Walking From Georgetown to Columbia City

Feet First is a membership nonprofit that advocates for walkability throughout the state. They are very active around Seattle, with volunteer Neighborhood Walking Ambassadors (NWAs) leading regular urban walkabouts. If you join the Feet First Meetup, you'll be in the know about their frequent on-foot explorations of neighborhoods all over central Puget Sound. 

On this late-winter day, in light rain, about 10 explorers joined NWA John Reardon for a walk between Georgetown and Columbia City. The two of us were curious about how we'd find our way up and over Beacon Hill from one neighborhood to the other. We were eager to see what we'd find along this creative city hike, anchored at either end by two of Seattle's most vital and interesting neighborhoods.

As it turned out John picked a great loop route that offered several discoveries for the two of us: a beautifully preserved 19th-century cemetery; a couple of discreetly tucked-away yet spacious Parks greenspaces, complete with trails and stairs; and a major, previously unwalked stairway with 157 steps.   

A trail in the new Cheasty Greenspace

Stairways in Kirkland!

North entrance, Crestview Park: 210 steps

Until now our experience of Kirkland was limited to the little urban village around Central Way and Lake Street S. Last weekend, though, Feet First Neighborhood Walking Ambassador Dave Ramsay showed us how much we've been missing.

He led us and about 25 other walkers on a 6-mile loop through a couple of Kirkland's neighborhoods and a half-dozen great parks, each of them different from the rest. The slides below give a quick overview of what we discovered. We were blown away!

Feet First's Neighborhood Walking Ambassador program leads adventuresome walks all over. Check out their Meetup Group for a wealth of current urban hiking opportunities.