Federation Forest State Park is a

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered on ...

state park State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural ...

on the White River in

King County King County is located in the U.S. state of Washington. The population was 2,269,675 in the 2020 census, making it the most populous county in Washington, and the 13th-most populous in the United States. The county seat is Seattle, also the st ...

. The park is located east of

Enumclaw Enumclaw ( ) is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 12,543 at the 2020 census. The Enumclaw Plateau, on which the city resides, was formed by a volcanic mudflow (lahar) from Mount Rainier approximately 5,700 ye ...

on Route 410 about below the summit of

Chinook Pass Chinook Pass (elevation 5430 ft./1656 m.) is a pass through the Cascade Range in the state of Washington. The pass is located on the crest of the Cascade Range, along a ridge between Yakima Peak to the northwest of the pass, and Naches Pea ...

. The park features an

old-growth forest An old-growth forestalso termed primary forest, virgin forest, late seral forest, primeval forest, or first-growth forestis a forest that has attained great age without significant disturbance, and thereby exhibits unique ecological featur ...

that includes

Douglas fir The Douglas fir (''Pseudotsuga menziesii'') is an evergreen conifer species in the pine family, Pinaceae. It is native to western North America and is also known as Douglas-fir, Douglas spruce, Oregon pine, and Columbian pine. There are three va ...

, western hemlock,

Sitka spruce ''Picea sitchensis'', the Sitka spruce, is a large, coniferous, evergreen tree growing to almost tall, with a trunk diameter at breast height that can exceed 5 m (16 ft). It is by far the largest species of spruce and the fifth-larg ...

, and western redcedar trees. Park amenities include of

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

trails, picnicking facilities, and an interpretive center.

History

The park gets its name from the Washington state chapter of the General Federation of Women's Clubs (GFWC-WS), which raised the initial $25,000 that was used to purchase the land for the park from a lumber company in 1928. GFWC-WS members were concerned about the rapid pace of deforestation around the country and wanted to preserve the remaining old-growth forest in the state of Washington. The original park was located about west of

Snoqualmie Pass Snoqualmie Pass is a mountain pass that carries Interstate 90 (I-90) through the Cascade Range in the U.S. state of Washington. The pass summit is at an elevation of , on the county line between Kittitas County and King County. Snoqualmie Pass ...

and was dedicated in 1934. In the following years, windstorms, widening of an adjacent highway, and logging on the adjacent property took a toll on the park, and the land was eventually sold back to the lumber company in 1938. After about a decade, the new present-day location along the White River was chosen and dedicated in 1949. In 1958, local educator and GFWC-WS member,

Catherine T. Montgomery Catherine T. Montgomery (April 1, 1867 – September 17, 1957) was a Canadian-born American educator, clubwoman, and hiker based in Bellingham, Washington. She donated money and land to improve Federation Forest State Park, and is known as the "M ...

left the money from her estate to the park. The money was used to build the Catherine Montgomery Interpretive Center.

Facilities

The Catherine Montgomery Interpretive Center has exhibits on the history the General Federation of Women's Clubs and the

Salish Salish () may refer to: * Salish peoples, a group of First Nations/Native Americans ** Coast Salish peoples, several First Nations/Native American groups in the coastal regions of the Pacific Northwest ** Interior Salish peoples, several First Nat ...

people early presence along the White River. In front of the Interpretive Center is native plant identification garden with markers identifying over two dozen plants. From the Interpretive Center a series of hiking trails fan out into the park. * Fred Cleator Interpretive trail includes and east loop () and a longer (). Both loops provide information signs along the route, explaining the diversity of the forest landscape. *The Naches Trail is the original path first used by the Salish traversing the Cascades by the Naches Pass. It later became an early route for path for travel to Fort Steilacoom. By 1884 it was abandoned for easier routes across the mountains. *Land of the Giants Interpretive Trail is a self-guided trail () through an old-growth forest. *Wind in the Woods Trail () loop with sign describing the effects of wind on a forest. *The Esther Maltby Trail on the River () is a primitive trail along the White River. This is a difficult trail due to the changes that occur each year from winter weathers and spring floods. Part of the trail uses a boardwalk and a stairway create a return loop. The trail is dedicated Esther Maltby a leader in the GFWC. *North Trail () is across or north of Highway 410 and travels through hills, marshes and over mud slides.

References

External links

Federation Forest State Park
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
Federation Forest State Park Map
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission {{authority control State parks of Washington (state) Parks in King County, Washington