatures in or near the water: snakes, beaver homes, water-strider insects and weasels.
Washington Park Arboretum Waterfront Trail
This zigzag path takes you out on the lake and over to aptly named Marsh Island. Watch for birds and boats of all kinds.