Mountlake Terrace offers several distinct ways to choose a destination for your stay: Lake Ballinger, park and multi-use trails, and public art in the town center. Depending on whether you’d like to spend your time by the water, on walking trails, or exploring art and local history, these themes may help you decide.
Lake Ballinger and the Lakeview Trail
The 100-acre Lake Ballinger lies within the cities of Mountlake Terrace and Edmonds. On the lake’s north and east shores is the 55-acre Ballinger Park. It includes a multi-use sports complex, a community center, a 42-acre natural park area, and a boat launch. The east shore in Ballinger Park is one of the few public access points on Lake Ballinger for boating, fishing, and swimming. Seasonal conditions for these activities may vary.
The paved, non-motorized Lakeview Trail is one mile long. It connects the regional Interurban Trail at 228th Street SW with the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center and Freeway Station. At 12 feet wide, it separates pedestrians, joggers, and cyclists from traffic along Lakeview Drive. The Interurban Trail follows the route of the former Interurban Railway, which was used to transport timber from Everett to Seattle. Thus, the Lakeview Trail focuses on connections between specific endpoints, while the Interurban Trail also offers a history of transportation.
Parks with Different Trail Routes
Terrace Creek Park covers 60 acres and has paved and natural-surface walking trails, play equipment, picnic facilities, an open lawn, and an 18-hole disc golf course. A one-mile trail, partly through woodland, runs along Lyon Creek. The Off-Leash Dog Park is also located in the woods within this park: it covers about three-quarters of an acre and is fully fenced.
Matt Hirvela/Bicentennial Park also has a trail that loops around the entire park, built by volunteers. The park includes a pavilion, a lending library, paved walking paths, play equipment, a memorial, picnic areas, and natural areas. The two parks therefore offer different trail routes: at Terrace Creek, a partly wooded trail follows Lyon Creek, while the trail at Matt Hirvela/Bicentennial Park loops around the park.
The Recreation Pavilion offers another leisure option. It has a 25-yard indoor pool, including a leisure pool with a zero-depth entry, water features, and a current-driven lazy river. Programs and access may change; if you’re planning a visit, check the current access and program details. Overall, Mountlake Terrace’s park system includes more than 269 acres of recreational facilities.
Public Art and Local History
For public art in the town center, the MLT Art Map supports a two-mile walking or driving tour that features nearly all of the public art installations. Mountlake Terrace’s public art is available to view. The Arts Advisory Commission selects and maintains the city’s public art inventory and documentation.
The recurring Arts of the Terrace exhibition features paintings, prints, drawings, miniatures, photography, three-dimensional works, and crafts. Its selection therefore ranges from works on paper to three-dimensional works and handcrafted forms. Another historical memorial is in Veterans Memorial Park: in the park’s active-use area, a flagpole and memorial plaque were installed in 1969 to honor all veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces.
More Destinations
Discover more destinations: Snohomish, Stanwood, Marysville, Arlington, Granite Falls, Mill Creek, Mukilteo, Monroe.
Return to the main travel overview: Snohomish.
