Lake Washington Boulevard — Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023

There are many good hiking paths in Seattle which do not require locals to get in a car and drive to the mountains. Lake Washington Boulevard is one of them. During the summer on some weekends, the road itself is closed from Mount Baker Beach all the way to Seward Park, but at other times, a narrow walking track next to the shoreline is a wonderful escape from the City.

Many sea birds visit the lake in winter. The lake is constantly changing its mood, sometimes beautiful ripples, sometimes storm waves with reflected swells off the bridge, and often perfectly calm on a foggy winter's morning. Even though the car traffic along the road can be brisk, the path is far enough away from the road to invite one to enter a wilderness mind frame.

As of this writing, the City is in the final design stage of a $400,000 project to  make improvements along Lake Washington Blvd, though it is unclear how much of that budget will go to pedestrian infrastructure. One thing is clear though, if more people enjoy our urban walking gems, priorities will change, improving our outdoor options in the Emerald City.

I access the path from 31st Ave. S, walk down the Dose Steps, and then follow the dirt track along the lake all the way to the boat house, crossing at the cross walk, through Genesee Park, across the play fields, continuing on paths all the way to the Columbia City Post office (approx 2.5 miles). There are a couple of short sections where the lake bank is eroding and the trail has collapsed. At present, they are marked by orange cones and they are easy to skirt above on the grass.