Northern State Recreation Area

Its a cool piece of Washington history. The area is well maintained & they have a disc golf course as well.

Very cool place to hike there are many different trail heads to explore. Buildings are awesome and some of the graffiti was pretty creative as well.

This site is really just empty barns, unfortunately the building where people were tortured is not on this site. The shower room is a good place to work out, cool and shaded with a good pull up bar. There is a tower to climb up and you can sit on the tower ledge to see the entire landscape. It wasnt quite an adventure to explore as I anticipated, but I wasnt exactly disappointed.

If youre in the sedro wolley area and want to stroll through the trails, pick at some wild blackberry plants and enjoy the serene fields then come here. Parking lot has sufficient space for about 20 cars, restroom is offline now (Covid) but its brand new. Walk all the way to the old hospital campus orr just do the loop trail. Also popular for disc golf enthusiasts.

Great place to take the dog, lots of land to walk. Frisbee golf, great for drones, saw a wedding today

We went as the sun was setting and were there after dark, but it was pretty cool! The barn area was the only easy place to navigate. A couple miles later, we ended up by a facility that was supposedly still in use. Couldnt really find the main asylum building if it still exists. The only places you can really go to are the main barns and there was a food processing center farther down and some other small abandoned buildings. Pretty muddy too, so boots are good.

I walk here during my lunch hour almost daily and walk each Sunday with my dogs back in the woods for over an hour. Its great!

I was hoping for more but it was a nice little stroll. I wish we had access to the old buildings.

Beautiful day. Good trails. Saw old dairy structures, resting place of 1,487 souls, and even a wedding was taking place!

Great get away. Beautiful disc golf course and plenty of things to find about the PNW

Super cool place to walk around. The graffiti is disappointing. It would be nice to take pictures without having graffiti in the photo, but thats what Photoshop is for right? Overall a very nice place to take a walk. Very clean paths. The cemetery is really neat also. The head stones are not marked, towards the back of the cemetery there are some some stones in the ground.

Its great until people catch on, and mess the opportunity up for everyone to explore. Great area to hangout, ride bikes or walk. Some areas are creepy

I love visiting this place, it has a very unique vibe to it. This is the site of the old Northern State Asylum farm. The farm buildings are deteriorating and not safe to enter, however many enter at their own risk. On clear days there is also a nice view of the mountains. If you go on a day where there are few people visiting its a great place to explore, also many people walk their dogs here. This is one of my favorite locations.

There are great trails here, a frisbee golf course, and tons of space. It used to be an insane asylum that was shut down years ago. Some terrible history here, but beautiful land to walk.

This is truly a hidden gem. I bring my kids and dog here to play often. We love to play in Red creek here. Good for walking or biking. Frisby golf course is fun. Animal watching is great. Historical site with old farm buildings you can view if your interested in learning about the hospital that used to run here.Lots of bear and wildlife activity in this area. Signs posted with safety tips. Ive seen tracks and marks on trees. If your concerned bring spray.

Super cool, creepy and eerie. Nice place for a walk tough

Northern Ghost town is a cool place for a quiet and unique hike, the trails are flat and wide makes for easy hike or jog, there are some old abandoned buildings to see along the way, mostly like old farm buildings, nice Meadows and great views of the mountains, very beautiful but not really many very spectacular things to see.

Its kinda creepy, abandoned and worn down. Buildings are dilapidated and falling and it is structurally unsound. Broken glass and graffiti. Empaths and clairvoyance enjoy the spirits who still roam here. And to those who are open to it you may feel the an unsettling weight should you dare to wander the open areas abound.

Definitely got a good walk in around this place. Its huge and beautiful. I love all the dilapidated buildings. My daughter thought they were spooky. A lot of fun and found some cool painted rocks. Lol

Perfect picture taking spot. Good day trip

Some cool places to see! Nothing very difficult in terms of hikes but cool buildings and trails

Its a beautiful place especially with the foliage. Wish there is something we can do to keep these structures intact. Just has it is a major history for Skagit county

The park is many acres of fresh grass and trees with lots of easy walking trails and the ruins of the farm buildings of the old mental hospital. Its a great place for a sunny afternoon of exploring

Pretty good, buildings are in bad condition but the view is good, could play on the grass

High vibe place but can also be creepy for some

Beautiful park with lots of exploration to do.

Fun place to walk around with friends and loved ones. Frisbee golf 18 holes is fun in the sun or snow. Bring coat, waterproof shoes. Maybe gloves and hat too. Long walk might want snacks and water. Dont go in the structures they are unstable. Parking is great. Cant wait to go back. See you again!

This place is so fun! Weve been here many times and is very pretty

Interesting place to explore... dont miss the cemetery.

Spooky ruins and frisbee golf, a little bit of everything!

A great place for a walk on a clear afternoon. Mostly flat wide trails wind around through fields and near historic buildings from when the property was a state-run mental institute. An extensive disc golf course offers some fun if youre into disk golf. Large gravel parking area near a covered picnic shelter and some porta-potties. There are sporadic benches along the trails, but they are widely spaced. The only downside to this park is the tragedy of the buildings rotting where they stand and the rampant Vandalism.

Very serene hike through the Forest and the abandoned buildings are deffinetly a sight to see theres broken glass all over the place so if you have pups i would either watch the ground very well or put boots on as i did with my dogs bit overall its a wonderful place to visit

Tons of old really cool well-maintained paths new bathroom complex plenty of space

One of my favorite parks...the trails rock and the old abandoned farm buildings are a sight to see if ever on the area

A gem just outside of Sedro-Woolley. I live right off of Fruitdale, so I walk the trails that take me directly to the recreation area. On a clear day, the views are spectacular and Sauk Mountain is in your face. Open space, wildlife, streams and views make this quite popular when the sun’s out while the skeletons of the old buildings speak volumes of history. Enter these buildings at your own risk as I read on one historic marker. On a sunny weekend, the park is transformed into a frisbee “golf course”, so when you hear “fore!”, definitely duck. Stand and watch for awhile, but never touch their frisbees as it’s like touching a live golf ball. Family and pet friendly, but keep Rover on a leash as there have been bear sightings recently. Wish there was a poop law, so watch your step - one thing I do miss from Seattle. At twilight, it becomes a bit eerie and I feel as if I need to look over my shoulder occasionally - possibly watched too many slasher movies in the past. Have fun.

Really nice place to go has some really dark history

Fine place to go but a little hard for beginners in frisbee golf

Great walk with the bonus of an old insane asylum. Most of the buildings are in ruins, but there is a lot of history there.

My dog gives this place 5 stars!

Beautiful, open, lots of trails, and quite a few interesting, abandoned structures.

Really great trails, and love seeing the old hospital.

Fun walk through the grounds. Watch for rogue frisbees, as the disk golf course meanders around the property.

SO much to see I have to go back again and again before I can give a quality review. Whew. Amazing.

I love hiking up there

My boys and I had a blast walking on the trails and checking out the buildings. Our friend and her sons came with us and she had purchased a figure out which type of animals poop this is book from the forest service building, behind AmPm, before we went, so the boys all had so much fun tracking animals.

Let me first state that I think many people believe these buildings are of the old hospital, which they are not. They are part of the property, but these buildings are of the large farm that was a part of the Northern State Hospital grounds.Beautiful buildings in various states of decay. Like with all old and crumbling buildings, theres a solemness about this vast piece of property. I couldnt help but wonder about the people who lived and worked here. And, hoped the patients at the hospital on the adjoining property were well cared for as is too often not the case of marginalized people like those with psychological problems that make it difficult, if not impossible, to live lives as most people are able to enjoy.There is unfortunately a lot of evidence of people who litter and spray graffiti. Other than that, some of the buildings offer unique architecture which makes for great photography subjects.I was absolutely thrilled that the buildings, although posted with signs that tell visitors to not enter, are open and available to appreciate. If you are careful of what is below and over head, you can easily peek into the past and imagine the animals in the various buildings back in their day.One thing that just really got to me was the cemetery. Over 150 people buried, and not one grave marker. Not even a list of names. Its absolutely shameful that these people were obviously discarded without any respect once they perished. Just despicable. I do wish they would research who is buried there and at least put up a plaque with names. There could be family members who may not know they have loved ones lying there.Over where the SWIFT center is, formerly the Northern State Hospital, you can drive the historic route, as they have named it. You can see that they are keeping buildings well maintained. You can also see those folks who are part of this community, who live behind barbed wire fences and gates.Its not easy to see the reality of mental illness and hard sometimes to come to terms that some people may never live freely on their own for a myriad of reasons. I like to think these people are well taken care of. I hope.The grounds and functioning buildings are quite lovely. Some of the trees are enormous and grand. There are still many old buildings that still stand yet are boarded up. Damaged by time and those who seem to get a kick out of breaking windows and such.Check out the plans for how the facility is working on trying to restore parts of the property. It is hundreds of acres large. Its a glimpse into the past as well as the future of the care of our countrys most vulnerable.Other than the awfulness of the unnamed dead, I was glad to walk around this massive property on a sunny, crisp fall day.

Cool old place easy to walk but the mapping sucks.

Great place to walk! Never very busy! Fabulous disc golf to play as well!

Interesting history, long-abandoned buildings, and miles of trails through wetlands and woods.

Nice and green, saw lots of birds including a falcon

Nice park to walk around. But it really needs to be cleaned from the broken glass on the ground and graffiti on the walls.

Very interesting course... Skill for straight drives is important here because of the intense shrubbery.. LoL..

Love getting out here!

Awesome place to relax

Neat place to explore and stretch your legs! Clean main trail systems, with a few older/overgrown trails further back in the park. The main asylum is still in use, and not accessible via the trails.

Wish I couldve stayed all day.

Interesting history, great picture taking place, easy to find, family friendly.

Beautiful and haunting area to explore. So much to see and such beautiful sights.

Nice spot for a relaxed afternoon or morning stroll - amazing views of Lyman Hill, and the whole Skagit Valley

Nice for a quick walk. Easy access even for wheelchair!

Nice place to go for a walk and explore

Really interesting park. Great trails.

Love old buildings. Too bad there was lots of graffiti with rude words.

Only the dairy farm buildings are left for exploring.. pretty neat, easy walk. Be careful there were lots of bees around. Watch out for drones and frisbees and people making music videos..

Muddy And plenty of open area. quiet park there is traffic with locals going there. Dog friendly

Adventure time worthy area...

A lot of cool places to look at and nice place to hike.

Really cool. Great walk around. Great abandon looks.

Got some pretty awesome shots, spooks at my battery life though.

Beautiful and historic. Wish the state had the money to preserve the buildings more. The trails are really nice. And people seem to really enjoy the disc golf.

Really great little hike. We went in October as a Spooky Hike and the fog really helped with the vibe. Its an easy hike, you can make it as long or short as you like.Brought my son and the dog. Not much history is told about it but there is a little. There is also a disc golf course near it. Usually not an issue but there was a tournament the day we went but everyone was really nice.

Nice walk

Its a nice park to take a nice long walk and explore all the old buildings.

Great old place of Skagit valley history. Enjoy walk w/ my dog.

Fun disc golf course. Somewhat spooky farm buildings.

Fantastic place to wander with little kids, fields for playing frisbee in and an entire disc golf course. The area is steeped in history if you want to take the time to learn and explore, but also a beautiful, volunteer maintained, park with miles of walking trails.

Love this place for hiking and walking

Such a cool setting. Went up to get some photos and the weather broke just enough to explore the old fair buildings.

Fun and tough

Beautiful and awesome place to explore! I highly recommend going and enjoying the experience!

Outstanding hike, did about 5 miles, several outbuildings to explore, the old barns, slaughterhouse and cemetery are cool and the trails are easy to follow.

Very interesting old place

Open space for dogs, the buildings are still interesting. Great photo opt.

Fun walk and history

Great park to explore. The history is fascinating and there are miles of paths to follow.

One of my favorite places to go and climb around and explore. Go during the week in the morning and youll have the place all to yourself.

Great place to walk about

I take my dog here every morning its a great place to walk especially when its early and you have the park to yourself

It was super cool!

Its super fun with wide open spaces. Please bring your dog and do not leave your poop bags just hanging around. Please throw your dogs poo away. This is the only issue i have seen be frequent. There was also some cultist sctivity so please dont go there at night. Its closed anyway you would be just asking for trouble. Its a great place to take your puppy swimming or your snake if your like me. Theres so much space and there is wildlife as well so do be prepared and do bring some bear mace because we wouldnt want any tragedies.

This is one of my favorite places to walk with the dogs even on a rainy day its a neat place. Today there were several dog walkers and photographers with families taking photos for the holidays. Little kids all dressed up in their best! The old buildings make it very interesting.

Great place to explore and play.

Fun spot to visit, neat old buildings to explore and learn about and the trail is pretty wide and flat making it good for little kids. We managed to take our jogging stroller alright, and besides other walkers we saw one person on a bike and a few horses. We did not see all of it and would go back again to wander more. There is a nice pavilion to have a picnic in and there is a big porta potty there too.

Historic and haunted, a favorite of this ghost hunting BarnCat.

I have been visiting the old Northern State hospital, now Northern State Recreation Area, for 20 plus years. It used to be a beautiful, pristine, abandoned ground... great place to view wildlife and relax, unfortunately over the last 20 years and has become so publicly accessible that anybody and their brother can get in now, and they are totally destroying the historical structures and vandalizing irreplaceable artifacts. Please stay on the trails stay out of the buildings and please dont destroy anything!

This place is amazing!

A wonderful place to hike, play in the creek and just explore!

Come here all the time to walk the dog around, its very relaxing and the ghosts rarely make themselves known. After dusk is a different story, just use your instincts. If you feel uneasy, turn around and go the other way. Otherwise, the frisbee golf course is one of a kind! Highly recommend it.

The Cemetery was very nice and taken care of. That is where we parked. Nice walk down the older street from the cemetery to the farm abandoned barns. Lots of buildings, beautiful scenery looking out towards the mountains and valley. Trails and grounds are well maintained. Lots of birds and wild life. Bear skat scattered throughout the trails. Just be aware. We could see the institution and tower through the trees and brush. Dont forget about the frisbee golf course and picnic table under the shelters. Bring lots of water and your camera. We will return. :)

A great place to wander and explore, your dogs and kids will love it. The paths are all flat and pretty easily walkable. There is a Frisbee golf course here, but Im not sure if its usable anymore, parts seem overgrown. PLEASE PLEASE, DO NOT LET YOUR YOUNGINS CLIMB ON THE STRUCTURES OF DEBRIS!