Fri, January 31, 2025 —
Fri, January 31, 2025 —
With winter comes the return of the eagle to the Stillaguamish River. To celebrate these special winter residents, Arlington hosts an annual Eagle Festival. The eagles return to feed on salmon that have come to spawn in the clean river gravel. The eagle also preys on the snow geese that are feeding in the agricultural fields in the floodplain.
Arlington activities 2025
Eagle Fest Chainsaw Carving Show
Thursday, Friday and Saturday, January 30, 31, and February 1. 9am-5pm
Location: Legion Park, 114 N. Olympic Avenue
20-award winning chainsaw carvers from the Northwest and beyond will carve wooden eagles and other art for the festival. Come see the artists in action!
Live auction of selected carvings:
Saturday at 3pm
Nature Art Show
Saturday, 10am-4pm
Location: Olympic Theater & Café,107 N. Olympic Ave.
Enjoy natural depictions of the beautiful Pacific Northwest flora and fauna as created by local artists. View the past 14 years of winning photographs of eagles and this year’s entries. Participate in a silent auction and raffle.
Sponsored by the Arlington Arts Council.
The Reptile Lady Show
Experience reptiles up close with this wild, educational experience. The Reptile Lady's (April's) show is formatted for children, with audience participation and hands-on time at the end. Reptile Lady website.
Show times on Saturday:
11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
Located at the Olympic Theater, 111 N Olympic Ave.
Wagon Rides
Saturday, 10am-3pm
Ride pickup is at City Hall, 238 N Olympic Avenue.
Free wagon rides on the Andrew's Hay Wagon, sponsored by City of Arlington.
Children's Hands On Art Activity with Arlington Arts Council
Saturday, 10am-3pm
Children will enjoy crafting and creating. Free!
Located in the City Council Chambers, behind City Hall, at 238 N Olympic Ave.
Eagle Quest Arlington Adventure
Activity for Children
Saturday, 10am –2pm
Explore downtown Arlington, while getting your "passport" stamped. Learn about the birds, animals and fish that live in our environment, and collect a prize at the end of the quest. Cost to participate $8 per child. Start your Quest at the Visitors Information Center 104 N. Olympic, Arlington.
Adventures, Places to See:
Stormwater Wetland Park
This stormwater wetland was designed to filter pollutants from the water flowing through its cells. City stormwater previously flowed directly into the Stillaguamish River. Now this water flows through the wetland where native plants and natural processes filter it. Walk the meandering trails around the wetland and read the interpretive signage.
Directions: use parking lot at Haller Park 1100 West Ave., walk west under SR 9 bridge to Stormwater Park. www.arlingtonwa.gov/stormwaterpark
Stillaguamish Valley Museum Watershed Model & Pioneer Museum
An outdoor shelter houses a hand-carved cedar relief map of the Stillaguamish River watershed as it was in 1910, when Arlington was the world’s capital for cedar-shake mills. The map includes locations of pioneer communities, mines, logging operations, Stillaguamish tribal encampments, and the sites of old roads, schools and cemeteries. Also, check out the museum’s model railroad set in a Stillaguamish Valley depiction.
Museum re-opens for the season in February.
Open Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, 1-4 p.m.
Admission: $5.00, ages 12 and under $2.00
Location: 20722 67th Avenue NE, Arlington
Stillaguamish Museum website
Eagle and Salmon Viewing at Squire Creek Park
Squire Creek County Park is located approximately 24 miles east of Arlington towards the town of Darrington. If conditions are right, visitors can view spawning chum salmon in Squire Creek and eagles.
Location: Squire Creek Park, 41415 SR 530, Arlington
www.snohomishcountywa.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/Squire-Creek-Park-54
Forston Mill Ponds Park
Once the site of a bustling mill and community of over 300 residents, all that remains now of Fortson are some concrete walls and two pretty mill ponds. A fun place to explore. This site is also a trailhead for the Whitehorse Trail.
Read the history here: www.discoverdarrington.com/history-2/historical-places/fortson-mill/
Location: SR 530 to Fortson Mill RD, near Milepost 42 https://snohomishcountywa.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/Whitehorse-Regional-Trail-105
Leque Island—Stanwood Levee Trail
Hike to the top of a berm to a restored tidal marsh on Leque Island, located between Camano Island and Stanwood. Gravel path is 0.7 miles long with great view and birds. Site is managed by WA Department of Fish and Wildlife. Location: Eide Road off of SR 532, follow road to end to parking area.
www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/stanwood-levee-trail
Bird viewing at Big Ditch
WA Fish and Wildlife Water Access Area
Exit 221 from I-5 onto HWY 530 (Pioneer HWY) South for 4 mi., Right onto Old Pacific Hwy, 1st Gravel road on right. Bird sightings include: Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Swan, Goldfinch, Red Tailed Hawk.
https://wdfw.wa.gov/places-to-go/water-access-sites/30492
Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpretive Center
Viewing Sites
Head north on State Route 530 to Skagit County for a day of exploration, eagle sightings and a beautiful road trip. Registration is required for guided walks.
Location: Howard Miller Steelhead Park,
52809 Rockport Park Rd., Rockport
For more information and other areas in Skagit County to view eagles, go to: www.skagiteagle.org
