Explore Seattle’s scenic side in Green Lake Park. Find the park in the middle of the Green Lake neighborhood in the north-central part of the city. As you enjoy its serene lake, beautiful walking trails and plentiful amenities, discover why the park is a popular destination for both visitors and locals.
Green Lake, which was formed by the Vashon Glacial Ice Sheet over 50,000 years ago, sits at the center of the park. It was once much larger years of dredging and filling by the City of Seattle have shrunk the lake by nearly 100 acres (40 hectares). Today, it is home to numerous types of birds and other animals, including herons, loons, geese, turtles and raccoons. Bring your binoculars to view many of them from afar on Duck Island, a wildlife sanctuary that is off-limits to humans.
Enjoy the scenery along the park’s 2.8-mile (4.5-kilometer) pathway. Run, walk, bike or skate along the trail, which loops around Green Lake.
During summer months, enjoy a refreshing swim in Green Lake. Its two swimming areas, East Green Lake Beach and West Green Lake Beach, have amenities that include a play area for children, diving boards and restroom facilities. Put your sailboat, canoe, rowboat or other non-motorized vessel in the water at one of the lake’s many boat access points.
See a performance in the park’s 1920s-era bathhouse, which is now home to the Seattle Public Theater at the Bathhouse. Play a variety of sports, from soccer to baseball, basketball and tennis, on the park’s many fields and courts. Enjoy a picnic in the barbecue area. Take children to the playground or wading pools.
Visit Green Lake Park daily throughout the year. Access it from elsewhere in the city via Seattle’s metro system. Park in the parking lots dedicated for its two beaches or take advantage of street parking.
Green Lake Park is largely surrounded by the lively Green Lake neighborhood. Phinney Ridge, Woodland Park and Wallingford border the park from west to south. Check out the shops, cafés and restaurants that line the streets of these lively neighborhoods.
