Mill Town Trail

This urban trail loops around the peninsula of North Everett offering a healthy dose of history and some decent natural scenery, too.

Located in the heart of North Everett, the Mill Town Trail is a great option when time is short. There are good views of Port Gardner Bay, the Snohomish River, and the distant Olympics and Cascades, from this urban trail. The path consists of sidewalks along city streets as it makes its way around a historically significant stretch of the city once referred to as Mill Town due to the large number of lumber and shingle mills that once occupied the area.

Note: The Historic Everett website includes a Google Map of the trail with waypoints marking historic mills, businesses, and other points of interest. 

Starting from the Port of Everett, the trail heads north and east along Bond Street and Hewitt Avenue before making its way along Marine View Drive, which makes up the bulk of the trail. Take note of the Naval Station on your left as you head toward Waterfront Place, a worthy detour from the official Mill Town Trail route. Boxcar Park, the Port of Everett Marina, a historic Weyerhaeuser building, and a Fisherman’s Tribute are all located here.

Continuing north on the trail, you’ll soon pass two viewing areas of Port Gardner Bay. Look out across the bay toward Jetty Island and some stunning sunsets. Soon the trail curves eastward, following the mouth of the Snohomish River. 

Looking north, you’ll see Smith Island with the Cascade Mountains lining the horizon on a clear day.  As the trail continues around the peninsula eventually following East Grand Avenue, you’ll pass by some quaint historic homes before the trail ends at Riverside Park. 

At 6.8 miles one way, you likely won’t walk the entire path as an out-and-back, but with so much variety along the way it’s easy to choose a section that fits your interests and timeframe.