Sunset Beach at Lake Sammamish State Park closed this summer for improvements

Published 2:25 pm Tuesday, July 5, 2016

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission announced June 30 that Sunset Beach at Lake Sammamish State Park will be closed to the public this summer due to construction and renovation work to improve the beach, swimming area and habitat.

Work is expected to begin July 10 and will continue through November. Visitors can expect to see temporary fencing installed around the swimming beach area to prevent public access during construction. The Sunset Beach parking lot, picnic area and bathhouse will remain open.

The Sunset Beach renovation will help improve water quality for swimming, provide a better sandy beach for sunbathing and restore wetlands and the shoreline. Work will include adding new sand to the beach to improve the underwater conditions at the swim area, which is silty and grassy with low visibility. Additional projects include adding an ADA-accessible path to the swimming area, building a discovery sandbox for kids to play in, installing new benches in front of the Sunset Beach Bathhouse and continuing shoreline and wetland restoration work.

The closure during the busy summer months at this popular park is necessary because the in-water work must be done during the “fish window”—the period of time when work is least likely to negatively affect fish, particularly salmon.

Check on the status of the beach closure at the Lake Sammamish State Park Web page, http://parks.state.wa.us/533/Lake-Sammamish.