Cedar Park and the Burke-Gilman Trail

NOTE: A major stairway on this route was replaced in early 2013. This posting shows the old stairway; for pictures of the new stairway plus several additional pictures along this route, click here.

This is another tour of Seattle stairs that is hugely influenced by the relationship of Lake Washington and the bluffs above it. Here, up in the northwest corner of the lake, the neighborhood of Cedar Park spills over the bluff down to the water. While Lake City Way is an important auto route up and over Lake Washington, there's not a lot of reason for your average car-driving Seattleite to venture here, between Lake City Way and Lake Washington. The streets aren't as dense or numerous as elsewhere, and further progress is blocked by the lake. But, for us adventurous urban hikers, this provides  the perfect opportunity to explore a completely charming spot we probably wouldn't see otherwise.

 

The walk starts out with vistas of northern Lake Washington from a long, steep stairway. Then there's a set of half-hidden stairs meandering toward the lake, interrupted in the middle by a pathway running down a quiet, shallow ravine. You'll spend some time lakeside, walking along the incomparable Burke-Gilman Trail - one of the finest rail-trails in the nation. You'll leave the trail to head back up the bluff and check out the rest of the scenic neighborhood. If time is a limiting factor, the book details an optional route that keeps the stairs, but shortens the neighborhood exploration.

 

The "www" icon marks additional pictoral content referenced in the book.

 

A view of Lake Washington as you descend the first stairway's 196 steps


A hanging moss garden flourishes on a salvaged concrete retaining wall

 

The top of the NE 130th Street stairs is not easy to spot on its way toward the lake; watch for an opening in the traffic barrier

The final flight of the NE 130th Street stairs ends at the Burke-Gilman Trail

Along some parts of the Burke-Gilman trail you can see signs of slope movement (note leaning trees); wildlife abounds right next to lakeside houses

Residents use landscaping in a variety of ways to capture views and reflect their surroundings

The walk begins and ends at Cedar Park - the park, that is

Cedar Park has a nice play area and portable restrooms

Deadhorse Canyon and Rainier Beach

This jaunt along Seattle stairs starts by taking you up and down the length of Deadhorse Canyon. Taylor Creek runs the length of the canyon, which itself occupies most of Lakeridge Park at the south end of Lake Washington. This creek is one of only three in the city that flow year-round, and it's fun to visit at different times of the year to watch how it changes. For example in late winter when sightlines are clear and water levels are high, the creek runs loud and looks quite impressive; in late summer you can barely hear the creek as the greenery closes over it. Your walk through Deadhorse Canyon will take you up and down 127 timber steps. You'll eventually climb out of the canyon and onto residential streets down toward Rainier Beach, where more stairways give up marvelous south Lake Washington views before you head back uphill to your starting place.

The slideshow marked by the "www" icon presents additional pictorial content referenced in the book. See additional pictures above and below.

Yup, go straight ahead and a path into Deadhorse Canyon will soon appear...

...and there it is; wear good shoes though, because the initial way down this gravel trail is quite steep! 

 

Susanna Stodden memorial, Deadhorse CanyonSusanna Stodden and her mother, Mary Cooper, died tragically on July 11, 2006 during a hike to Pinnacle Lake in the Mountain Loop Highway area of Snohomish County. Someone, still unidentified, shot them to death on the trail. Susanna was a well-known volunteer and tireless advocate for Deadhorse Canyon, and her death sent shock waves through the Friends community here. This memorial marks one of Susanna's favorite places to be - Deadhorse Canyon. Here's more information about Susanna and her love of Deadhorse Canyon: memorial.



Pathway near the bottom of Deadhorse Canyon and Lakeridge Park

View from the top of the Cooper Street stairs, which descend to Rainier Avenue S

You'll have a very brief walk along busy Rainier Avenue before heading up and away, via the Thayer Street stairway 

And a word about the side trips mentioned in the book directions:

 

For more views of Kubota Garden, check out this website. Additional Kubota Garden websites are: Kubota Garden Foundation and Seattle Parks.    

For more info and directions to Pritchard Beach Park, try Seattle Parks or Friends of Pritchard Beach Park. Thanks to Linnea Westerlind for the photo, from her "Year of Seattle Parks" blog, which is linked on our home page.