I parked at the base (no lot, just street parking, if you're lucky), and brought my running shoes. Oooh this is steep! It's straight up into a lovely neighborhood. I ran along that for a bit (mostly on sidewalks) and chose one of the several access points for my loop back down. Nice spot to get a big burst of nature in the middle of the West Seattle suburbs.

Similar to Carkeek Park in 2023, I wanted to walk another Seattle park I had always heard about but never been to, though I have lived here all my life. I headed over to West Seattle to plunge into Schmitz Preserve.  Funny how many times I have driven down Admiral over the years and gone right past it, not realizing there was this beautiful chunk of forest right there. I was actually really impressed by what good condition this forest was in--really amazing vibrant understory and tree canopy. Saw no ivy and just a little bit of blackberry by the trailhead (I volunteer with Earthcorps so I always notice those things!). The most skunk cabbage I have seen in a long time. Trillium too. Trail pretty muddy in some spots but otherwise in good shape. Surprised how few people I saw on this sunny weekend--just 12. Was expecting more. The area under the Admiral Bridge seems to be a big hang out/graffiti spot so that area looked the most worn out. I started at the Admiral/Stevens TH. I wanted to do the whole park from one end to the other so after entering the forest I headed north (right) out the top end of the park under the bridge to the 58th/Stevens/Alki Playground TH, then turned around and headed south. Through the ravine and up to the SW Hinds St TH, then back down, across the ravine, and up the other side (bit of a workout), to the 53rd/Orleans TH, then back down again to the bottom of the ravine and out. So, sort of a big Y through the park. 3 miles. Wildlife: ravens. 

A nice weather window this THU 28mar2024 morning for an urban-walk plan at West Seattle WA.

~06:45 i arrived and off-street parked beside Me-Kwa-Mooks Park. No one's around in the MKM Park and none too when i got back ~2+ hours later.

Out i went on a CW_Loop: Parking > Schmitz Preserve > Lowman Beach > Parking.

~99% of the "road link connectors" have Sidewalks. And it was Light traffic on the roads. Noticed total ~10 people (a few cycling, and a few walking) on the "road link connectors".

The trails in Schmitz Preserve and MKM Park are in good condition and  maintained. At the same time, crossing MKM Park boundary in to Me-Kwa-Mooks Natural Area, the trail in the latter seemed un-maintained .. more overgrown brushes.   

Encountered 2 people in Schmitz Preserve, 2 at Lowman Beach, and none in Me-Kwa-Mooks Park.

Everyone was courteous and friendly.

Lovely woods in Schmitz Preserve and Me-Kwa-Mooks Park, nice birdsongs and sweet solitude 😊

Cheers!

Hiked from the trailhead at Schmitz Elementary to Whale Tail Park with my kids (ages 4 and 7) and parents (in their 60s). We made a detour to Starbucks for a restroom so all told it was about 3 miles round-trip. 

This was our first time doing this hike. The alligator log is super cool even though the paint is fading and the lower jaw has basically disintegrated. 

The last creek crossing was super fun for the kids (and the grown-ups). It's not very deep right now and there are some rocks you can walk over if you don't want to get wet. 

Took a short hike through Schmitz Preserve and along the Alki Trail as part of a friend's project updating his Seattle Walks book!

The park is lovely as always though there is some muck on the trails (due in part to groundwater and seeps that come together to form Schmitz Creek). The Schmitz alligator is looking to be in pretty sad shape, too.

The full walk exits Schmitz on 49th and Hinds, walks through the neighborhood above the park, then returns to Beach Drive and dips back towards Me-Kwa-Mooks before turning north again and finishing near Alki and Whale Tail Park.

All of the route out of the park is on paved road or sidewalk. We were able to enjoy nice views of the Sound and the Olympics before rain came in in the afternoon.

Photo 1 - random spring pushing out of the concrete early in our walk

Photo 2 - Schmitz Alligator missing its lower jaw

Photo 3 - Halloween in December

Photo 4 - Mosaic at Cormorant Cove