The middle parking area at Ebey Island Unit is currently closed through July 1, 2024 for construction. This area will be intermittently closed in spring and summer of 2024 for renovation. Please visit this page for updates.
WDFW is re-developing the middle parking area at the Ebey Island Unit of Snoqualmie Wildlife Area near Everett. Work is expected to occur from late-fall 2023 through summer 2024. The current parking lot is made of wood chips that are susceptible to potholes and other wear. The new lot will be a gravel surface and will include new fencing, gates, and a sign kiosk. The project also includes adding a water access site on Deadwater Slough with a hand launch for watercraft and a landing on the portion of the unit that is only accessible via water. This project is supported by a Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) grant in the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program State Lands Development category. The Ebey Island Unit is popular for pheasant and waterfowl hunting along with wildlife viewing and photography.
Although much of the Ebey Island Unit is closed to public access for the protection of waterfowl nesting and rearing habitat during the non-hunting season, the unit is open for pheasant and waterfowl hunting and wildlife viewing and other recreation opportunities. The unit consists of forested swamp, grassland, and wetland.
The Ebey Island Unit is located south of the Highway 2 trestle between the Snohomish River and Ebey Slough, between Everett and Lake Stevens, in Snohomish County. The unit can be accessed from the frontage road off of Highway 2, as well as 51st Avenue SE and 43rd Avenue SE off of Home Acres Road.
The Ebey Island Unit lies within the Snohomish Watershed between the Snohomish River and Ebey Slough.
This unit is part of the Snoqualmie Wildlife Area.
Game Management Unit: 407
Getting there
Maps and directions to WDFW-managed access points for this unit. Opens Google Maps in a new tab.
Recreation and public access
A Discover Pass is required on WDFW lands -- including water access areas, wildlife areas, and campgrounds -- unless you already have a Vehicle Access Pass issued with the purchase of an eligible hunting or fishing license. Recreate responsibly on public lands: please know the Public Conduct Rules.
Public facility information:
- Seasonal parking areas
- No restroom
- Informational kiosk
Recreation and access advisories
- Much of the unit is closed for waterfowl nesting and rearing habitat during the non-hunting season.
- Closed during hours of darkness.
Hunting
This unit is popular for pheasant and waterfowl hunting.
The Ebey Slough dike trail is no longer open to the public, including hunters and fishers. Please use the middle parking area off Homeacres Road for access to the unit.
Hunting advisories
- It is unlawful to possess shot (either in shotshells or as loose shot for muzzleloading) other than nontoxic shot for any purpose on this unit (WAC 220-414-040).
Wildlife viewing
This unit has forested swamp, sloughs, ponds, grassland, and farm fields, offering opportunities to view a variety of wildlife, including waterfowl.
There are diverse habitats on the unit that allow for viewing a variety of waterfowl, raptors and other forms of wildlife.
Search for potential birding opportunities on or near a wildlife area unit by using eBird Northwest, a citizen science database portal that provides freely-shared bird lists at 'hotspots' and interactive maps plus other birding information updated daily.
Wildlife viewing advisories
- Most of the unit is closed to protect nesting waterfowl and their habitat during the non-hunting season.
- Public access is very limited.
- Sinkholes occur on this unit.
Conservation
This unit consists of approximately 400 acres of forested swamp and over 800 acres of grassland. The forested portion was logged in the 1890s and reforested naturally into one of the few remaining Sitka spruce swamps in the Snohomish River estuary. The unit contains a mix of farm fields, fallow grass lands, and Baltic rush, and is divided by the forks of Deadwater Slough spanning the unit's length, north to south. There is also a network of ponds, drainage ditches, and sinkholes throughout the unit.
Special habitats and species
This unit is located in the Snohomish Estuary, which provides important rearing habitat for juvenile salmon, especially chinook.
Conservation goals
- Improve infrastructure and fish passage to enhance chinook salmon, steelhead and bull trout
This unit is located in the Snohomish Estuary, which provides important rearing habitat for juvenile salmon, especially chinook.
- Improve infrastructure and fish passage to enhance chinook salmon, steelhead and bull trout
Land stewardship
The Ebey Island Unit was purchased for waterfowl and pheasant hunting, wetland and wildlife protection, walking, estuary restoration, outdoor education, and wildlife-related recreation.
Acquisition history
The parcels making up this area were purchased between 1964 and 2017.
| Funder | Fund |
|---|---|
| State of Washington | Legislative Appropriation |
| US Fish and Wildlife Service | National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant |
| WA Dept of Fish and Wildlife | State Migratory Waterfowl Fund |
| WA Dept of Fish and Wildlife | WDFW Game Fund (now Wildlife Fund) |
| WA Recreation and Conservation Office | Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program |
Management planning
2018 Snoqualmie Wildlife Area Management Plan
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is developing a new management plan for the Snoqualmie Wildlife Area in northwestern Washington. The plan will provide management direction for nearly 2,774 acres in King and Snohomish counties. The Snoqualmie Wildlife Area consists of six units that are situated within the Snohomish watershed, including the Skykomish and Snohomish rivers, which join to form the Snohomish River. Habitats include estuaries, various types of wetlands, forested uplands, and agricultural lands. The various units contain a wide range of wildlife including waterfowl, eagles and chinook salmon. WDFW acquired the wildlife area properties between 1964 and 2008, using federal and state funding. The department primarily manages the wildlife area to preserve and enhance wildlife and their habitats, and to provide opportunities for hunting, and wildlife-related recreational opportunities. The new management plan will address the status of wildlife species and their habitat, ongoing restoration efforts and public recreation opportunities at the Snoqualmie wildlife area.
Planning Advisory Committee
Snoqualmie Wildlife Area Advisory Committee