Birch Bay Waterslides will not reopen its water park this summer, according to park management.
The water park posted a notice stating it will be closed for the 2026 season on its website and social media. No additional information was provided.
The Northern Light reached out to park owner Qiyan (Max) Li for more information on why the decision was made and his plans for the 41-year-old water park, but had not heard back by press time.
The closure comes after a turbulent few years for the park that stem from a Skagit County man being seriously injured after his legs went through a panel on the Hairpin waterslide in August of 2023. The man was flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where he spent two weeks and underwent at least two surgeries in the intensive care unit.
The man sued Birch Bay Waterslides for negligence in May of 2024 in Whatcom County Superior Court. The lawsuit is ongoing, with a jury trial scheduled for Aug. 26.
The water park closed after the man’s injury at the end of the 2023 season. The park remained shuttered the following summer, as park management fulfilled reopening requirements from the Whatcom County Health and Community Services Department and planned a refurbishment.
In fall of 2024, the water park announced it hired Global Management Amusement Professionals, a California-based water park consulting company, to oversee a five-year plan to upgrade facilities.
The water park reopened for its 40th anniversary last summer after the first round of upgrades. Improvements included removing the Hairpin waterslide, structural upgrades to the tower slides, repainting the rides bright colors, and adding new amenities such as cabanas and a bar. Lifeguard and management training was also prioritized, according to park management.
Birch Bay Waterslides has drawn community members and tourists alike to its water park at 4874 Birch Bay-Lynden Road since 1985. The park has over a handful of slides, children’s pool, hot tub, concession stand, bar, lounging areas and gift shop.
