Best Seattle Stairway Workouts: Around Union Bay

Our book offers 25 stairway routes through 20 neighborhoods, with an emphasis on discovering "new" neighborhood nooks and crannies on foot. Still, we're sometimes asked which stairways are best for exercise. In response, we're showcasing Seattle stairs that lend themselves to a good workout. This third post puts the spotlight on the Union Bay area - specifically the Ravenna, Laurelhurst and Montlake neighborhoods. 

The NE 52nd Street stairs - Ravenna (Chapter 1): One of the longer stairways in town is located in Ravenna, just north of the UW and University Village. The base is located way at the back of a P-Patch garden just off Ravenna Avenue NE, where NE 52nd Street would be if it weren't so darn steep. Here, NE 52nd has been replaced by a series of stairways that head up the hill for 218 steps, pausing briefly to cross 22nd Avenue NE and then 21st Avenue NE, finally coming to an end just before 20th Avenue NE. After that, NE 52nd Street starts up again.

The lower NE 52nd Street stairs start at the back of a P-PatchThe stairs pause briefly here to cross 22nd Avenue NE, then 21st, with one last gasp just before reaching 20th

The Laurelcrest stairs - Laurelhurst (Chapter 6): Also on the north side of Union Bay, in the Laurelhurst neighborhood, is a wonderful set of 94 stairs that provides views across Lake Washington toward Kirkland as they meander down from 50th Avenue NE to Laurelcrest Lane. They don't follow any particular street right-of-way, so we just call them the Laurelcrest stairs. The top of the staircase is just a couple of houses shy of where 50th Avenue NE dead-ends. You might have some fun finding it, tucked away in shrubbery on both sides. Sidewalk landmarks include a mailbox and a fire hydrant.

Looking up the Laurelcrest stairs; the bottom ends near a small shoreline access point adjacent to the Laurelhurst Beach Club

The 22nd Avenue stairs - Montlake (Chapter 14): On the south side of Union Bay, in the Montlake neighborhood, the 107 steps at 22nd Avenue E are a nice challenge. They don't have a particular point of interest, so you'll be sure to concentrate on your up-and-down circuits. After that, you can visit one of the nearby pub or cafe opportunities along 24th Avenue E; or take a stroll in nearby Washington Park Arboretum.

The base of the 22nd Avenue stairs

Laurelhurst

Laurelhurst is the peninsula sticking out into Union Bay, roughly between the University of Washington and Lake Washington. Until well into the 20th century it was a rural outpost reached mostly by boat from Madison Park. That's hard to envision given the prosperous, well-manicured residential neighborhood it has become.

This route uncovers some very cool Seattle stairs. One stairway leads you down to a secluded and historically significant shoreline. Another one appears just around the bend of a driveway, only to dive irresistably down a leafy Laurel tunnel. The main route provides superb views across Lake Washington toward Kirkland and Bellevue as it explores the eastern side of the peninsula. An optional side trip takes you over to the western side, for views across the water to Husky Stadium and the Arboretum before turning around at magnificent Union Bay Natural Area.     

For more about Laurelhurst's fascinating history, try these links: HistoryLink.org; The Laurelhurst Blog; and Friends of Waterway 1. For info on Seattle's program for its 149 shoreline street-ends, click here. 

The "www" icons indicate where you'll find pictures and other content that are referenced in the book. Additional (unmarked) pictures show even more scenes you'll find along this route. 

Diving down into a Laurel tunnel at the "Hidden Stairs"

Starting up the NE 42nd Street stairs

As mentioned in the book - if you're still frisky after the main route, this side trip from your starting place out to Union Bay Natural Area adds 3.5 miles to your exploration of the Laurelhurst peninsula (no added stairways), with added views and shoreline access on the western side. Detailed directions are available via the QR Code at the end of the Laurelhurst chapter in the book, or here. The route is shown below:

 

Optional walk: looking back on the narrow lakeside access, between two driveways at the street

Shoreline view from "Waterway 1," Husky Stadium in background

Looking back toward the Belvoir Park entrance, from lakeside

Belvoir Park is located in the Belvoir Subdivision, developed by "Uncle Joe" Surber, who was also King County's first sheriff. As you walk along NE Surber Drive you'll glimpse Yesler Cove just beyond the trees. This is the eastern edge of the Union Bay Natural Area, which extends west as far as the UW campus.

The Center For Urban Horticulture (CUH) is the first thing you'll see as you approach the Union Bay Natural Area (it's pictured at the top of this posting). The CUH is a research station of the UW Botanic Gardens, and it's a beautiful architectural and garden space too. The garden area is colorful and full of texture, and everything is well-labeled. If you plan a picnic, there are benches and other places to sit, and there's plenty of grassy space around the Union Bay side of the complex. 

Don't stop at CUH, though - an extensive trail system weaves through the Union Bay Natural Area (see map above). There's a diversity of habitats in a very small space, and University teams have planted native vegetation to suit. Accompanying all this is a terrific concentration of more than 240 bird species, seen here at various times of the year. For additional background on Union Bay Natural Area history, trails and birds, visit Seattle Audubon's website  Birdweb - Union Bay Natural Area. For info on tours, trails etc. see the website Center for Urban Horticulture.