Scriber Lake is a very interesting area as it is in reality a peat
bog. As you walk through the park take time to read the information
signs. You will find that in many places along the trail you are
actually walking on floating masses of vegetation! There are
several places along the pathways where you can almost feel the
ground wiggle underneath your feet.
When the city of Lynnwood decided to straighten out and widen
196th they poured in fill across the bog for several months. After
the roadbed was properly prepared and ready to be paved, the bog
promptly ate the road and burped politely! The city then decided
that material that sinks in water was not the answer and began
filling the bog with things that float... like logs and at one
point in January, used Christmas trees were solicited. The road was
then paved again and, although the bog tried, it couldn't quite
make it in one bite but it did leave some pretty good lumps. If you
drive across Scriber Lake on 196th today it is basically a lump
free road. It took years and years and layer after layer of asphalt
to get it to this point however! The city has won the battle for
now but when you look down into that murky water and see those
bubbles coming up you have to wonder, what's going on down there
and when is the BOG going to make it's move?