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Discovery Park
Rating Details »
Categories: Parks, Arts & Entertainment
Neighborhood: Magnolia3801 W Government Way
Seattle, WA 98199
(206) 386-4236
- Hours:
Mon-Sun. 6:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
96 reviews for Discovery Park
Discovery Park is so pretty - perfect for a lovely late morning hike!
The loop trail is about 3 miles and takes you all around the park. You can pop into the visitor center to check out the map of the park - the man that was working there was super friendly and you can use the restrooms there. There aren't any free maps lying around so I would recommend buying a map for $1 - the trail signs can be slightly confusing and you could veer off onto the wrong trail very easily.
The loop trail is a pretty easy hike - mostly flat until you're exhausted and you hit the 50,000 stairs on the way back - depending on which direction you start out at. We veered off onto the South Beach Trail to walk along the beach and check out the lighthouse. The beach is pretty small with tons of driftwood lying about but we saw some families picnicking and actually going into the freezing cold water.
Warning: GINORMOUS spiders EVERYWHERE.
Beautiful park. =)
A nice park with some problems . . .
The trails are maintained but there are some overgrown plants and it is easy to get lost. There are some signs but then you'll find other trails or spots with no signs around. If it wasn't for my b/f's sense of direction, we would have been completely out of luck for getting back to our car.
Also, it is difficult to find parking near places you want to go.
Another problem is the stinkyness on the way to the lighthouse. It gets better, but then if you walk on the right side of it, it gets really obnoxious again. The view of the lighthouse is better than the view AT the lighthouse.
There are some nice views, but for trail walking, I would prefer other parks instead.
My fiance and I were looking for a beach/water view hike over the 4th of July weekend and certainly did not want to drive to the Eastside. Per Katie S.'s recommendation we decided to give Discovery Park a try.
We packed some lunches, water, and a blanket and headed out to the park around 2PM. After a quick 15 minute drive from Queen Anne, we parked in the North Parking Lot. We followed the trail to South Beach. Once we got through the woods and to the beach, the views were just amazing of the sound and Mt. Rainier. We stopped along the beach to have our lunch and dip our feet into the frigid water.
After lunch we continued around the point where the lighthouse is to North Beach. The sand over on North Beach was much softer and less rocky than on South Beach. If you're going to swim, try North Beach side. It was also less crowded.
From there, we continued to follow the shoreline of North Beach until we met back up with the trail. We then followed it all the way back to the parking lot. I would highly recommend this trail for an easy summer hike and especially if you're looking to spend some time sitting on the beach. You seriously cannot beat the location of this hike from Seattle! Also, leave your hiking boots at home!
Find the trail map here: http://www.seattle.gov...
I strongly urge visitors that go on the foot trails of Discovery Park to wear appropriate footwear--meaning no sandals--as I seriously injured my right foot in mid-September. These trails are not always very well maintained, and one small boulder, tree stump or root, uneven step can really set you back weeks--in pain, discomfort, and physical therapy.
* * * * *
It's difficult to find a place to be alone, period, in Seattle, especially as urban density crowds us all into increasingly cramped spaces. Neighbors above, below, on-the-the-other-side-of-the wall.
But Discovery Park comes close to being that: rolling, expansive meadows of wildflowers and tall grasses, a monumental bluff overlooking Puget Sound and a beach below, lighthouse, forests, yellow clapboard houses worthy of an Edward Hopper painting (including a church).
Crisscrossing the meadows, dotted with bright yellow dandelions in the dry summer, one is transported into a Monet painting of a field of poppies.
Douglas fir, Western red cedar, Bigleaf maples, wild roses, pine, oak, Himalayan blackberry, Scotch broom, cottonwood, red alder, and salal--in other words, many of more representative local species of fauna and flora--can all be found here. I even sighted my first woodpecker here.
In summer, the sight of a nonstop line of visitors walking along the South Bluff is reminiscent of a phalanx of ants advancing steadily towards a trail of bread crumbs. Yes, you will encounter people in color-coordinated athletic wear, yammering on their cellphones and oblivious to the endangered majestic beauty around them.
Unfortunately, as well, are the huge swathes of Army and Navy (remnants of the original Fort Lawton) compounds mixed in. And a huge ugly concrete bunker, the Daybreak Cultural Center, sometimes rented out for weddings.
The 2.8 mile Loop Trail, as its name suggests, will leave those of us with an underdeveloped sense of direction, walking around in ovals and ellipses with no idea of where we are.
The foot trail that leads from the Loop Trail down the north slope to the North Beach descends steeply. It was here that I twisted 120 degrees--and in doing so seriously sprained my right foot on one of the partially missing wooden steps.
* * * * *
I would highly recommend joining the Friends of Discovery Park, a non-profit organization which has been fighting for years to preserve the natural habitat in all its tranquility.
They and Historic Seattle have been trying to buy the historic houses--dating from the early-mid 20th century--instead of having them sold to developers to put up condos.
http://www.friendsdisc.../
http://www.seattle.gov...
One of the top priorities I had on my visit to Seattle was to see some of the nature in the area. I was looking for some good old fashion hiking about, but needed something relatively convenient since we didn't have a car for the trip. Thanks to the Seattle yelpers, I was pointed to Discovery Park.
If you live in or visit the city, it's really awesome to have a bit of nature tucked into the corner to get some of that foliage goodness into your system. Just a short drive from the urban core, it really have a little of everything:
an easy, leisurely loop trail for strollin around, more perspiration inducing trails, trails by the ocean with beautiful views, pretty flowers in the spring, streams, lots of signs pointing you in the right direction (though we still got massively lost constantly), and a cool little light house at the edge of the peninsula which acts as a nice destination goal.
A lot of the trails offer plenty of shade for the warmer days which is nice. I also like that there are so many different options for exploring. Be careful though, exploring can easily translate into getting lost if you don't know your way around. I found a lot of times signs would say the same destination could be achieved from totally different routes. Maybe it works out in the end, but I found that confusing.
Oh! and don't waste your dollar for the park map in the visitor center! That thing did us no good at all! Luckily most people who frequent here appear to be very friendly and willing to help you out (it's a bit tricky getting to the light house because you don't start seeing signs for it until you are nearly there).
We took the bus to the park edge and that worked out really well. Ride was maybe 15 minutes long from 6th & Stewart.
I think it's a really nice, under-visited park. It's a little bit tricky to find the first time, especially if you're unfamiliar with the area, but once you figure out, it's all good.
There are lots of nice trails - the ones that go directly through the park are frequented by a lot of families and children so I prefer the "loop trail." It goes around the perimeter of the park and measures about 3 miles. It's the perfect distance for a leisurely and peaceful stroll with a waterfront section, a lighthouse viewpoint, and lots of nature.
If you're feeling adventurous, there are some narrow trails that you can find that rate higher on the difficulty scale. It's pretty easy to get lost, so plan to spend at least a couple hours here.
*Sigh* such a nice way to spend a sunny Seattle afternoon.
Open space in the middle of the city is always nice, and the argument can be made that it is essential.
Perhaps it is unfair to compare this place to Manhattan's Central Park or San Francisco's Golden Gate (the latter among my favorite places on the planet).
But I did. I do.
I would have preferred a stroll at the arboretum to this.
I guess I need a tour guide - are you listening to me Isadora?
I need a tour guide!
If I'd been blindfolded, driven around for an intedeterminable amount of time, and dropped off in certain parts of this park, I would have no idea how far out of the city I was. Some of it honestly felt remote.
Bring your own water. I'm perpetually unprepared, and was a little surprised that drinking fountains and restrooms were so few and far between.
I found the beach and the lighthouse charming. I saw a crane and quite a few little sea creatures in the tide pools. So lovely and peaceful.
Love this park too!!!
This is one of the many reasons why I love this city and jump for joy that I live in fabulous Seattle! I LOVE IT! What a great park that I can't wait to show off to visitors when they come into town. Rocks, trees, beach, cliffs, trails, waves...ahhhh, everything you could ask for in a park and we can find all this right in our city. A bus drive, car ride, or bike ride away. All nestled in Magnolia. Oh Seattle, you had me at hello. Really you did.
*There is a visitor center in the South Lot with educational info and map of Discovery for $1.00. But you definitely do not need a map to wander the trails. They are clearly marked and always point you in the direction of either the North our South parking lot.
Discovery Park's got it going on. LOTS of trees, hiking trails, ponds, bluffs, beach, Puget Sound, lighthouse, Daybreak Star Center, flowers, plants, birds and other wildlife, a nice visitor's center, classes, group activities, friendly and knowledgeable employees, tremendous views...I'm sure I'm inadvertently leaving things off of this lengthy list.
It's my favorite park in Seattle. The pup loves it, too. We spend quite a bit of time here, looking for birds (yes, my dog is a birder, too), and taking in the surrounding beauty, I by sight, the dog more by scent. Breathtaking experience for both of us.
Can't go wrong here, folks. Hope to see you there someday.
I was visiting Seattle last week, and we wanted to get a little bit of "nature" in while visiting, so we went to Discovery Park to do a short hike. We took "the loop" trail, making a short detour off the path to a lookout point for a beautiful view of the water & mountains. We were hoping to catch a glimpse of the orcas, but no luck. :-(
The views were fantastic, the trail was easy walking (only slight uphill/downhill sections, and one point where we had to climb around a fallen tree). There were lots of people out on the trail -- joggers, people walking their dogs, families with overly energetic children, etc -- and everyone was very friendly! We even got a nice woman to take a group photo for us, and I got to pet a handful of adorable dogs, including one with a scraggly ear who was named Milo & was extremely sweet.
The man behind the counter at the visitors center was also very helpful, and the bathrooms were clean and well-supplied (which is nice after a long hike and an entire bottle of water).
I've spent hours in this park, and every time I visit, I find places I've never seen. Getting lost in Discovery Park is probably the best thing you can do. Just walk. Ignore sign posts.
You'll eventually find the lighthouse, the old Ft. Lawton buildings, the Daybreak Star center, the little boardwalk outside the Daybreak Star center with the view, etc. The key word is eventually.
Discovery Park is a very big park, the biggest in Seattle. I've witnessed individuals that have made one too many turns on the trails encompassing the 500+ acres of the park and have forgotten how to get back to their cars. My family and I used to come here to access a small playground, a little past the main visitors center, that boast a very cool zip-line-swing of sorts. Now we like to park in the North lot and walk to the lighthouse. Sometimes at low tide you can walk out on a strip of sand on the Western tip. It's appears as if you're walking on water and allows some of the most amazing views of Elliot and Shilshole.
This is a nice place for a hike with your family/friends or with your dog (leashed, of course!). There is a loop that goes around the park (which is 2.8 miles). There are other trails that go to the beach or other areas of the park. The trails are clearly marked! I thought I would complete the loop in about an hour but I ended up being at the park for almost a couple hours. I admit I went on one extra trail so I can walk down to the beach. Dogs are not allowed on the beach- boo! I stayed off the beach and walked alongside to take in the view.
FYI- the trails are mixed from easy to difficult to walk. You would get a good cardio workout while hiking up/down the stairs or hills. The views are beautiful- even on a foggy day looking like you are about to walk into S. King's "The Mist" fog. The beach is beautiful. There are places with decks along the bluff that will allow you to get better view of the beach.
FYI- doggie owners- I did not see garbage cans on the trail. Luckily, my dog pooped at the beginning of the hike (like steps into it!) I was able to toss it in the garbage by the parking lot. For dogs that like to chase other small animals- there are squirrels and other animals that may garner the attention of your pooch! Have fun!
Who goes hiking on vacation? I do I do!
If you are in Seattle, then it's worth your time in calories.
After my mass consumption at Pike's and the tour of Seattle's small concrete jungle, i figured I would reconnect with some green.
Discovery Park was perfect. Within a 20 minute drive from the city, it was a close little getaway. Complete with stunning views of Puget Sound, this little haven allowed me to see all the way to the Olympic Mountain ranges. Mind you that it was raining, and it was super fun to play in the rain. I didn't get down the the beach or sea cliffs, but my view was stunningly enough. Serene, with fog looming, and dew formulating...it was a perfect start to a more relaxed day.
For more information: http://www.seattle.gov...
How could I not have known about this park until last summer?
It is amazingly huge! The first few times I came here, I was volunteering for service projects at Daybreak Star with United Indians of all tribes. When I finally return to visit the park, I managed to overwork my out-of-shape body in an attempt to completing the trail. It took me a few days to recover from the soreness. This place is amazing and I don't mind spending my whole Sunday to enjoy the beauty of it all. Also another great place to shoot but the trails does get a bit crowded.
Here's my lesson for the day at Discovery Park:
1. This park has a shitload of blackberries for the picking. A shitload. And they are off from where the roads are, so you won't be getting any delicious fumes with your delicious berries.
2. Blackberries have thorns that hurt.
3. This park is huge.
4. This park has snakes. I almost stepped on one today.
And the most important lesson....
5. When you scream from almost stepping on a snake as loud as you can, it echos.
Beautiful anytime of the year! Bring your hiking shoes and walk for miles enjoy the beautiful sound
I can't believe after all the times I've visited here over the years - no one ever took me to Discovery Park!
What a wonderful secret just a few miles from my house. Forest, trails, open land, cliffs, hills, rocks, beach. When you can't make time for a real mountain summit, this certainly makes a city trail seem like a perfectly honorable alternative.
I'm not really sure how we managed to make what should have been a 10 minute walk to the beach, a good 30 minutes.. but, rest assured, we absolutely did!
I had been to the beach at Discovery Park a few years back, and, well.. it was completely lovely! It was a hot, sunny day and the short hike through the woods was totally doable for anyone, especially those who don't own a pair of Tevas or some North Face (me!).
Fast forward to a few days ago, when I decide that my man-squeeze and I really need to 'get some nature' and have a beach picnic. It really does sound nice, now doesn't it? A little food, some sun, a blanket.. yada yada..
So, yesterday upon waking up and realizing the weather was lot less than savory, we decide, 'what the hell!' and do it anyway.
We go, we park.. and we walk.. and walk.. and walk.
We start to get the feeling that we've got a ways to go, as we notice we're getting the sympathetic, 'Where do these a**holes think they're going with their towel, their picnic.. their chihuahua??!' looks from fellow hikers and runners.
Now this, friends, this is a BIG park. I forget how many paths and paths.. and paths there are. We walk and walk, and while it is absolutely gorgeous and smells like camping (love that smell), we seem to be a bit off in where we were going. After a good hike (and a good sweat), we ended up on a beach, it was not the sandy sunny beach I recall. The tide was way out and it was windy as all get out. It was definitely your typical, 'day at the PNW beach.'
Windy and a little cold, we still managed our picnic. The beach is beautiful, even on a crappy day like yesterday; we still enjoyed ourselves.
We knew we had a good hike ahead of us afterward- pretty much a 1/2 mile up a 90 degree hill, but it was all good.. we got a little taste o' nature, some sand in our shorts, and I know I slept like a dream last night..
I just know that next time, we'll be looking at a park map.
Go here.. it's a lovely way to get lost.
There's nothing quite a like a nice picnic. Quiet, overlooking Puget Sound, in the middle of a forest, on a private overhang.
Cheese, crackers, good company and what have you. Talk a little, then just fall into comfortable silence - letting nature and the view hold things together. Secluded, like the world is just your little bubble.
Discovery Park is huge, with hiking trails, beach, and forest - right in the middle of Seattle. Wonderful views. Wonderful public and semi-private spaces.
A good place to go to relax, find peace, and just let go.
I really don't have anything new to contribute, but we visited this park for the first time on Saturday and I was impressed by the size. We followed the loop trail to the south beach trail and headed down to a very pretty beach. It's not really a sunbathing beach, but there were lots of tide pools, and and it's great to cool your feet in the Sound before the climb back up. Not knowing what to expect, I did the hike in flip flops, which I wouldn't recommend.
A huge park in Seattle... for a newbie like me, it was hard to figure out where to begin. Had a taxi driver take us here and he dropped us off at some random Indian Cultural Center. It really would've helped us if we had started our journey at the Information Center! In desperate need of a map, we just started wandering the random trails in the forest. Several veterans were able to help us along our way and we eventually made it over to the Info Center (only to find it closed - they're closed on Mondays). Just our luck!
Luckily there was a public map there. We really wanted to see the lighthouse so we embarked on our journey towards the South Beach Trail. The park offers beautiful landscapes and seclusion... we ran into several runners and their dogs here. Perfect for the outdoorsy type, but not as much fun for the touristy type. Lots of greens and if you go in the right direction you'll hit the ocean, but don't come expecting much more than nature at its best.
Within a 20 minute drive of the city? Sister, it's IN the city! Anyway!
I love Discovery Park for the variety it offers, there's something for every type of landscape lover: beach, meadows, grassy knolls for laying back in the sun, hiking trails, the works.
I will agree with those who said they get lost too easily, I always seem to be confused about where I parked and how to get back there.
The beachy area by the lighthouse is a great place to take a stroll with someone on the beach, and maybe more than strolling if there isn't anyone else around *ahem* Love this park!
The loops trail is perfect for novice trail runners to get their start. Do make sure to watch for the occasional garter snake crossing the path. The last time I was zipping down the path I almost stepped on one, which would have been a shame. Love those little guys.
Also keep an eye out for Bald Eagles, I've seen a couple of them on two of my visits. Plenty of other types of birds for watchers to see as well. I also walked under a huge nest of some sort of black insects which has neat to see, but I didn't hang out near it long.
My favorite activity to do with my son here is the North Beach Trail. He's a young one and it's just challenging enough to make it interesting for him. The reward for the effort is a great beach with beautiful views of the Olympics and sound. The large driftwood pieces are also fun for hide and go seek or a more secluded picnic.
I do wish we'd had a bit more moisture over the summer as all the grassy areas and field are all now very yellow and dried. This is really my only complaint. I like that they've made the decision to conserve water though by not watering these areas so no stars off.
I went to the park a couple of months ago (looked it up on yelp :] - ahem). It was one of the highlights of my whole trip. Nice hiking trails, fresh air, a little beach...so nice.
I don't live in Seattle, but I really do hope that the locals continue to take care of the park. Keep it clean and keep it green. It truly offers a sweet mini getaway in the middle of such an industrial area. If I lived there, it'd definitely be one of my fav spots.
TIPS:
- Wear comfy shoes
- The size of the park tricks you! It's a lot bigger than you may think
- If bugs freak you out, wear insect repellent if you decide to hit the trails. (or maybe you should just stay away from hiking :P)
I want to move up to Washington.
Yeesh... For all of the incredibly beautiful areas surrounding Seattle, I'm a really surprised Seattlites aren't a little more choosy about their parks.
Discovery Park is a definitely a nice park and it's great because it's so close to downtown; however, there are a ton of downsides that people seem to be overlooking just because it's convenient.
The trails are exquisitely maintained, which is great for an easy stroll and awesome if you're into trail running. These outstanding trails come at a cost however. There are service roads all over the place. It's really hard to get that "out in nature" feel when you have to cross a street every tenth of a mile.
The lighthouse is cute, and would be very noteworthy if not for the massive modern antenna scarring the scene. The chain link fence doesn't help the charm either.
If you're looking to take a stroll on the beach, head to the South Beach trail and don't even bother with the North Beach. Depending on the tide, North Beach frequently has the tendency to become littered with the carcasses of hundreds of small crabs that have been either dismantled by seagulls or broken apart by the surf. Combine that with the rotting seaweed everywhere and you've got quite a lovely smell. Plus the rocks on North Beach are much larger than the ones on South Beach, making it much more difficult to walk on.
And a lot of the scenery is just unimpressive. There are also large fields of unkempt grass and weeds that become muddy messes after frequent rains and are just not and are just unsightly.
The reflection pools near Wolf Trail would also be nice, if they weren't so covered in green sludge that you could actually see any sort of reflection.
Please don't get me wrong. I really like Discovery Park and there is a ton of great things about it as you can see by reading all of the other reviews. I have chosen to focus on the negatives because they seemed to have been so overlooked in nearly all of the other reviews. If you want a great park, take an hour long drive and go to Mt. Rainier, a couple of hours and go to North Cascades, or even three hours to get over to Olympic National Park. They are all worth the drive and those are REAL 5 star parks.
This is so beautiful.
Nature everywhere. The park is well-maintained and there are lovlely trails to walk and hike on. Interesting educational walks and talks are frequently held. I need to return.
I think of all the things I love most about this park, which are too many to recap or even count, is just that it's so.. broad. There is something for everyone here.
I have spent a day here, but done 5-6 different things, completely different things. Walking on the beach for hours, watching the boats pass through the sound, having a picnic in the open fields of flowers and grass, hiking up and up and up, exploring trails, getting lost in the woods.. it's all wonderful and magnificent.
By far my favorite park in Seattle, and one of my favorite in-city parks of all time.
For a park kinda in the city, its pretty amazing. I thoroughly enjoyed the trails and the scenery. The lighthouse was an unknown bonus, as was an opportunity for an artistic photograph. A couple actually. Although, if it werent for a fellow named Tom twice, i would have been more lost than a chicken in a fox den. Awesome place for some weekend strolls though!!
Come on! There's not a single good reason for a negative review of Discovery Park! It's without a doubt Seattle's best park for hiking and taking in views of the Sound. My favorite hike in the "loop trail". During the summer, you can enjoy incredible views of the Sound and also eat your fill of super delicious blackberries. This is, in my opinion, the very best in-city place to hike. I LOVE Discovery Park!
Boy I can't believe I barely missed being first to review for Discovery Park! I would have thought there would have already been so many reviews for this park. Its one of my favorites to see all that Washington State is known for: trees, water and great views. There are tons of trails for hiking, and the most popular one is a 2.8 mile loop that has some good rolling hills. It was a brisk maybe 50 degrees when I was there last week, but the sun was shining and the park was just as great as I remember. Tons of other joggers, dogs being walked, crazy parents with their jog strollers (hard core!) And the occasional teens meandering around the numerous paths. This park is a former military base that has been converted into a public park, but when you take the trails you will still see some of the military housing. Kinda odd to jog and then run into these houses out in the middle of nowhere.
My two favorite things are to take one of the trails to the lighthouse on the beach, and the other is to take the steep trail so you are on this amazing bluff. All you see is the water below you for miles and miles. It truly is breathtaking on just how naturally gorgeous the PNW really is. Come here in any season, just watch out if it just rained.....there is so much canopy of the forest that a lot of the trails can get pretty muddy.
Where in the hell am I?
On a recent sunny clear day I went to Discovery Park to clear my head and ponder life, little did I know I would get lost despite my best efforts to stay on the trail. Sure, sure, laugh at me all you want, I got lost in a park in the middle of the city, but it's confusing!
Along the way I encountered:
A Quaint Lighthouse
- Is this just for looks?
A Waste Water Treatment Facility
- It kind of smelled but wasn't the worst thing in the world.
A Military Base
- Seriously? What is this doing in Magnolia?
The Military Base Commissary
- Why can't I just buy a drink here? I'll pay full price, I'm lost in the wilderness, won't you just give me a drink???
A Soda Machine
- Whoohooo Minute Maid lemonade! Not even the military can stop me from buying fake juice!
A Porta Potty
- It was locked but I had to go real bad, and who knew when I would see civilization again?
A Park Facility Bathroom
- Uhhh there was probably stuff lurking in there, and no one was around to hear me scream, so I ran in and ran out as fast as possible!
The Indian Cultural Center
- Not sure what you can do or see here but it looked interesting, and it had a totem pole.
A Flag Pavilion/Field/Amphitheater
- Kind of reminded me of summer camp.
Blackberries
- Yummy! Food! I haven't eaten in a few hours and there's no one around to see me gobbling down the berries.
The Best View
- Mt Rainer on a clear day, the water, a glimpse of the city. The reason I live in Seattle.
Get lost.
This park is enormous. I go all the time and get lost. I saw a whale once on the beach while on a run but was unable to take a picture of it due to the delay on my camera phone.
But it was real. I swear.
I will be sad when the days get too short and the skies get too rainy for me to go after work. But I think it is scary at night. But, I guess most places are.
WARNING: This will not be a useful review. Sorry. Funny/Cool? Maybe. It could go either way at this point. Here we go. Let's start the show.
After reading the other reviews, I can't think of a single useful thing that I can add here. I've been racking my brain. So here are some words that jump into my head when I think of this place.
Sun, fun, run, ducks, blackberries, Mt. Rainier, awe-inspiring, wildlife, trails, streams, bridges, frogs, bogs, logs, trees, views, unwinding, calm, being one with nature...
What, are you still there? Okay, turn off the computer. Use your car or public transportation. Take a compass with you. Get to this park ASAP while the weather is still nice. You will regret not doing it when the winter shows up.
Wait a minute, that almost sounded useful. Curses!
Ever since I spied a map of Seattle, it'd been a secret longing of mine to visit Discovery Park, with its grand magnitude and its decommissioned Army base-ness . But, oh! How the opportunity escaped me until that one fateful day.
I took the dogs here for an entire day. It was one of those days that started out overcast, with which I was okay, but which turned into a beautiful, sunny day. You know, one of those quintessentially Seattle days.
I was here for hours and could have easily stayed longer. I hiked around the Daybreak Star Indian center; took in the view near the wooden overlook nearby; then stumbled into the woods, following paths not marked but well forged; and ended up at Magnolia Bluff, overlooking the sailboats and West Seattle--looking much closer than I expected it to, having only ever seen Magnolia from its shores. Eventually I found the beach and attended a tour of the West Point Lighthouse, the responsibility for which had just been bequeathed to Seattle Parks & Recreation--and they were kind enough to allow the dogs into the lighthouse.
I wandered around various trails and although I was in no hurry to leave, finally decided to depart in order to save some excitement for when next I visited. I've been back, but never had such a banner day as when first I visited the neighborhood of Magnolia, and its crown jewel, Discovery Park. I eagerly await further discoveries within its boundaries, as its name would promise.
Go there soon.
There are bunnies here.
When I was a teenager and lived a block and a half away, there was a cougar loose here.
You can fly a kite here off of sand dune high above the beach.
There is an Italian and a German prisoner of war buried in the Fort Lawton Cemetery here.
You can learn all about native culture here.
You can walk for days here.
I love it here.
One of the Best City Parks Ever!
I love taking the afternoon to hike around the park; it really feels like you are far away from the city. Great views from the point and from on top of the cliffs, of the Olympic Mountains!
I make sure and take all my visiting friends here for a good hike.
