Federation Forest State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Federation Forest State Park |
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Federation Forest State Park, July 2007
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 Federation Forest State Park
Location in the United States
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| Location | King, Washington, United States |
| Area | 619 acres (251 ha) |
| Elevation | 1,667 ft (508 m) |
| Established | 1949 |
| Named for | General Federation of Women's Clubs |
| Operator | Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission |
| Website | Federation Forest State Park |
Federation Forest State Park is a beautiful Washington state park that covers about 619 acres. It is located along the White River in King County. You can find the park about 15 miles east of Enumclaw on Route 410. It's also about 30 miles below the top of Chinook Pass.
This park is famous for its amazing old-growth forest. This means it has very old and tall trees that have never been cut down. You can see huge Douglas fir, western hemlock, Sitka spruce, and western redcedar trees here. The park offers fun things to do like 7 miles of hiking trails, places for picnics, and a special building called an interpretive center.
Park History and Purpose
The park got its name from a group called the General Federation of Women's Clubs (GFWC-WS). This group of women cared a lot about nature. They were worried that too many trees were being cut down across the country. They wanted to save some of the old, untouched forests in Washington state.
Saving the Forest
In 1928, the GFWC-WS raised $25,000. This money was used to buy land for the park from a company that cut down trees. The first park was opened in 1934. It was located about 8 miles west of Snoqualmie Pass.
However, this first park faced some problems. Strong windstorms damaged the trees. Also, a nearby highway was made wider, and logging continued on land next to the park. Because of these issues, the land was sold back to the lumber company in 1938.
A New Beginning
After about ten years, a new and better location was found for the park. This new spot is along the White River. The park was officially opened again in 1949.
In 1958, a kind educator named Catherine Montgomery helped the park even more. She was also a member of the GFWC-WS. She left money from her estate to the park. This money was used to build the Catherine Montgomery Interpretive Center. This center helps visitors learn about the park's history, plants, and animals.
