6) West Seattle Walks


Hike Length: suggested route 7 miles
Elevation Gain: 500 feet
Hike Difficulty: moderate
Map: Seattle street map
hike overview map


West Seattle has a couple of fine old city parks that merit a visit: Lincoln Park and Schmitz Preserve Park. They’re both pretty places, but neither park alone is large enough to provide more than an hour of strolling. For a full day’s outing, combine a visit to both parks (connecting them by a bus ride), along with a walk on the vista-filled Alki Beach promenade.

Getting There:

Catch the southbound M 56 bus in downtown Seattle.

After leaving downtown Seattle, the M 56 bus crosses a bridge over the Duwamish Waterway, then heads into West Seattle via Admiral Way, which climbs a long hill. On top of the hill, the bus passes a major business district at the intersection of California and Admiral, then starts going downhill. When the bus crosses a large bridge over a forested ravine ( part of Schmitz Park), request a stop [GPS N 47 deg 34 min 39 sec, W 122 deg 24 min 11 sec].

Schmitz Preserve Park

From the bus stop, walk west on Admiral Way and cross the bridge over the ravine, which looks impressively deep when viewed from the bridge’s railing. On the far side of the bridge, go right (south) and walk onto a paved, gated lane. Next to the gate,there’s a Schmitz Park reader board with a map of the park. Follow the lane as it descends to the bottom of the ravine, where trails branch off in various directions.

You are now in the heart of Schmitz Park, which preserves a rare example of unlogged old growth forest in Seattle ( the only other Seattle old growth forest is in Seward Park). The parkland was donated to Seattle in 1908 by Ferdinand Schmitz, who was becoming dismayed at how rapidly the great ancient forests were disappearing in the Seattle area.

To start your exploration, take any of the trails leading up the canyon. Despite the small size of the park, it feels wild and remote. The canyon is lushly forested; some of the ancient cedars and firs are simply huge. A free-running stream at the valley floor adds to the charm of the setting.

When done with Schmitz Park, return to the paved lane and follow it down the ravine. The bubbling sounds of the rare in-city stream accompany you as you stroll along. The traffic free lane passes underneath the Admiral St. bridge, continues through more greenery, then ends at the lawn of Alki Playground. Walk a few blocks north to reach Alki Beach, located directly accoss Alki Ave.

Alki Beach Park

Alki Beach has long been Seattle’s premier destination for waterside fun in the sand. On warm summer weekends, the beach can get Coney Island crowded; however, at other times, it’s a peaceful place to take a walk. Swimming in the clear water looks tempting, but only polar bears will enjoy the chilly temperature of the water, which rarely exceeds 50 degrees, even in midsummer.

The odd sounding word Alki is an indian word usually translated as “by and by” or “in the better future to come”. The first white settlers at Alki beach optimistically (or ironically) dubbed their first dismal outpost , “New York, Alki.” “Alki” is also the Washington State motto.

A 2.5 mile walkway lines the beach. To do the entire walk, first go left (SW) on the path. You will shortly arrive at restroom and bathhouse building, and the Seattle Birthplace Monument commemerating the arrival here of Seattle’s first settlers on November 13, 1851 (the day was miserably cold and rainy, in true Seattle fasion). Now turn around, retracing you steps, and head NE along the beachfront path, which offers great views out over Puget Sound to Bainbridge Island. Numerous boats, including the huge, white-painted Bainbridge ferries, can be seen plying the waters.

After a mile and a half of walking, you will arrive at the tip of Duwamish Head, where a postcard vista of Downtown Seattle opens up. Duwamish Head was the site of an elaborate amusment park built in 1907, named Luna Park. Seattlelites by the thousands rode out by electric street car to enjoy the beach and amusment park. Luna Park burned down in 1931, and now there’s little left of it except some pilings visible at low tide.

The waterfront path continues on past Duwamish Head, now heading SE. Seattles working harbor, busy with container ships loading and unloading cargo comes into view. Just past the intersection where California Ave descends from the hilltop to meet Harbor Ave, there’s a building with a public restroom and a seafood-themed cafe. Espresso is available here if you need an energy boost.

At this point, you have several options for continuing the hike. One choice is to walk back along the waterfront to Alki Beach. You can catch a M 56 bus back to Seattle on 63rd Ave, near the Seattle Birthplace Monument . Another option ( on weekdays only)is to catch a M 53 bus from right where you are on Harbor Ave and ride it to Alaska Junction, a major West Seattle bus transfer point. Many busses go to Seatte from Alaska Junction (busses M 22,M 54,M 55), and you can get to to Lincoln Park via bus M 54.

If you have the energy, I suggest walking to California Ave, where there is good bus service at all times. A short distance beyond the seafood cafe, look for Fairmont Street , a narrow low-traffic street branching right (south) of Harbor Ave toward the hillside. Follow Fairmont as it climbs steeply up a wooded ravine dotted with a few funky old houses. West Seattle has the highest hills in the city, and you will realize it as you huff and puff up the steep grade. After one last burst of steepness, the road reaches an intersection with Forest St. Go right (west) onto Forest, which shortly ends at the edge of Hiawatha Playground. Walk through the playground to the far side, where you’ll reach California Ave., a major north-south arterial. Bus M 55 (use the stops on the west side of the avenue) will take you to Seattle from here.

The total walking distance up to this point, including the ramble in Schmitz Park, is about 5 miles.


Lincoln Park

Lincoln Park is only a short bus ride from most points in West Seattle, and is very much worth a visit. The 135 acre park was acquired by the city of Seattle in 1922, and now features a mix of natural forest and developed amenities such as picnic shelters and sports fields. The views of Puget Sound and its intricate shoreline of islands and inlets are superlative from the park’s vista points.

To get to Lincoln Park from California Ave, take either the southbound M 55 or M 128 busses. Ride the bus to Alaska Junction, a major bus transfer point located on Alaska Street, between California Ave and 44th Ave SW. Here, transfer to Bus M 54, which takes you directly to Lincoln Park, located on Fauntleroy Ave. From the bus, the park looks like a long, green wall of trees on the right side of the avenue. Get off at any of the bus stops alongside the park. If you reach the Vashon Ferry Dock on the Puget Sound waterfront, you’ve come a slightly too far. It’s just a short walk from the dock to the south end of the park.

To do the suggested walk, which forms a loop of about two miles, head west into the forested interior of the park on the first trail you can find. Eventually, you will reach the brink of a steep bluff, with great views out over the Puget Sound. Turn right (north) onto the trail (called the “Bluff Trail”) that follows the fence edging the top of the bluff. At the north end of the park, where houses appear, follow the “North Beach Trail”, which drops down the steep face of the bluff via a long series of steps.

This trail takes you to perhaps the prettiest beach in Seattle, lying in a gentlly curved cove sheltered by the steep, tree-covered bluff. On a warm day, you’ll want to linger here for a good while. Above the beach is a seawall with a wide trail on top. To continue the walk, stroll along the seawall trail south to Point Williams. Here you will find the heated saltwater Colman Pool, open only in summer.

The seawall trail continues on south, heading toward the Vashon Ferry pier. Near a picnic shelter, follow a paved trail that climbs away from the waterfront to the top of the bluff, which is much lower on this side of the park. Along the way, the trail crosses a surprising little waterfall, fed by a creeklet draining part of the park. Once the trail levels out near another picnic shelter, go left(west) and follow the Bluff Trail along the brink of the bluff, which eventually returns you to the north part of the park, and your starting point.


Getting Back

Return to Fauntleroy Ave, and catch the northbound M 54 bus, which takes you back to downtown Seattle.

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