Carkeek Park and Beach Walk to Ballard

Hike Length: 3 miles for basic hike, 6 miles for Ballard Locks beach hike

Elevation Gain: minimal

Hike Difficulty: easy (moderate to the Ballard Locks)

Map: Seattle street map

updated 9/22/2012

Situated in a green ravine with a perpetually flowing stream, Carkeek Park is one of the gems of the Seattle park system. Hikers will appreciate the generous network of of well maintained trails that traverse the park's 200+ acres. If the tide is low, a visit to Carkeek Park can be turned into an all-day adventure by walking the Puget Sound shore from Carkeek's fine beach to the Chittenden Locks (or "Ballard Locks" as they are commonly called).

Carkeek Park is named after Morgan J. Carkeek, a prominent builder who moved to Seattle in 1875. The park originally was located on Lake Washington, but was relocated when the Navy condemned the Sand Point area to build a base there in 1926.

Carkeek Park beach from footbridge (photo by Joe Mabel, Wikimedia Commons)

Getting There

From downtown Seattle , catch the northbound Metro 28 bus and ride it all the way through Ballard to the stop by Carkeek Park's south entrance at NW 100 Place and 6th Ave, located by a QFC supermarket .

The Hike

From the bus stop on NW 100th Place, its just a few steps to the entrance to Carkeek Park, where there is a small lawn with picnic tables. The hiking trail begins at the north side of the lawn.

The trail switchbacks down into the forested ravine of Piper's Creek, quickly leaving the sights and sounds of civilization behind. After reaching the floor of the ravine, the trail follows the creek downstream. It is cool and damp in the ravine,even on the hottest of summer days. As you hike down the valley, the creek gradually gathers volume from the inflow from springs and storm sewers. You may see spawning salmon in the creek, which features its own miniature salmon run. After a half mile,the trail passes a remnant of Mr. Piper's orchard, left over from the homesteading days before the area was a city park.

The trail passes a cluster of brick buildings( a tastefully landscaped sewer plant!) then reached a large lawn, a short mile from the start of the hike. From here, side trails branch out in all directions; explore them as you please. The main trail (here called the "Salmon to Sound Trail") follows the south edge of the lawn to a driveway. Cross the road and continue hiking on a an boardwalk trail equipped with interpretive signs that crosses a wetland. At the far end of the wetland you will arrive at a chain link fence blocking access to a railroad right-of-way. Just beyond the railroad is Carkeek's fine little beach; to get there , go right (north) along the trail next to the fence, which shortly leads to a parking lot and pedestrian overpass.

More trails begin just north of the beachside parking lot. Especially worthwhile is the North Bluff Trail that leads to an excellent viewpoint overlooking the Puget Sound. An extensive network of trails also covers the south side of the Pipers Creek valley.

Hiking the beach to the Ballard Locks

Simply hiking from the south entrance (where the bus stop is) to the beach and back is about a 3 mile hike. If you want more exercise, and the tide is low , walking along the beach to Ballard is an agreeable adventure. On a tide table, look for a low tide of +2 feet or less. Good daytime low tides are most frequent in late spring and early summer, and almost never occur in winter. A minus tide is especially fun; the beach seems to extend half way to Bainbridge Island, and you may encounter a rare sighting of the elusive geoduck.

Golden Gardens Park and beach (Photo by Joe Mabel, Wikimedia Commons)

It is about a two mile hike on the beach from Carkeek Park to Golden Gardens Park. If the tide is coming in, don't linger too long--it's amazing how fast the beach can disappear under rising water. The walkable beach ends at the lawns and picnic tables of Golden Gardens; continue the hike by walking through the park, then along the west side of Seaview Ave. Much of the shore beyond the park is occupied by the huge, boat-infested Shilshole Marina. Just before the start of the marina, you'll reach the historic Coney Island Cafe, which offer basic food and restrooms if you need an energy boost. Beyond the marina, Seaview Ave and walking route turns away from Puget Sound and follows the Ship Canal waterway. Continue following the sidewalk to the Chittenden "Ballard" Locks, 4 miles from Carkeek Park.

There's a lot to see at the Locks, and you may want to spend some time exploring the area.

High tide at Carkeek may tempt you to walk along the Burlington Northern railroad right-of-way as an alternate means to get to Golden Gardens Park . However, this is definitely not recommended because of the danger from the heavy train traffic. Also, the tracks are patrolled regularly and you may be cited for trespassing

Chittenden "Ballard" Locks (photo by Joe Mabel, Wikimedia Commons)

Getting Back

If you remained in Carkeek Park, return the way you came along the Piper's Creek Trail to NW 100th Place, and ride Metro 28 to downtown Seattle.

From the Locks, ride Metro 44 to 15th Ave W. Transfer to Rapid Ride D to go to downtown Seattl.