Parks & Trails

Parks close 30 minutes after sunset. If it’s dark, it’s closed!

Please follow all posted signage in the park system.

To respect the privacy, enjoyment and safety of all park users and our natural surroundings, please do not engage in the following activities:

· building fires;
· flying drones;
· camping overnight;
· lighting fireworks;
· loitering in restrooms;
· cleaning food, washing personal or household clothing/items, washing animals, or washing vehicles;
· entering sports fields with gum, sunflower seeds or glass containers;
· cutting, removing, damaging or destroying plant life or City property;
· capturing, harassing, or injuring any animal;
· feeding animals

Park users must follow all state laws in accordance to firearms and dangerous weapons (Chapter 9.41 RCW), including but not limited to carrying, aiming and discharging firearms or dangerous weapons capable of producing bodily harm.

For-profit entities are prohibited from conducting private business.

Have a special activity planned? The following activities require a special use permit:

· groups larger than 25 individuals;
· use of loudspeakers, sound amplification equipment, or other amplifying devices;
· sale of goods/services or other forms of solicitation;
· distributing or posting printed materials or signs;
· activities that conflict with normal, intended park usage or interfere with traffic and parking.

To protect the safety of park users and our furry friends, all dogs and pets must be kept on a leash no longer than 16 feet and must be under control at all times. Pets may not harass, injure or damage other park users, pets, plants or wildlife and we ask owners to remove their pets if they bark continuously or disturb the peace of a City park.

Dogs, pets or domestic animals are not allowed in the following areas (even with leashes):
· swimming beaches;
· athletic fields;
· picnic shelter areas;
· play areas.
Note: This does not apply to service animals as defined by RCW 49.60.040(25) ("Service animal").

Please remove any and all animal waste from dogs, pets and domestic animals. Trash receptacles are provided for disposal.

Please follow all posted rules for dog parks.

Horses are permitted on City trails unless posted and designated.

Please see SMC 11.05.010 (Authority to adopt animal control regulations) for existing rules of animal control regulations of the City.

The following is prohibited in all open spaces, trails, park areas, and associated marine areas:

· alcoholic bevarages;
· tobacco products;
· marijuana products.

We love our trail walkers and joggers! Want to ride your bike, scooter or skateboard on a paved trail? Great! Non-motorized park users are allowed on all regional trails, local trail corridors, and paved pathways unless otherwise designated and posted. Keep your eyes out for posted signage at park entrances, trailheads or individual trails and please follow all trail restrictions. There are several restrictions for maintained soft surface trails, sensitive areas, and boardwalks which can be found in the section below.

Sorry, but vehicles are not allowed on trails. This includes:

· cars;
· trucks;
· motorcycles;
· jeeps;
· four-wheel drive vehicles;
· snowmobiles;
· golf carts;
· mopeds.

However, the following devices are allowed on paved trails unless otherwise designated and posted:

· wheelchairs powered by electric motors;
· electric personal mobility devices;
· motorized foot scooters;
· electric-assisted bicycles;
· toy motorized cars or trucks.

Electric personal assistive mobility devices are allowed on paved trails but must follow all speed, safety, travel, and trail use guidelines. This includes:

· Segway's;
· electric skateboards;
· electric unicycles;
· hoverboards.

Motorized foot scooters, such as electric scooters, are allowed on paved trails but must follow all speed, safety, travel, and trail use guidelines.

Class 1 and 2 electric-assisted bicycles are allowed on paved trails but must follow all speed, safety, travel, and trail use guidelines. There are several different types of e-bikes that are manufactured, so before jumping on your e-bike and hitting the road, please review the list below and determine if your e-bike is allowed on a paved trail:

· CLASS 1 - ALLOWED: the motor provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 20 mph;
· CLASS 2 - ALLOWED: the motor may be used exclusively to propel the bicycle and is not capable of providing assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 20mph;
· CLASS 3 - PROHIBITED: the motor provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 28mph and is equipped with a speedometer.

Do you have a toy motorized boat? Unfortunately, these are not allowed in associated marine areas.

For the enjoyment of everyone, and to protect our natural habitat, we like to keep our soft surface trails and sensitive areas safe from erosion and dangerous travel. The following modes of transportation are not allowed on maintained soft surface trails, sensitive areas, and boardwalks unless otherwise designated and posted:

· bikes of any kind;
· electric personal mobility devices;
· motorized foot scooters;
· toy motorized cars or trucks;
· any electric or small motorized devices.

Pedestrians and horse riders are permitted on maintained soft surface trails unless otherwise posted and designated.

Do your kids have toy motorized cars or trucks? There are many great places to use them, but not on unpaved trails.

Have fun, be safe! Please follow all posted beach rules, lifeguard rules, dock rules, instructions of lifeguards, and/or instructions from other City employees.

Sammamish parks have great lakes and waterways, but swimming is only permitted in designated swimming areas that are posted by the City. The parks that have designated swimming areas are:

· Pine Lake Park
· Sammamish Landing Park.

When lifeguards are on duty swimmers are not allowed to swim into or out of designated swimming areas.

Please do not engage in activities if they endanger other beach users or interfere, distract or obstruct lifeguards from performing their responsibilities.

False alarm of drowning is prohibited.

Did you know? Our parks system has speed limits:

· Open space, trail, park area, or park facility: 15 mph.
· Associated marine areas: 8 mph.

There’s more to safety than speed limits. Always make sure to travel in a safe manner based on your surroundings. This helps to protect yourself and those around you. In addition to speed limits, park users must also comply with the following rules of travel:

· travel at a speed that is reasonable and prudent under existing conditions;
· travel at a speed with regard to the actual and potential hazards that are existing;
· no traveling at a speed which endangers the safety of persons, property, or wildlife;
· no traveling in a negligent manner.

We love clean parks! Please do not litter.

Please do not dump or deposit outside, household, commercial or vehicle waste in our parks system.

Want to keep your water clean? Please refrain from dumping or polluting our lakes and waterways.

Enjoy fishing? Please follow all laws, rules and regulations of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife relating to season, limits, and methods of fishing for game fish and the taking of shellfish. Have fun at the lake, but please follow the rules:

· follow any and all signs that prohibit fishing within our parks system;
· in areas that fishing is allowed, please obey all posted rules and signage;
· follow all rules and regulations of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife;
· do not secure or attached fishing pots to park docks.

Boating rules apply to “associated marine areas” which means any water area within 100 feet of any City of Sammamish open space, trail, park area or park facility such as a dock, pier, float, buoy, log boom, object or other property which is under the ownership, management, or control of the City. Boating rules in associated marine areas include:

· SMC 12.05.010 (Boating regulations);
· operating watercraft in swimming areas is not allowed;
· use only designated areas for landing, launching, docking or operating;
· please do not moor your boat overnight or in a swimming area;
· anchoring is not allowed;
· no more than three boats or other objects may be tied or rafted together when docked;
· Keep it very clean. Do not use marine heads (toilets) that emit contents directly into the water.

Please make sure to park in designated areas only and remove your vehicle before closing time. Vehicles may be towed at owner’s expense.

To keep our parks safe, clean, and enjoyable for everyone we ask that all park users follow the rules in our parks system. Residents can find the rules on signs posted across our parks, on our website, and by reviewing the Sammamish Municipal Code online at: Sammamish Municipal Code Title 7A (Parks & Recreation). Still have a question? Just give us a call at (425) 295-0585 or email us: alowry@sammamish.us.

If an individual is found to be breaking park rules the following actions may be taken by the City:

· loss of park use;
· ejection from park areas;
· fines;
· criminal charges.

For details of the fines associated with violating park rules, please view the City’s bail schedule (list of fines). In some cases, violating park rules may be considered a criminal misdemeanor. For details on all park rules, and their penalties, please view the City Code online at: Sammamish Municipal Code Title 7A (Parks & Recreation). Thank you for keeping our parks safe, clean and enjoyable for everyone! Have fun and be safe!