The Northern Sate Mental Hospital was a working asylum in Washington State from 1911 until 1973. Some of the main buildings have been repurposed, but the outbuildings, farm, and areas surrounding have been converted into a lovely park. It’s possible to explore some of the abandoned buildings at Northern State Recreation Area.
The Buildings
You can’t visit the actual hospital – some of it is in use today, and others is still deserted. However, you can visit several out buildings, in various states of decay. The most interesting part is the main farm area. Here you can visit several barns, milking room, other buildings with various rusting equipment, and the silo.
There are some other out buildings located along the trail. Some of them are in such disrepair you cannot go inside.
All the buildings have prominent signs that you should not enter, yet the interiors of many of them are clear with no physical barrier to entry. So, a sign for anti-litigation protection, I guess.
The Trail
There are a couple miles of trails at the Northern State Recreation Area. It’s an easy walk – virtually no elevation gain or loss. It would be appropriate for any age. The Frisbee golf course follows the trail.
Other Facilities
There are picnic facilities – both at the main parking lot and in the middle of the park. There’s also a frisbee golf. I didn’t see any toilet facilities except a handicap accessible port-a-potty in the parking lot.
Is it Haunted?
It was common for lobotomies and other bad stuff happened at Northern State Mental Hospital. It’s supposedly one of the most haunted places in the state, but I didn’t experience any paranormal activities.
Northern State Recreation Area Location
This hidden gem is not well signposted. Take highway 20 to the east end of Sedro Woolley. Take a left (northbound) on Helmick Road, and take the first left into the parking lot with a picnic pavilion. There are no signs other than the explanatory sign and map on the edge of the parking lot. There was plenty of parking, even when I visited on Independence Day, 2018.
Best Time to Visit Northern State Recreation Area
The Northern State Mental Hospital could be visited any time of year. It would be a great fall, winter, or spring hike since it’s at a low elevation. It would be especially atmospheric on a foggy, rainy day. Or maybe halloween – watch out for the ghosts of former patients! This hike isn’t far from Skagit Valley. If you’re visiting the annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, I highly recommend you pop up here for exploration rather than get stuck in traffic going back to Seattle in the afternoon. Have a nice dinner in Sedro Woolley or Burlington, and then have a relaxing drive home in the evening.
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Northern State Mental Hospital – Where to Stay
If you’re not from the area and just visiting, there are plenty of places to stay around Sedro Woolley, including Burlington, Mount Vernon, and the scenic coastal town of Anacortes (Check Rates and Availability)
Northern State Recreation Area Photography
I stupidly forgot my camera on this expedition. Luckily, my friend Shauna took photos and lent me her great mirrorless camera for some of my own shots. The photos in this article are from Shauna. Follow her on Instagram, especially if you like mountain climbing.
Do you love abandoned buildings? Check out some of the other fascinating deserted places I’ve visited… Traverse City Mental Hospital in Michigan, and Chernobyl, Ukraine.
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