Carkeek Park

 Carkeek Park is a bit of an underdog park in Seattle. It's no Discovery Park, and if you're in NW Seattle, I feel like so many more people opt for Golden Gardens. It's a unique park that deserves a chance though. Or maybe I should keep my mouth shut to keep the hordes of people away.

No salmon in the creek today!

Ducks in the wetlands.

Of course, since it's on the NW part of the Seattle isthmus, there is a beach. I went on a beautiful day, and it was very sparsely populated with people. There's a footbridge that climbs over the BNSF tracks which adds to the uniqueness of the park. Some people might think the tracks detract from the views, but I kind of think it adds to it. On a clear day you can see the Olympics in the distance over Puget Sound, like most beaches on the western edge of Seattle.

An amazing forest right in the city!

Emerald City indeed

Is that the Mariner's trident??

The park’s 200+ acres include a rich tapestry of forest, wetlands, and beach. Upon entering Carkeek, visitors are immediately greeted by a dense forest of towering Douglas firs and western red cedars, creating a canopy that feels both protective and serene. The forested trails are well-maintained, with Piper’s Creek Trail being a notable highlight. The creek runs throughout the entire park and empties into the Sound. The creek is also a salmon-bearing stream that becomes particularly vibrant in the fall when the salmon return to spawn. (The locks aren't the only place to catch salmon in action!) This annual event is a testament to the park’s ecological significance and adds an educational aspect to its recreational offerings. I had no idea about this aspect of the park until we read the plaques along the trails. I definitely want to return later. The water levels in the creek were definitely nowhere near ready to support salmon movement. (BRING ON THE AUTUMN RAINS!!)

 

Enjoying their sandbar...rockbar?

A beautiful day and no one's here!

There goes the stream making its way into the Sound

A view from the pedestrian bridge over the tracks. There's plenty of stereotypical love locks chained to the fence up there. Let's be original.

Cool juxtaposition. No trains came by during our visit :(

BRB train hopping

Beavers tried to dam up the wetlands.

There is a playground area if you have little ones as well. The day we went there was a small Shaved Ice stand staffed by a single person in a lawn chair. They were staring at their phone the entire time, even when we looked around to see what they offered. After no sign of them looking up, we walked away, shaved ice-less. Awkward.