How about an easy silvan hike that doesn’t require a long drive or putting up with other holiday-weekend travelers? We’ve known about Frink Park for years, but had only walked the northern most part of it that leads from Yesler Way down to the water.
But last week we went through the southern part and found a nice trail and some cool stuff to do along the way:
1. Start at Leschi Park on the waterfront next to the Leschi Market. Walk up the sidewalk into the park, staying left, and go past the restrooms and up the steps
2. Veer right at the top of the steps and continue until you cross Lake Washington Blvd. Follow the trail up the hill, staying to the left at any branches.
3. As you get to the top of the hill, you’ll run into S. Frink Place. Cross it and pick up the trail on the other side
4. When the trail comes to Lake Washington Blvd again, take a quick right towards the bridge and walk back up the side of the stream. Enjoy the waterfall:
5. Walk back and cross Lake Washington Blvd, and follow the trail on the other side
6. The next time you see a trail to the right, take it and see where the nice little stream drains into a less nice culvert (hey Leschillians! how about a daylighting project?):
7. Go back and follow the trail to its exit on S. King. Walk east on King, cross Lakeside, and check out the pocket park on Lake Washington. Great for a dog swim:
8. Follow the sidewalk back to the Leschi Marina.
View Frink Park Hike in a larger map
http://www.seattle.gov/parks/park_detail.asp?ID=392
The park was donated to the City in 1907 by John M. Frink, Washington state Senator and founder of the Washington Iron Works. A thickly overgrown ravine, the park was spruced up in 1909 for the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition with footbridges, paths, benches and a bridge over the ravine.
In 1999, neighbors formed Friends of Frink Park (www.frinkpark.org) and developed the Frink Park Concept Plan, followed by the beginnings of native habitat restoration and over 3,000 feet of improved hiking trails.
http://www.frinkpark.org/
Though about 20 years out of date, the Footsore books by Harvey Manning are a great resource for these sorts of things. I recently picked up the ones for Seattle and Bellingham for $10 at a local used book store.
While I would guess many of the locations Harvey describes are now developed or otherwise inaccessible now, there are a great many places that I would love to go visit, only a short ways away.
These books inspired my friend and I to take an only slightly illegal beach walk from Edmonds to Golden Gardens last week. It was really nice — bluffs, rocks, birds, and tidal flats as far as the eye could see.
Seattle is really a special place, and walks like these are the best way to celebrate it!