Snohomish: History and River Trails

Snohomish combines a historic focus with trails and recreational activities. When choosing a hotel, you can consider whether you’d like to focus mainly on the city’s history, a short riverside walk, or a longer trail route. The Historic District covers 26 blocks, the Blackman House Museum highlights a home from the city’s founding era, and the trails vary considerably in length. There is also a disc golf course and several offerings at the Aquatic Center.

Historic Sites and Local History

The Historic District covers 26 blocks along the Snohomish River, with commercial and residential properties. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This defines the historic focus as a district, not just a single building. By contrast, the Blackman House draws attention to a home from Snohomish’s founding era.

At the Blackman House Museum, visitors can step inside a home from that founding era and see objects and stories that helped shape the city. The Blackman House is the only surviving home from an early group of Blackman family homes in Snohomish. SnohomishWalks offers guided historic walking tours of Snohomish, Washington. This gives you a choice of ways to explore the city’s history: a specific home with objects and stories, or guided tours through Snohomish.

Riverside Trails and a Longer Route

The Riverfront Trail is 0.3 miles long, paved, and runs along the north bank of the Snohomish River from Avenue D to Cady Park. It features interpretive signs and benches. Cady Park covers 2.5 acres along the Snohomish River and offers direct access to the Riverfront Trail. The park and trail are therefore connected by a specifically noted access point.

The Centennial Trail begins in Snohomish and runs for more than 30 miles to Skagit County, north of Arlington. Compared with the Riverfront Trail’s 0.3 miles, this is a much longer route. The lengths can help you choose between the short, paved riverside trail and a route of more than 30 miles. From First Street, west of Avenue D, you can reach the Centennial Trail via the Riverfront Trail.

More Activities and Practical Information

Ferguson Park has a disc golf course. The Snohomish Aquatic Center features a leisure pool, a zero-depth-entry area, a FlowRider, a lazy river, and a water slide. These offer different options for your plans: disc golf in the park and several water activities at the Aquatic Center.

In Historic Downtown Snohomish, free, unlimited-time on-street parking is available in most areas. Check the signs before you arrive, as parking rules can change. The fact that this applies to most areas is important if you’re heading to a particular part of town.

Discover more destinations: Lake Stevens, Arlington, Marysville, Mukilteo, Stanwood, Maltby, Gold Bar, Lynnwood.

For the main travel overview: Snohomish.