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Skagit County accepts donated Hill Creek Park; donors praised for preserving waterfall and salmon habitat
Summary
Skagit County formally accepted a donation of land known as Hill Creek Park on Oct. 27, 2025. Donors Brennan and Kim Filipini gifted the property; Skagit County Parks announced plans for trails and public access and county and land‑trust officials praised the donors’ contributions to habitat protection and public recreation.
Skagit County commissioners on Oct. 27 formally accepted the donation of a waterfall and surrounding forest known as Hill Creek Park from Brennan and Kim Filipini, celebrating the transfer at a public ceremony and photo opportunity.
Brian Adams, director of Skagit County Parks and Recreation, said the couple bought the property during the COVID period and later decided to donate it so the public could enjoy the falls, large cedar tree and salmon pools in perpetuity. Adams thanked the donors for paying for design work, staying engaged through permitting and helping move the project forward. "They wanted to share this property with the public in perpetuity," Adams said.
Carrie Odden of the Skagit Land Trust described the property as "a mossy forest of tall trees with wetland openings" and recalled hearing the falls before seeing them. Odden said donors ‘‘went beyond generosity’’ by prioritizing public access and habitat protection. Parks advisory board members and longtime volunteers, including Barry Brower and John Semrau, noted the permitting challenges donors helped address and urged the county to consider additional adjacent lands for future conservation.
Local residents and frequent park users praised the gift. One neighbor described longtime personal ties to Hill Creek and said the public access "is better than I could have ever imagined." A parks user and volunteer raised a common maintenance concern: once trails are built they require ongoing funding for upkeep and management.
Commissioners presented commemorative plaques reading, in part, "In deep appreciation of Brennan and Kim Filipini for their generous gift of this waterfall property to Skagit County Parks and Recreation, ensuring its beauty and wonder will be preserved for generations to come," and referenced a John Muir quote on the plaque. County staff said they plan trail development with the aim of preserving habitat, and that a formal ribbon‑cutting is expected next spring.
The board publicly thanked the donors, Skagit Land Trust and parks advisory members for their work on permitting, design and stewardship coordination. County staff emphasized that the gift was a full donation (the county did not purchase the property) and that staff would now finalize permitting and trail design steps required to open the site to the public.
