Luther Burbank Park

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Last Updated: December 5, 2025

Luther Burbank Park is a popular park located on the shore of Lake Washington in Mercer Island, Washington.


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Summary

The park is named after Luther Burbank, a renowned horticulturist who lived and worked in the area.

Visitors to the park can enjoy a wide range of activities, including picnicking, hiking, swimming, fishing, and boating. The park also features a playground, tennis courts, and a ball field.

One of the main attractions of the park is the beach, which offers stunning views of the lake and the surrounding mountains. The park also has several walking trails that wind through the woods and along the shoreline.

Interesting facts about the park include that it was once the site of a sawmill and a brickyard, and that it was named one of the top 100 parks in the United States by the Trust for Public Land.

The best time to visit Luther Burbank Park is in the summer, when the weather is warm and sunny and the lake is perfect for swimming and boating. However, the park is open year-round and can be enjoyed in all seasons.

       

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Park & Land Designation Reference

National Park
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
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