Van Doren's Landing Park

Van Doren's Landing Park is a 10.2-acre recreational area located along the east bank of the Green River in Kent, Washington. The park reopened in 2023 after undergoing significant renovations as part of the Lower Russell Levee Setback project, which aimed to improve flood protection and create additional flood storage and fish habitat in the area.

The park's centerpiece is a unique playground featuring a miniaturized version of Mount Rainier, which serves as a climbing structure for children. This custom-designed play area includes three concrete slides and offers specialized climbing features, providing an engaging and imaginative play experience for young visitors.

Van Doren's Landing Park incorporates elements that pay homage to the area's history. The park's name references its past as a dock for transporting agricultural goods and people along the Green River. Custom-designed picnic shelters evoke the form of historic shelters used for drying hops, a crop that was historically important to the region.

The park offers improved trail connectivity, including a new segment of the Green River Trail and secondary pedestrian paths through a floodway habitat restoration area. An observation tower near the river provides scenic views of both the waterway and the park grounds. The redesign also includes cultural elements developed in collaboration with the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, such as First Foods cooking stations, fishing eddies, and cultural teaching areas.

Van Doren's Landing Park serves as an example of integrating recreational amenities with environmental conservation efforts. The park's redevelopment was part of a larger project that included levee improvements and riparian restoration, demonstrating how public recreational spaces can coexist with and enhance flood protection and habitat preservation initiatives.