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The 534-acre Discovery Park is a haven for nature seekers. Located in the Magnolia neighborhood in west Seattle, the waterfront park is directly across from Bainbridge Island and sits on a bluff overlooking Puget Sound. Its 11 miles of walking trails include a long stretch of tidal beach along with meadows, forest, sand dunes, and sea cliffs. Operated by the city of Seattle, it's meant to be a sanctuary for wildlife and an outdoor environmental classroom for adults and children.
The park's acreage is the ancestral home of the Duwamish, Suquamish, Tulalip, and Muckleshoot Native American peoples, who occupied the land for at least 4,000 years and probably closer to 10,000, according to the city.
While today the park, the largest in the city, is a peaceful and environmentally protected area, it is the former site of Fort Lawton, a U.S. Army post that was active during both World War I and II and the Korean War. During the Second World War, the fort was used as an embarkation point for soldiers and supplies headed to the Pacific Theater. Both the fort and the nearby residential neighborhood of Lawton Wood are named after Major General Henry Ware Lawton.
Walking Trails Beckon To Beachfront, Forest
Entry to the park, at 3801 Discovery Park Boulevard and roughly a 15-minute drive from downtown Seattle, is free, and the park is open daily. It's best known for its walking trails, some paved and some unpaved, and also is popular with bicyclists, who are asked to remain on paved portions of the trails.
The most celebrated trail is the West Point Lighthouse trail, a 1.5-mile route accessible from all three of the park's parking lots. A longer version, the Discovery Park and Lighthouse Loop Trail, is just over four miles and gives walkers great views of the park's beachfront and forest, and includes the historic lighthouse. The West Point Lighthouse was constructed in 1881 and continues to be an active navigational aid. From the westernmost point of the loop trail, walkers can see Mount Rainier to the south. While the loop trail doesn't reach the beachfront, walkers can take a short detour along the South Beach Trail to get there.
The South Beach and Hidden Valley Loop Trail is about 2.5 miles and is heralded by bird watchers. In fact, Discovery Park is home to some 270 species of birds, including eight owl species. Hikers are likely to see woodpeckers, gulls, herons, and chickadees, along with thrush and brant. Those who want to walk on the beach should choose the North Beach and Hidden Valley Loop, which includes a 1.8-mile stretch of sandy beach. Views of the Cascade and Olympics mountains can be seen from the Birds Nest and Lookout Beach Trail, which is a 2.6-mile loop, some of which is hilly.
For children, the Discovery Park Playground is located near the East Parking Lot. It is a nature-inspired playground that was opened in 2017 and offers zip lines, slides, climbing structures, and towers. The playground is shaded by evergreens and welcomes children of all ages.
The Cultural Center Offers Insights Into Native Peoples
Within the park, the Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center and Sacred Circle Gallery & Gift Shop are located in a modern building that has elements of traditional Northwest Native architecture. The center and gallery are open daily, and admission is free.
The center, which opened in 1977, offers Native American activities and events, such as arts and crafts markets, and hosts the United Indians’ Seafair Indian Days Powwow each July. The gallery and gift shop feature permanent and temporary exhibits of traditional and contemporary works by Native American artists, and the shop sells original Native American art along with books, clothing, and other items.
The center's stated mission is to provide educational, cultural, and social services that reconnect Indigenous people in the Puget Sound region to their heritage. Among the services, it offers to Native families in the area is a traditional medicine program, consisting of workshops focusing on plant identification, tea and salve making, spiritual practices, and traditional foods.
Where to Grab A Bite Near Discovery Park
With all that hiking and birdwatching, visitors to Discovery Park will undoubtedly work up an appetite, and there are several popular eateries outside the park but within a mile or two from the entrance.
Ray's Boathouse, at 6049 Seaview Avenue, serves seafood plus organic meat dishes and local microbrews. The Ballard Cut, at 5313 Ballard Avenue NW, specializes in seafood and steaks and holds regular whisky tastings. For Peruvian-inspired cuisine, there's Pink Salt, located at 3321 W. McGraw Street.
Highliner Public House offers seafood and shellfish specialties at its location at 3909 18th Avenue West. For a casual lunch, visitors can check out Serendipity Cafe and Lounge at 3222 W. McGraw Street, serving a wide range of sandwiches and burritos.