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VanderYacht Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 382 Google reviews · Running trail in Ferndale, Washington · Open 24 hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Crushed gravel
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Open 24 hours
Confirmed from VanderYacht Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Large park, also an off-leash area for dogs, featuring hiking trails, picnic tables and a pond.
What runners say about VanderYacht Park
“The people are always friendly, any off leash dogs are always safe and approachable to one another, and people clean up after their dogs so it's not a minefield.”
“If your dog doesn’t fall in love with this place, check its pulse — it might secretly be a cat.”
A great place to walk your dog. The trail wraps around the outer edge and is well maintained. There is a new restroom facility. Dogs are allowed off-leash but there is no fence.
Vander Yacht Dog Park $$ Where Dogs Go to Live Their Best Lives (and Humans Pretend They’re Athletic) If there were a Yelp for dogs, Vander Yacht would have a solid 5 out of 5 tail wags.
This is our go-to dog park. The people are always friendly, any off leash dogs are always safe and approachable to one another, and people clean up after their dogs so it's not a minefield. It's a pretty park, you walk the path around the very large field as well as easily access the riverbank.
Limited access (the 1st few entrances are VERY steep, go to the benches then go down) to the river, the bank isn't very long or wide and it's all rocks, mostly golf ball sized. There is a dirt\gravel walking path that borders the large grass area that's in the middle.
Trail conditions & character
“People pick up after their animals, and it isn't pure chaos like fenced-in parks where people bring their dogs and just ignore them.”
“There is a dirt\gravel walking path that borders the large grass area that's in the middle.”
“No designated handicapped spots but it's all flat\level.”
Plan your run at VanderYacht Park
The practical stuff
- AccessOpen 24 hours — no gate to beat, so a 5am or a 10pm run both work
- SurfaceCrushed gravel — the rail-trail classic: softer than asphalt, still smooth enough for tempo work
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadrestrooms — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Websitecityofferndale.org
Hours
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |
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