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Driftwood beach on Puget Sound at Carkeek Park, northwest Seattle

Northwest

Northwest Seattle pairs Carkeek Park's beach, salmon creek and historic orchard with Greenwood's long-running community gardens, branch libraries and small neighborhood parks.

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Frequently asked questions

Among the places in city records for this area, Carkeek Park in Broadview is the largest at 216 acres. Its trails lead down to a Puget Sound beach.

Chum salmon return to Pipers Creek in Carkeek Park each fall. Exact timing varies, so check with Seattle Parks before you go.

Piper's Orchard in Carkeek Park is described in city records as Seattle's oldest orchard that is still growing.

Yes. North Beach Park is about half a mile from Golden Gardens Park and Soundview Playfield.

The Evanston P-Patch in Greenwood dates to 1974, making it the oldest of the gardens listed here. The Ballard P-Patch followed in 1976.

About Northwest

Northwest Seattle is best explored through its green spaces. Carkeek Park is the headline, a 216-acre canyon park with trails to a Puget Sound beach, a fall chum salmon run and the city's oldest orchard. Around it, Greenwood, Crown Hill, Broadview, Bitter Lake and North Beach add community gardens, branch libraries and small parks.

Why Carkeek Park Anchors Northwest Seattle

If you have time for only one stop, city records point to Carkeek Park in Broadview. It covers 216 acres of canyon, and its trails descend all the way to a beach on Puget Sound.

Salmon in Pipers Creek

Each fall, chum salmon return to Pipers Creek, which runs through the park. The nearby Pipers Creek Natural Area is also listed among the area's public spaces. Run timing varies, so check with Seattle Parks before planning a visit around it.

Read the full Northwest guide

Piper's Orchard

The park also holds Piper's Orchard, which city records describe as Seattle's oldest orchard still growing. It gives the park a sense of history alongside the creek and shoreline. Our Carkeek Park guide covering the beach, salmon run and orchard has more detail.

Greenwood: A Walkable Cluster of Park, Library and Clock

Greenwood is where several small attractions sit close together. Greenwood Park, on N 87th St, has a community garden, a branch library and a landmark street clock within a short walk.

That clock is listed in city records as the Greenwood Jewelers street clock. The Greenwood Branch of The Seattle Public Library is on Greenwood Ave N, making an easy pairing with the park. See our guide to Greenwood Park and the Greenwood Branch Library guide for specifics.

Gardens with Decades of History

Northwest Seattle's P-Patch community gardens show how long residents have been growing food here. The Evanston P-Patch dates to 1974 and holds 42 plots on about 11,600 square feet near N 102nd St. Read more in our Evanston P-Patch profile.

The Greenwood P-Patch on NW 88th St is far more compact. It fits 32 plots onto 3,200 square feet and has been gardened since 1997.

Ballard's Largest Garden and the North Beach Edge

The Ballard P-Patch, at 25th Ave NW and NW 85th St, is the biggest garden in this group. It has 94 plots across 18,000 square feet and has operated since 1976. Our Ballard P-Patch guide covers it further.

Farther west, North Beach Park sits in the North Beach and Blue Ridge area. It is about half a mile from Golden Gardens Park and Soundview Playfield, so it works well as part of a longer walk. Blue Ridge Circle and Blue Ridge Place also appear in city records as nearby open spaces.

Crown Hill, Broadview and Bitter Lake

Crown Hill Park sits on Holman Rd NW, and city records note several other small parks less than a mile away. Crown Hill Glen and the 6th Ave NW Pocket Park are among the smaller spaces listed for the area.

Up north, the Broadview Branch library on Greenwood Ave N is a short walk from Bitter Lake Playfield and Broadview Park. Llandover Woods Greenspace and the Bitter Lake Reservoir Open Space are also part of this corner of the city.

The Newest Garden in the Area

The Bitter Lake P-Patch, at N 143rd St and Linden Ave N, is the youngest garden here. It opened in 2013 with 29 plots.

Planning Your Visit

These spaces are spread out, so it helps to group them by neighborhood. Greenwood's park, library, clock and gardens make a compact outing, while Carkeek Park deserves its own half day.

  • Check The Seattle Public Library for current branch hours, which can change.
  • Check Seattle Parks for trail conditions and salmon run updates at Carkeek.
  • P-Patch gardens are worked by plot holders, so be respectful when walking through.