History
A legacy of community collaboration and conservation
String of Pearls
In 2007, the Olympic Property Group (OPG), proposed a trail system as one of several key elements in a plan for 8,000 acres in the Port Gamble area.
Over 500 residents attended the initial meeting and expressed support for establishing trails and maintaining public access to the woodlands.
The idea of a regional network of trails took fire, fueling the eventual creation of the North Kitsap Trail Association (NKTA), comprised of community volunteers.
The NKTA secured a National Park Service grant to develop a comprehensive trail plan.
The result is Kitsap County's “String of Pearls Trail Plan,” connecting local communities, parks, and open space with recreational and non-motorized transportation options.
The name references Boston's “Emerald Necklace Park,” designed by Frederick Law Olmsted over 150 years ago.
Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park
Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park has been used by the public for decades with permission from the previous owner, Pope Resources, a timber company.
Now owned and managed by Kitsap County, the 3,500-acre park in northern Kitsap County is one of the largest county parks in the Continental United States.
The park features 65 miles of trails and will soon include a 177-acre mountain bike park.
Sound to Olympics Trail
Located between Seattle and the Olympic Peninsula, more than 6 miles of the Sound to Olympics (STO) Trail—a regional trail corridor—are in development through the park.
The STO connects ferry systems and aligns with the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's Great American Rail Trail.
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