King County Launches Park Ranger Program To Boost Safety And Visitor Experience

King County Parks will roll out a new Park Ranger Program this June to enhance the visitor experience and ensure a more visible, welcoming presence throughout the county’s extensive parks and trails system. The first cohort of six Park Rangers will begin field work on June 7, serving as ambassadors, educators, and safety resources for residents and visitors alike.

The program was developed in response to extensive community outreach that identified the need for more on-site staff in parks, particularly to foster a sense of safety and inclusivity. Survey respondents and focus group participants consistently emphasized that a regular, friendly staff presence would help make parks more welcoming and accessible to all.

“The Parks Ranger Program was developed in response to community requests for on-site professionals who can help ensure that King County’s parks, trails, and natural areas are safe, welcoming places all people can enjoy,” said King County Parks Director Warren Jimenez. “The Rangers are key to a broader strategy to keep the places where people gather, relax, and play clean, safe, and open.”

Park Rangers will be stationed across King County’s regional parks, conservation areas, and high-use trail corridors. Assignments will reflect levels of visitor activity and specific community needs. For patrols in backcountry areas, Rangers will work in pairs and use mountain bikes to better navigate the terrain. Each ranger will be easily recognizable in uniform and equipped with vehicles and bicycles marked with the King County Parks insignia.

The program features a comprehensive training curriculum designed to prepare Rangers for a wide range of situations. Training includes anti-bias education, trauma-informed de-escalation, Wilderness First Aid, active shooter scenarios, search and rescue, cultural resource protection, defensive driving, animal safety, CPR and First Aid, and more. Rangers are also trained in the county’s immigrant and refugee ordinance, ensuring their approach remains inclusive and rights-based.

The Park Ranger Program is part of a wider effort by King County Parks to improve access and safety through a coordinated presence that includes operations staff, programming teams, community partners, and support from the King County Sheriff’s Office. Rangers will focus on community engagement, public education, and encouraging voluntary compliance with park rules—modeling an approach centered on service, not enforcement.

The initiative has drawn praise from community leaders and partners who contributed to its development. Chevon Powell, Founder and Managing Director of Golden Bricks Events, credited the county for building a program rooted in inclusive engagement.

“I appreciate the way that King County Parks involved the community in the process of developing the Rangers program from surveys to focus groups and input from partners like Golden Bricks Events,” Powell said. “Seeing community engagement evolve into a program that is not only about safety but also about fostering a sense of belonging in our parks is truly awesome.”

The Park Ranger Program is funded by the voter-approved King County Parks Levy, which supports park operations, trail expansions, and capital improvements throughout the county.