| Federation Forest State Park | |
|---|---|
 Federation Forest State Park, July 2007 | |
  Location in the state of Washington | |
| Location | King, Washington, United States |
| Coordinates | 47°09′14″N 121°41′33″W / 47.15389°N 121.69250°W[1] |
| Area | 619 acres (251 ha)[2] |
| Elevation | 1,667 ft (508 m)[1] |
| Established | 1949[3] |
| 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 619-acre (251 ha) Washington state park on the White River in King County. The park is located 15 miles (24 km) east of Enumclaw on Route 410 about 30 miles (48 km) below the summit of Chinook Pass.[2] The park features an old-growth forest that includes Douglas fir, western hemlock, Sitka spruce, and western redcedar trees.[3] Park amenities include 7 miles (11 km) of hiking trails, picnicking facilities, and an interpretive center.[3]
The park gets its name from the Washington state chapter of the General Federation of Women's Clubs (GFWC-WS), which raised the initial $25,000 that was used to purchase the land for the park from a lumber company in 1928. GFWC-WS members were concerned about the rapid pace of deforestation around the country and wanted to preserve the remaining old-growth forest in the state of Washington.[2] The original park was located about 8 miles (13 km) west of Snoqualmie Pass and was dedicated in 1934. In the following years, windstorms, widening of an adjacent highway, and logging on the adjacent property took a toll on the park, and the land was eventually sold back to the lumber company in 1938.[2]
After about a decade, the new present-day location along the White River was chosen and dedicated in 1949. In 1958, local educator and GFWC-WS member, Catherine T. Montgomery left the money from her estate to the park. The money was used to build the Catherine Montgomery Interpretive Center.[3]
The Catherine Montgomery Interpretive Center has exhibits on the history the General Federation of Women's Clubs and the Salish people early presence along the White River. In front of the Interpretive Center is native plant identification garden with markers identifying over two dozen plants. From the Interpretive Center a series of hiking trails fan out into the park.
