Lincoln Park — Sunday, Feb. 19, 2012

Puget Sound and Islands > Seattle-Tacoma Area

Local Hike #2: Lincoln Park. Since I was confined to local hikes this month, I visited Lincoln Park in West Seattle. Lincoln Park offers beachfront hiking, views of Puget Sound, and a good aerobic workout opportunity, as well as multiple trails that are in good condition. It has a playground, baseball fields, and restrooms with running water. And the best part: it doesn't require a parking pass! A trail map can be found at http://www.seattle.gov//parks/environment/trails/images/LincolnParkTrails.pdf We arrived in the early afternoon and decided to do a couple counterclockwise loops along the top of the bluff. We used primarily trails #2 (top of bluff) and #1 (beachfront), for a distance of 1.85 miles per loop. There are other, shorter trails that criscoss the park, but we did not explore them in detail. Trail #2 was muddy in places but not difficult to pass. For those looking for a true workout, there are relatively steep connector trails between the bluff and beachfront trails. Along the way, we saw a bald eagle, numerous seabirds, budding spring flowers, Vashon Island, the Vashon Ferry, and a cargo ship. It was cool and partly cloudy, so there were no Olympic views.