Cowen Park: Ravine Park and 1936 Bridge in Roosevelt

Frequently asked questions

Cowen Park is at 5849 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105, in the Roosevelt neighborhood of Northeast Seattle.

The two parks share one continuous ravine. The Cowen Park Bridge on 15th Avenue NE divides them, with the smaller Cowen Park to the west and the larger Ravenna Park to the east.

The Cowen Park Bridge was built in 1936 as a Works Progress Administration project, with Clark Eldridge as engineer. It is a Seattle landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Yes. The Cowen Park Bridge carries 15th Avenue NE and is the only one of the ravine's two bridges open to vehicles; the 1913 20th Ave NE Bridge is the other.

A green ravine dips below 15th Avenue NE, with a concrete arch carrying the street across it overhead. This is Cowen Park, a city park at 5849 15th Ave NE in Seattle's Roosevelt neighborhood, where the ravine continues east as Ravenna Park. The 1936 Cowen Park Bridge is both a city landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the park is a natural starting point for exploring the ravine and its two historic bridges.

Where Cowen Park Meets Ravenna Park

Think of Cowen Park and Ravenna Park as one long, continuous ribbon of green space following the same ravine. The dividing line is the Cowen Park Bridge, which carries 15th Avenue NE over the gully. West of the bridge lies the smaller Cowen Park, and to the east the larger Ravenna Park unfolds.

Ravenna Park is only about 0.4 miles from the Cowen Park address, so you can easily pair the two in a single outing. Seattle Parks and Recreation manages the park, so check its official listings for current hours and details before you head out.

Read the full guide

Cross the Cowen Park Bridge

The Cowen Park Bridge is the park's best known feature, and it rewards a closer look. The reinforced concrete arch runs 358 feet from NE 62nd Street to Cowen Place NE, linking the Roosevelt and Ravenna area to the north with the start of the University District to the south.

Built by the Works Progress Administration

The bridge rose in 1936 as a Works Progress Administration project, with Clark Eldridge serving as bridge engineer. Today it stands as a designated Seattle landmark and appears on the National Register of Historic Places.

Look for the Art Deco Details

Stroll across 15th Avenue NE and take in the bridge's admired Art Deco light standards, which rise about 12 feet tall along both sides of the span. Then head down into the ravine, where the arch itself is best appreciated from below.

Two Historic Bridges, One Ravine

The Cowen Park Bridge is one of two bridges that cross the ravine. The other is the 20th Ave NE Bridge, built in 1913 and found about 0.3 miles from the park address. Only the Cowen Park Bridge carries cars, so seek out the older 20th Avenue span on foot for a quieter crossing.

Explore Near Cowen Park

Several spots sit within a short walk of the park, so it is easy to fold a visit into a longer stroll around the Roosevelt neighborhood:

Beck Place, a small park less than 0.1 miles away
Shiga's Garden, a community garden about 0.2 miles away
20th Ave NE Bridge, the ravine's other historic crossing, about 0.3 miles away
Roosevelt High School, a local landmark about 0.3 miles away
Ravenna Park, the larger eastern half of the ravine, about 0.4 miles away
Dr Annie Russell House, a landmark about 0.4 miles away

Ready for more green space? Browse the full list of Seattle parks and plan your next outing.