10 In-City Forest Walks for Seattle and Eastside Families
Photo:
Schmitz Preserve Park. Credit: Jennifer Johnson
Schmitz Preserve Park
The trails in West Seattle’s Schmitz Preserve Park will make you feel like you’ve traveled deep into the woods. This preserve holds one of the few remaining stands of old-growth timber left in the city. Walk into a steep ravine as the sound of traffic recedes behind you. Listen for the gurgle of water in the creeks and the chatter of birds in the treetops.
Kids will love: Splashing in the streams and seeing the huge old trees.
Find it: The address of the park is 5551 S.W. Admiral Way, Seattle, but a good place to park is along Southwest Admiral Way at Southwest. Stevens Street. You can find restrooms and an imaginative playground at the nearby Alki Playground (also known as Whale Tail Park) at 5817 S.W. Lander Street.
Distance: Take one of the trails south off Admiral Way up the ravine, cross the wetland and hike back down to the stream. The main loop is about 1.4 miles, and there are 0.3 more miles of spur trails in the park.
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