Inhabiting a small peninsula that pokes into the Lake Washington just south of the I-90 bridge, Seward Park is a great resource for south Seattleites who want their outdoors fix without traveling very far. The park was created in 1911 and has developed over the years to include an outdoor ampitheater, an art studio, a native plant garden, picnic facilities and miles of hiking and bike trails.
The center of the peninsula has no accessibility to vehicles, and contains a beautiful old-growth forest. On the south end of the hill, a road winds up to the ampitheater and offers access to playgrounds, playfields, and picnic shelters as well. My favorite feature of the park is the loop trail that traces its shoreline (about 2.5 miles) and gives wonderful views of nearby Mercer Island and a great view of downtown from a distance.
My most recent excursion on a lazy Sunday afternoon revealed a wide range of park users, from those who had just come to sit on the grass and experience nature to fishermen who were determined to fill their cooler before departing. Joggers, runners, walkers and bikers took advantage of the lower trails, while hikers explored in the hilly forest above. One good thing about having 300 acres to play in is that you can find whatever level of solitude you desire, from parties at the picnic shelters to a quiet walk through the woods.
Seward Park is quite a gem, and well worth driving to even if you don’t live in the area. As a south ender with a strong nature addiction, I thank God for all of the park planners who set aside its lovely forests and linked the park with Lake Washington Boulevard so that we can enjoy the shoreline at its best for years to come.
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