Distance: 2.5 Mile trail around perimeter of park and several miles of forest trails
Elevation Gain: Flat or moderately sloping
Season: Year-round
Directions: From Seattle, take I-5 south to Exit 163, South Columbian Way, and go south on S. Columbian Way. Take a right on Beacon Ave. S. and a left on S. Orcas St. At the bottom of the hill (S. Orcas St. intersects Lake Washington Blvd. S.), turn right into the park. Park on the left, by the bathhouse, or along the southern shore of the park.
Description: Seward Park sits on a peninsula that juts out into Lake Washington. The paved perimeter trail follows the shore. Other dirt and gravel trails cross the forested peninsula. Visitors can pop into the Education Center to talk to the staff. You can see all kinds of birds here, including eagles, owls, woodpeckers, waterfowl and common songbirds. Kids and adults can take classes here on a wide variety of topics.
Links: Visit the Seattle Parks Dept. web page for Seward Park, http://www.seattle.gov/Parks/environment/seward.htm. You can find history, trail information, and directions on that page. The Friends of Seward park web site http://www.sewardpark.org has interesting entries about the forest, birds, native plants, and geology of the park.
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