WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – The more than year-long closure of a popular Whatcom County park has officially begun.

Samish Park closed on Monday, May 13 and will remain closed until the summer of 2025. The park is being used as a staging area for the upcoming replacement of the North Lake Samish Bridge.

The fishing dock and lakeside trail near the park are still accessible by following the service road and accessing the fishing bridge from the west.

The North Lake Samish Bridge was built in 1963. An inspection of the bridge nearly a decade ago found increased amounts of rot in the wood of its superstructure, making it dangerous for heavy traffic like school buses and fire engines.

The replacement project is scheduled to begin on May 28, 2024.

A signed detour will be in place until the new bridge is expected to open in late August 2025.