Approximately 70 community members convened on Oct. 9 beneath overcast skies to commemorate a local resident and inaugurate a new accessible pathway in Index. Despite the precipitation, Erin Sample, a 35-year-old woman with cerebral palsy, led the initial traversal of the Erinswood Trail. She was secured in a blankets-covered jogging stroller, which her father, Pat Sample, and stepmother, Kristi Douglas, pushed along the route.
The new path is located within Heybrook Ridge County Park, situated just outside the town of Index, a small community with a population under 200 along U.S. Route 2. The project, which took nearly two decades to realize, was driven by the local desire to create a trail that accommodates individuals with mobility challenges.
Ann Darlington, a member of the Friends of Heybrook Ridge board, noted that the Sample family had long been active in the community, frequently attending local events such as the Index Arts Festival and the Heybrook Hoedowns. Darlington explained that this visibility fostered a strong welcoming culture. Board member David Meier proposed the name "Erinswood," a choice Darlington described as fitting given the family’s years of support for the park and their anticipated regular use of the path.
The land preservation efforts began in 2006 when the nonprofit Friends of Heybrook Ridge, in partnership with the Cascade Land Conservancy, now known as Forterra, and Snohomish County Parks, worked to prevent clear-cutting of the area between the north and south forks of the Skykomish River. By 2008, the organizations had raised approximately $550,000. Combined with a $700,000 Conservation Futures grant, these funds allowed Snohomish County to acquire the land for park development. An additional $299,000 Conservation Futures grant facilitated the purchase of further acreage in 2013.
When the concept of an ADA-compliant trail was initially discussed, Darlington stated that all stakeholders were supportive. Erin’s late mother, Karen Sample, had previously navigated the rugged terrain using a specialized stroller with large wheels to accommodate obstacles. Karen passed away in a vehicle collision in 2022. Kristi Douglas, who hiked alongside Erin during the ceremony, stated that the family is continuing the tradition of getting Erin outdoors, emphasizing that the new trail provides a rare opportunity to experience the landscape without the limitations of uneven terrain.
The new half-mile loop features a packed gravel surface and minimal elevation changes, allowing wheelchair users to traverse the route without specialized equipment. The path winds through an old-growth forest and includes new interpretive signage detailing the history of Index. Pat Sample remarked that the trail offers a pleasant environment and serves as a beneficial form of exercise and fresh air for his daughter.
During the ceremony, Bill Cross, the treasurer of Friends of Heybrook Ridge, noted that the county park officially opened in 2017. At that time, the park included the Leovy Trail, named in honor of Conway Leovy, a prominent professor of Atmospheric Sciences and Geophysics at the University of Washington who died in 2011. Leovy had contributed $500,000 to the park project. Cross added that the total acreage of the park now stands at approximately 140 acres.
Snohomish County Parks completed the final phase of the Heybrook Ridge trail system this year, marking the end of a project that began nearly a decade ago. Construction was previously delayed by the global pandemic, leaving the path usable for some time but lacking full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The timeline for the development stretches back to 2016, when the Washington Trails Association initiated planning and construction for the Leovy Trail. The following year saw the completion of that segment. In 2018, the association began roughing in the Erinswood Trail, though accessibility standards were not yet met at that stage.
Tom Teigen, the executive director of Snohomish County Parks, delivered a statement prepared by County Executive Dave Somers during the opening ceremony. Teigen noted that the project has been a significant part of his career, which began in January 2007 when he assumed the role of county parks and recreation director. He described the Heybrook Ridge initiative as one of his first major assignments and characterized the entire process as an "incredible ride" that spanned his whole tenure.
During the event, Teigen emphasized that the dedication was about more than just unveiling a new path. He highlighted the collaborative effort required to achieve the shared goal, expressing the county’s pride in using public investment to transform the vision into an accessible park for the community.