Roots, Rocks, and Right-of-Way: A Volunteer Day at Swanson Park
How a small crew of dedicated trail stewards — and one very generous nursery expert — helped make a beloved park safer for everyone.
Wednesday morning arrived with snow still fresh on the ground from the day before — but by the time volunteers gathered at Swanson Park's new trailhead kiosk, the soil was soft, workable, and ready. What followed was a few hours of digging, planting, and purposeful conversation that captured exactly what community-led trail stewardship looks like in practice.
The event, organized by Trails Have Our Respect (THOR) in partnership with the City of Bellevue, marked a significant milestone in a larger initiative to modernize Swanson Park's trail infrastructure. Volunteers tackled the finishing landscaping work around a newly installed kiosk — the anchor of a redesigned trailhead intended to serve riders, hikers, and families for years to come.
“The trail is well over 20 years old. So we had to rethink the entrance and exit entirely — and that was very much volunteer-led.”
Starting with the "why"
One of the clearest takeaways from the day was the importance of grounding every work session in its purpose. Before shovels hit soil, the team took time to explain what they were doing and, more importantly, why. In this case, the answer came back to safety — specifically, the safety of younger users.
Swanson Park has grown steadily in popularity over the years, and with that growth comes more traffic along the access road. The original trail entrance, designed for a quieter era of use, no longer made sense. Young cyclists finishing a few laps on a hot afternoon, tired and ready to be done, were funneling into a parking area shared with moving vehicles. The new consolidated trailhead addresses that directly, relocating the entry and exit to a safer, more intuitive location set back from traffic.
The art (and science) of picking the right plants
The second major lesson of the day unfolded more gradually: selecting plants for a public land project is not as simple as grabbing what looks good at a garden center. Land manager requirements, soil type, sun exposure, pollinator value, and bloom timing all factor in. Every plant placed at Swanson Park was a native species, chosen to seed naturally, support pollinators, and bloom across different seasons — creating a sustainable, low-maintenance landscape that enhances the natural character of the park over time.
Fortunately, the team had an expert on hand. Scott from Indian Creek Nursery donated several hours of his time on the day, walking volunteers through plant selection and placement decisions that might otherwise have taken weeks of back-and-forth to figure out. His presence turned what could have been guesswork into a genuinely informed process — and it was a reminder that sometimes the best move is to call someone who really knows.
“Every plant here is a pollinator attractor, blooming around the Fourth of July and continuing to flower for an extended season.”
Volunteers showed up ready
Around five volunteers committed to the full day, staying through the planting and finishing work. By all accounts the group was welcoming, the conversations were good, and the weather — after that surprise snowfall the day before — cooperated beautifully. The moisture left in the soil turned out to be a quiet stroke of luck: ideal conditions for getting new plants established.
This is how Swanson Park's improvements have come together throughout this project — volunteer-led initiative, elevated by THOR's ability to bring staff hours and a direct working relationship with the City of Bellevue. Neither side could have made it happen alone. Together, they're delivering something lasting.
What comes next
The landscaping work is one piece of a broader package of improvements set to be complete before the summer rush. A unified wayfinding system — consistent signage designed to carry a coherent look and feel across the entire trail network — is also underway, giving first-time visitors and seasoned riders alike the confidence to navigate the park without second-guessing. Rounding out the trailhead upgrades: a bench, bike rack, and a repair stand stocked with tools, so every ride starts and ends with everything you need.
Volunteer trail days are how great parks stay great. Come be part of it.
View our Upcoming Opportunities →
Let’s build and maintain great trails together—see you out there!
Photos & Video by Eric Freudenburg
