Blakely Harbor Park is a wonder of community-driven conservation, and the Bainbridge Island Parks & Trails Foundation leads its ongoing stewardship and ecological restoration.

Once the site of the thriving mill town of Port Blakely – one of the world’s largest sawmills in the late 1800s – the 40-acre park has been reclaimed and transformed into a serene, natural shoreline park through years of dedicated effort.

The Foundation’s commitment to Blakely Harbor Park is rooted in collaboration, philanthropy, and volunteerism. Islanders preserved the land from dense development in the early 1990s, and this passion continues through restoration efforts today. We partner with the Bainbridge Island Metro Park & Recreation District on the park’s long-term care.

Central to this restoration is the eradication of invasive plant species, a sustained effort by volunteers and the Foundation-funded Student Conservation Corps and ParksCorps programs – even visits by herds of weed-eating goats. Northwest native plants are reintroduced at each step, restoring the park’s natural biodiversity and climate resilience.

We organize and support volunteer events such as the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, which brings together community members to share in stewardship. These events not only contribute to the physical restoration of the park but also foster a sense of collective responsibility and pride in preserving Bainbridge Island’s natural spaces and habitat.

It’s a beautiful place to walk and experience nature, year round. The Foundation facilitated the gift of a footbridge across the historic log-pond jetty, completing a loop trail and opening up the far corners of the park for enjoyment.

Blakely Harbor Park’s transformation is a powerful example of our community uniting around a shared vision. Through our partnership with the Park District, ongoing volunteer engagement, and donor support, the Bainbridge Island Parks & Trails Foundation ensures that this historic shoreline park remains a spectacular and welcoming natural space.