Puget Sound · Washington
Most people moving to the Eastside assume Bellevue wins the parks competition by sheer size and budget. They're wrong. Redmond operates 47 parks across 1,351 acres and maintains 39 miles of city-owned trail — and that's before you count the King County regional assets sitting inside city limits. The outdoor infrastructure here is genuinely surprising in scope.
What shapes Redmond's parks landscape is a combination of geography and early planning decisions. The Sammamish River cuts through the city's western edge, the lake anchors the southwest, and a preserved watershed sits just to the north — together creating a corridor of green space that most comparable tech suburbs never managed to protect. Microsoft's campus presence also means the city's tax base has funded consistent investment in facilities rather than letting them erode.
This guide covers what you can realistically expect from Redmond's outdoor life in 2026: the flagship parks, the trail network, the aquatic and recreation facilities, and the honest gaps worth knowing before you commit to a neighborhood.
| Park | Highlights | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Marymoor Park | 640 acres, velodrome, 42-acre dog park, concert venue, garden | Everything — regional anchor park |
| Sixty Acres Park | 25 soccer fields, 94 acres, tournament-grade | Competitive youth soccer |
| Farrel-McWhirter Park | Farm animals, equestrian arena, nature trails, 68 acres | Kids, equestrians, nature walks |
| Grass Lawn Park | Sports fields, splash pad, playgrounds, open lawn | Families, summer afternoons |
| Idylwood Beach Park | Sandy swim beach, kayaking, BBQ pits, picnic shelters | Summer waterfront days |
| Hartman Park | Baseball diamonds, soccer fields, tennis courts, pop-up dog park | Multi-sport families |
| Redmond Watershed Preserve | 800 wooded acres, soft trails, ADA interpretive trail | Hikers, equestrians, solitude |
| Downtown Park | Splash pad, event space, urban picnic | Young kids, lunch breaks |
| Westside Park | Zipline, accessible play features, trail connections | Younger children |
| Luke McRedmond Park | Permanent dog park opening September 2026 | Dog owners |
Redmond's park system is strongest in regional-scale open space and trail connectivity — the Watershed Preserve and Marymoor together give the city more protected natural acreage than most Eastside cities twice its size. The honest gap is indoor recreation: a single aquatic center serves the entire population, and on rainy weekday evenings, the wait lists show it.
Location: 6046 W Lake Sammamish Pkwy NE, Redmond, WA 98052
King County's largest and most-visited park sits almost entirely within Redmond's southern boundary, pulling more than 3 million visitors annually across its 640 acres. The amenities read like a small city: 25 athletic fields, a 42-acre off-leash dog area, a community garden with over 200 plots, a rowing boathouse, a climbing wall, a remote aircraft field, and a 5,000-capacity outdoor concert venue that hosts some of the best summer shows in the Seattle area. The insider move is arriving via the new Marymoor Station Trail from the Sound Transit 2 Line — it drops you at the park's north end and completely sidesteps summer parking gridlock.
Best for: Families, dog owners, cyclists, concert-goers, birders
The only velodrome in Washington state occupies a dedicated corner of Marymoor Park, where the Marymoor Velodrome Association has been running programs since the track opened in 1975. Friday Night Racing is a genuine Redmond tradition — local riders, regional competitors, and curious spectators all show up — and the velodrome also hosts youth cycling clinics and occasional national championships. If you're moving here from a city without a velodrome, it sounds niche until your first Friday night in the bleachers.
Best for: Cycling enthusiasts, spectators, youth athletes
Location: 19545 NE Redmond Road, Redmond, WA 98053
This 68-acre park in North Redmond functions as a working farm and nature preserve, with a barnyard open 365 days a year where kids can see ponies and farm animals without a ticket or a reservation. The trail network includes connections to Mackey Creek and links via the 8-mile Puget Sound Energy Powerline Trail all the way to the Sammamish River Trail — making it a genuine long-haul hiking and running destination. The city also offers paid youth equestrian lessons and farm school programs on-site, which tend to fill quickly each season.
Best for: Families with young children, equestrians, trail runners
Location: Southeast Redmond (NE 116th St corridor)
The name undersells it — this is a 94-acre sports complex that claims the title of largest soccer facility west of the Mississippi, with 25 game-grade grass fields supporting everything from Saturday morning youth leagues to major regional tournaments. If you're relocating with a soccer-playing kid, this park will almost certainly be part of your weekly life. Non-soccer families tend to underuse it, but the sheer scale of green space makes it an underrated spot for open-lawn afternoon time when tournaments aren't running.
Best for: Youth and adult soccer players, tournament teams
Location: North Redmond (accessed via NE Novelty Hill Road)
Eight hundred acres of protected second-growth forest managed primarily as a nature preserve — no dogs allowed, minimal development, and a genuine sense of quiet that's rare this close to a tech corridor. The trail system includes soft-surface paths for hikers, equestrians, and mountain bikers, with the Siler Mill Trail reserved for foot traffic only and an ADA interpretive trail for accessible access. This is Redmond's best-kept outdoor secret, and homes in North Redmond and Union Hill-Novelty Hill that back toward the preserve carry a meaningful premium because of it.
Best for: Hikers, equestrians, mountain bikers, solitude seekers
The Sammamish River Trail runs 10.1 miles from Blyth Park in Bothell south to Marymoor Park in Redmond, paved its entire length and wide enough for cyclists, joggers, strollers, skaters, and commuters to coexist without the friction you'd expect. This is the trail that makes certain Redmond neighborhoods genuinely different from comparable suburbs — direct, non-motorized access to Kirkland, Bothell, and eventually Marymoor without touching a car. On a clear morning, the views stretch across the Sammamish River Valley to the Cascade foothills and, on the right days, to Mt. Rainier.
A parallel soft-surface grass and dirt trail runs alongside the paved path between Marymoor and 175th Street in Woodinville, giving equestrians their own lane. The river itself functions as a third corridor — kayakers and rowers use the Sammamish regularly, launching from the boathouse at Marymoor. Access points throughout Redmond mean most neighborhoods west of 148th Avenue can reach the trail with a short residential ride or walk.
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Redmond's primary indoor recreation anchor is the Redmond Community Center at 6505 176th Ave NE, which offers fitness programming, meeting spaces, and activity rooms used heavily by youth programs and seniors. For aquatics, the Hartman Pool (17410 NE 104th St, Redmond, WA 98052) serves as the city's dedicated swim facility, offering lap swim, recreational swim, and learn-to-swim programming across its session calendar. Given the population Hartman Pool serves, booking ahead for lessons is essential — walk-in availability during peak afternoon hours is limited.
Grass Lawn Park and Downtown Park both operate seasonal splash pads, typically open from Memorial Day through Labor Day between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. These free, unstaffed features have become summer afternoon staples for families in the central and east Redmond neighborhoods. The city's Parks and Recreation department also runs youth and adult programming through Farrel-McWhirter, including equestrian lessons and farm school sessions that book out early each spring.
| Destination | Distance | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park | ~15 min south | 3,100 acres, 36 miles of trail, coal mine history |
| Tiger Mountain State Forest | ~20 min east | Mountain biking, hiking, paragliding launch sites |
| Snoqualmie Falls | ~25 min east | 268-foot waterfall, paved viewing path, Salish Lodge |
| Rattlesnake Ledge | ~25 min east | 4-mile roundtrip hike, panoramic Cascade views |
| Juanita Beach Park (Kirkland) | ~10 min west | Lake Washington swimming and waterfront access |
| Burke-Gilman Trail (Bothell to UW) | ~15 min start | Paved 27-mile corridor connecting to Seattle |
| Tolt-MacDonald Park (Carnation) | ~30 min northeast | River confluence camping, suspension footbridge |
| Little Si / Mount Si (North Bend) | ~30 min southeast | Entry-level to summit hiking, Cascade foothills |
Local Expert Takeaway: The Redmond Watershed Preserve is the most undervalued outdoor asset in this market. Buyers in North Redmond and Union Hill-Novelty Hill often don't realize they're a five-minute drive from 800 acres of protected forest until after they've moved in — and then it becomes the reason they never leave. If you're weighing neighborhoods and outdoor access matters, prioritize proximity to either the Watershed Preserve or a direct Sammamish River Trail connection before worrying about which streets have the newest construction.
Is Redmond good for outdoor recreation?
Redmond is one of the strongest outdoor recreation cities on the Eastside, with 47 parks, 59 miles of public trails, a 640-acre regional park at its southern edge, and an 800-acre watershed preserve to the north. The combination of paved trail access, waterfront parks, and nearby Cascade trailheads makes it genuinely well-suited to active households.
Does Redmond have a public pool or aquatic center?
Hartman Pool at 17410 NE 104th St serves as the city's primary aquatic facility, offering lap swim, recreational swim, and youth swimming lessons. Registration for lessons fills quickly each season, and walk-in availability during peak hours is limited — booking ahead is strongly recommended.
What is the best park in Redmond for families with young children?
Farrel-McWhirter Park is a strong first choice for families with young children — a working farm with animals open every day of the year, nature trails along Mackey Creek, and youth programming including equestrian lessons and farm school. Grass Lawn Park and Idylwood Beach Park are also popular depending on whether you're after sports fields or waterfront access.
Explore the full Redmond series: The Ultimate Redmond Relocation Guide · Is Redmond Safe? · Cost of Living in Redmond · Best Neighborhoods in Redmond · Redmond Schools & Family Life · Redmond Youth Sports · Redmond Parks & Recreation · Retiring in Redmond · 1031 Tax-Deferred Exchange in Redmond · Redmond First-Time Homebuyers Guide · Moving to Redmond from California
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About the Author
Todd Davidson is the founder of Living in Oregon and Living in Washington, where he publishes in-depth city guides, neighborhood resources, and local market insights covering more than 180 communities across the Pacific Northwest. While his background is in home financing and real estate, he created these digital platforms to help families research and compare regions before making a move.