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Green River Natural Area
PARK ALERT: Reddington Levee area closed
Access to the Reddington Levee area on the left bank of the lower Green River in Auburn will be closed to the public Feb 1. Staff and crew will be working in the area with heavy equipment.
About the park
North of the Enumclaw Plateau and about seven miles east of Auburn, the 1,140-acre Green River Natural Area is a gateway to the middle stretch of the Green River. Composed of steep valley walls and a broad valley floor, the natural area has 6.5 miles of multi-use trails. Forests cover the upper slopes of the natural area while black cottonwoods line the riverbanks. The Green River is critical spawning and rearing habitat for coho, chum, Chinook salmon, and winter steelhead.
Park activities and facilities
Angling
Dog walking
Hiking
Mountain biking
Nature observation
Non-motorized boating
Parking lot
Volunteer
Location
Between SE Green River Rd & SE 384 St, north of Enumclaw, west of Auburn.
Nearby bus stops
186 and DART Route 915 at Auburn-Enumclaw Rd & SE 380th Pl.
Parking
There are small parking lots at the Metzler Trailhead and Doreen Johnson Conservation Area Trailhead and a small parking area near the O'Grady Trailhead. Please do not block the driveways.
Trailheads
North of the Green River
Metzler Trailhead: At the end of a gravel road on the south side of SE Green Valley Rd, about two miles west of 218 Ave SE. Doreen Johnson Conservation Area Trailhead: Off of SE Green River Rd, about 3.2 miles west of 218 Ave SE.
South of the Green River
O'Grady Trailhead: On the south side of the Green River about 500 feet north of the intersection at SE 373 St and 188 Ave SE.
Park history
The Green River Natural Area is comprised of the former Metzler, O'Grady, and Green River Parks all adjacent to the Green River. King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP) acquired these parcels between 1973 and 2003 to protect critical salmon habitat protection with funds from a variety of sources including Waterways 2000 and Washington State Salmon Recovery Funds.
In 2021, King County removed the former Čakwab Levee and installed a new flood facility to improve salmon and wildlife habitat while providing continued flood and erosion protection to farmlands and homes.