Editing Arlington, Washington (section)

===Parks and recreation===

Arlington has 17 city-maintained parks with over {{convert|257|acre}} of public open space within its city limits and urban growth boundary.<ref>{{cite web |title=Parks & Recreation |url=http://www.arlingtonwa.gov/?page=85 |publisher=City of Arlington |access-date=April 16, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170417155432/http://www.arlingtonwa.gov/?page=85 |archive-date=April 17, 2017}}</ref> Park facilities include nature preserves, neighborhood parks, sports fields, playgrounds, boat launches, and gardens.<ref name="ComprehensivePlan"/>{{rp|7{{hyphen}}3}} The [[Arlington School District]] also has {{convert|59.3|acres}} of sports fields and playgrounds that are open to public use during non-school hours.<ref name="ComprehensivePlan"/>{{rp|7{{hyphen}}3}}

Arlington's largest park is the County Charm Park and Conservation Area, located east of downtown Arlington along the South Fork Stillaguamish River. The {{convert|150|acres|adj=mid}} park was purchased from the Graafstra family in 2010, and is planned to be developed into sports fields, hiking trails, camping areas, and a swimming beach, in addition to a {{convert|40|acre|adj=mid}} [[riparian zone|riparian]] habitat.<ref>{{cite web |title=Country Charm Park |url=http://www.arlingtonwa.gov/index.aspx?page=438 |publisher=City of Arlington |access-date=April 17, 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170418082227/http://www.arlingtonwa.gov/index.aspx?page=438 |archive-date=April 18, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Fiege |first=Gale |date=January 31, 2010 |title=Arlington to buy 150 acres for conservation park |url=http://www.heraldnet.com/news/arlington-to-buy-150-acres-for-conservation-park/ |work=The Everett Herald |access-date=April 17, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170418082948/http://www.heraldnet.com/news/arlington-to-buy-150-acres-for-conservation-park/ |archive-date=April 18, 2017}}</ref> Across the South Fork is Twin Rivers Park, Arlington's second-largest park, a {{convert|50|acre|adj=mid}} park with sports fields that is owned by Snohomish County but maintained by the city of Arlington.<ref>{{cite news |date=January 20, 2015 |title=Twin Rivers Park renovations to begin within the week |url=http://www.heraldnet.com/news/twin-rivers-park-renovations-to-begin-within-the-week/ |work=The Everett Herald |access-date=April 17, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170418081507/http://www.heraldnet.com/news/twin-rivers-park-renovations-to-begin-within-the-week/ |archive-date=April 18, 2017}}</ref> The city's third-largest park, Bill Quake Memorial Park, consists of [[soccer]] and [[baseball]] fields on {{convert|13|acre}} near Arlington Municipal Airport.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kelly |first=Brian |date=November 28, 2001 |title=Arlington, soccer club feud over field lights |url=http://www.heraldnet.com/news/arlington-soccer-club-feud-over-field-lights/ |work=The Everett Herald |access-date=April 17, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170418162111/http://www.heraldnet.com/news/arlington-soccer-club-feud-over-field-lights/ |archive-date=April 18, 2017}}</ref>

The county government also owns the Portage Creek Wildlife Area, a {{convert|157|acre|adj=mid}} [[wildlife reserve]] located outside of city limits near downtown Arlington. The reserve was originally a [[dairy farm]] that was restored into [[wetland]] habitat in the 1990s and 2000s.<ref>{{cite web |title=Portage Creek Wildlife Area |url=http://snohomishcountywa.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/Portage-Creek-Wildlife-Area-73 |publisher=Snohomish County Parks & Recreation Department |access-date=April 17, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170418082710/http://snohomishcountywa.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/Portage-Creek-Wildlife-Area-73 |archive-date=April 18, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=McDonald |first=Cathy |date=October 29, 2009 |title=See wetland restoration at Portage Creek Wildlife Area |page=D3 |url=http://old.seattletimes.com/html/outdoors/2010155436_nwwwalkabout29.html |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=April 17, 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170418084647/http://old.seattletimes.com/html/outdoors/2010155436_nwwwalkabout29.html |archive-date=April 18, 2017}}</ref>

Arlington is at the intersection of two major county trails used by cyclists, pedestrians, and [[equestrianism|horseback riders]]: the [[Snohomish County Centennial Trail|Centennial Trail]], which runs {{convert|29|mi|km}} from [[Bryant, Washington|Bryant]] to [[Snohomish, Washington|Snohomish]];<ref>{{cite news |last=Vinh |first=Tan |date=January 16, 2013 |title=Now you can ride all the way to Skagit County on Centennial Trail |url=http://old.seattletimes.com/html/outdoors/2020148399_odcenttrailxml.html |newspaper=The Seattle Times |access-date=April 17, 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170418084735/http://old.seattletimes.com/html/outdoors/2020148399_odcenttrailxml.html |archive-date=April 18, 2017}}</ref> and the [[Whitehorse Trail]], which will run {{convert|27|mi|km}} east from Arlington to Darrington. Both trails use [[Right-of-way (property access)|right of way]] acquired by Snohomish County after they were abandoned by the [[Burlington Northern Railroad]] in the late 20th century.<ref name="ComprehensivePlan"/>{{rp|7{{hyphen}}4}}<ref>{{cite news |last=Bray |first=Kari |date=December 28, 2015 |title=Work to begin on another 9.5 miles of Whitehorse Trail |url=http://www.heraldnet.com/news/work-to-begin-on-another-9-5-miles-of-whitehorse-trail/ |work=The Everett Herald |access-date=April 17, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170418162647/http://www.heraldnet.com/news/work-to-begin-on-another-9-5-miles-of-whitehorse-trail/ |archive-date=April 18, 2017}}</ref> The city of Arlington also maintains a {{convert|6|mi|km|adj=mid}} unpaved walking trail around the Arlington Municipal Airport.<ref name="AirportTrail"/>