Exploring our parks: Animal Acres in Lake Forest Park

Animal Acres Park. Photo by Mary Jo Heller.

By Mary Jo Heller

A word about the parks of Lake Forest Park and Shoreline: this is not an attempt at history, really. That you can find that on either city’s website. It is just a look at what is in a park, and why you would want to go. Parks are a major part of being a city and should be used. First you have to know they’re there.

At first glance, "Animal Acres" looks really small. OK, on second and third glances it looks small. If you started at the far end of the parking lot, and walked all the way around it, you would have gone about 1/3 of a mile.

Animal Acres Park. Photo by Mary Jo Heller.

Perhaps that's why I only saw one couple strolling with arms around each other, and a couple of dogs being walked. And this was one of our few sunny days!

Nevertheless, this is a great picnic spot. Be aware that there is no bathroom, however. Maybe do some strolling, especially overlooking the creeks. This is where the Brookside, Hillside and Sheridan Creeks meet. There is a viewing stand over Brookside Creek, but the area is fenced off so you can't really touch it - which you will want to do. It just looks like it is begging for a child to dip their hand into the creek. In fact, the sign at the beginning of the park warns parents to be aware that the creeks run through here - to watch children.

Children's Garden. Photo by Mary Jo Heller.

And we need to remember that this is a restored habitat for salmon. The sign at the viewing stand reminds us, as was also true of Grace Cole Park, that "the salmon were so thick, you could walk across the creek on them." The sign quotes Bill Schoening, a resident of Lake Forest Park in the 1930's, "We just called it 'Big Creek'...We'd ride our bikes down there and watch the Sockeye spawn. They turned the creek red..."

As a grandparent, I could get in a quick lesson on salmon turning that red color during spawning to make the creek red (not blood as they immediately thought!) Makes a great impact until you tell them that the salmon die after laying eggs. This is why the creek is cut off from human (and dog) traffic: the creek has already been in danger from sedimentation.

There is a children's garden along the fence by the street where a few demonstration crops have been planted, with signs carved into the rock, and herbs growing along the fenceline, also marked.

Statue of mother otter and baby. Photo by Mary Jo Heller.

But the real "aha" moments come with the sculptures. As you turn the corner, you come across a mother otter and her baby, stashed away among some flowers. You really feel like you are intruding on her. The look on her face as her eyes follow you seemed to want to say something, but perhaps we weren't worthy, as she didn't talk to us.

Fountain by Paul Sorrey. Photo by Mary Jo Heller.

Further on, there is a fountain. Well, really, it is a very large dogwood flower that has water spigots on its petals - one for humans, and one for dogs, as the water drips off the flower petal, forming a "dish" on its curve for dogs to drink.

This statue was so unexpected a delight, that even on a cool day, we had to have a drink. Paul Sorrey is the artist, and if you would like to see other sculptures that are just as inventive, there is a list here.

The real name of the park is "Pfingst Animal Acres"- a combination of the Pfingst family, previous owners of the property, who pastured horses and other animals in the meadow, and the nickname local children gave it - "animal acres."

It was one of those spaces purchased in 1997 with King County Open Space Bonds. Along with the Eagle Scout Park, it also has been used as a geocaching and wayfaring site.

Photo by Mary Jo Heller. 

This small but lovely park would be a great place to sit and enjoy, perhaps to toss a frisbee or two - but don't go on Sunday morning, because while there are 10-11 parking spaces, it is across from two churches.

You can find out more information on Animal Acres from the Lake Forest Park website.

Information on geocaching.