Seattle Parks: Enjoy Walking, Hiking, Picnics, and Wildlife

1. Picnic in Beer Sheva Park

Have a picnic in Beer Sheva Park a pesticide-free park in Seattle.

2. Bhy Kracke Park

• What is Bhy Kracke Park known for?
  • Bhy Kracke Park is a 1.5-acre green space in Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood.
  • It offers panoramic views of Seattle’s skyline, including landmarks like the Space Needle, Capitol Hill, and the Cascade Mountains.
• What is the origin of the park’s name?
  • The park is named in honor of Werner Kracke, a local resident.
  • His nickname, "Bhy Kracke,” was derived from the popular 19th-century idiom "by cracky".
• What makes the park’s design unique?
  • Bhy Kracke Park is built on steep, uphill land, making creative use of terrain that might not seem suitable for a park.
• What amenities does Bhy Kracke Park offer?
  • The park features an ADA-accessible children’s playground, a bike rack, benches, and drinking fountains.
• Why is Bhy Kracke Park a popular spot on the Fourth of July?
  • Due to its high elevation, the park is a sought-after location for viewing Seattle’s Fourth of July fireworks.

Bhy Kracke Park , 1215 5th Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109, Phone: 206-684-4075

3. Carkeek Park

Enjoy water views from Carkeek Park.

4. Colman Park

• What is Colman Park?
  • Colman Park is a 24.3-acre park in Seattle’s Mount Baker neighborhood.
  • It is located along the banks of Lake Washington near the Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge.
• Who was Colman Park named after?
  • The park was named in honor of James M. Colman, a Seattle-area engineer.
  • He was noted for his work on the city’s first municipal water pumphouse.
• What is the history of Colman Park’s swimming beach?
  • Throughout the 20th century, the park was home to a popular swimming beach.
  • It serviced up to 40,000 swimmers each summer.
  • The beach was closed in the 1960s following efforts to renovate the former pumphouse facility.
• What recreational activities are available at Colman Park?
  • Visitors can play football, soccer, and volleyball on the park’s grassy lawns.
  • The lakefront is still accessible via cement steps left over from the park’s former swimming beach.

Colman Park, 1800 Lake Washington Blvd S, Seattle, WA 98144, Phone: 206-684-4075

5. Dakota Place Park

• What is Dakota Place Park?
  • Dakota Place Park is one of Seattle's smallest public park facilities, only spanning 0.34 acres throughout the city's West Seattle district along California Avenue.
• What is the main feature of the park?
  • The park is anchored around a restored city landmark substation, which has been remodeled and is in use today as a satellite facility for the Hiawatha Community Center.
• Can visitors rent the substation for events?
  • Visitors can rent the park's substation for photoshoots and private special events or tour the building as part of open house events on some Saturday afternoons.
• What outdoor features does the park offer?
  • The park's outdoor spaces are geared for multigenerational users, showcasing a terraced lawn, bird and butterfly gardens, and unique integrated art elements.

Dakota Place Park, 4304 SW Dakota St, Seattle, WA 98116, Phone: 206-684-4075

6. Discovery Park

Discovery Park is a 534-acre park in Seattle's Magnolia neighborhood, popular with birdwatchers.

7. Ella Bailey Park

• What is Ella Bailey Park?
  • Ella Bailey Park is a quaint 0.12-acre public park, named for former Seattle teacher Ella Bailey, who donated the park's lands to the city for park development.
• When was the park opened?
  • The park, which was opened to the public in 2007, is located adjacent to the former Magnolia Elementary School facility, repurposing its elementary school playground into a public children's playground accessible to children of all ages.
• What recreational amenities are available?
  • A short walking and biking loop trail is available for visitor use, along with a large grassy activity lawn, two basketball hoops, and a number of day-use picnic sites.
• Why is the park popular for special events?
  • Spectacular panoramic views of Mount Rainier and the city's downtown district make the park a popular spot for viewing New Year's Eve and Fourth of July fireworks.

Ella Bailey Park, 2601 W Smith St, Seattle, WA 98199, Phone: 206-684-4075

8. Ercolini Park

• What is Ercolini Park?
  • Ercolini Park is a charming Seattle neighborhood park, named in honor of popular produce growers and sellers Joe and Julia Ercolini, a fixture at the site's community market in the 1930s.
• What play areas are available for children?
  • The bustling neighborhood park is home to a lovely children's playground, offering safe play experiences for children of all ages, including infant and toddler swings.
• What recreational amenities does the park offer?
  • A spacious grassy lawn offers opportunities for stretching out and playing sports, while a number of day-use picnic sites provide chances to enjoy meals with the entire family.
• What unique features does the park have for children?
  • A collection of children's toys is maintained at the park by the West Seattle Moms Group, including scooters, tractors, and rocking horses.

Ercolini Park, 4542 48th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116, Phone: 206-684-4946

9. Freeway Park

• What is Freeway Park?
  • Freeway Park is one of Seattle's most unique downtown parks, featured in the popular PBS documentary film 10 Parks that Changed America.
• What makes Freeway Park historically significant?
  • The five-acre park, which was the vision of Seattle civic leader Jim Ellis, was the nation's first park constructed over a highway at its opening in 1976.
• What is the park's architectural design?
  • A series of linked irregular plaza structures featuring concrete planting containers and walls intertwine and connect between the Washington State Convention and Trade Center and nearby First Hill, serving as a cultural precedent for similar land usage in other American cities.
• How is the park divided?
  • The park is divided into separate East, West, and Central Plaza areas, with a fourth preexisting area, centered around George Tsutakawa's Naramore Fountain, integrated into the park's design.

Freeway Park, 700 Seneca St, Seattle, WA 98101

10. Fremont Peak Park

• What is Fremont Peak Park?
  • Fremont Peak Park is a unique half-acre park in Seattle's Fremont neighborhood, known for its spectacular blufftop views of Puget Sound and the nearby Olympic Mountains.
• When was the park opened to the public?
  • The park, which was originally opened to the public in November of 2007, was the recipient of the Design Excellence Award the same year by the Seattle Design Commission.
• What unique artistic features does the park have?
  • The picturesque urban oasis is home to a lovely sculpture designed to mark the seasonal equinoxes and solstices, integrating existing vegetation areas into public art pieces.
• What mythological references are present in the park?
  • The park's walls incorporate design elements related to the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, depicting a section of the maze of King Minos. Artistic elements of the park were created in collaboration with regional artist Laura Haddad.

Fremont Peak Park, 4357 Palatine Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103, Phone: 206-684-4075