East Montlake Park: Totem Pole, Cut Trail and 520 Closure

Frequently asked questions

East Montlake Park has been closed since 2019 for preparation of the WSDOT SR 520 bridge replacement project. Check Seattle Parks and Recreation for its current status.

A plaque at the base says the 40-foot pole was carved in 1937 by John Dewey Wallace, a Haida chief, in Waterfall, Alaska. The donated pole was dedicated in May 1983.

Yes, the park has a large parking area.

The Montlake Cut Waterside Trail, built in 1971, runs through the park past the totem pole and continues to West Montlake Park.

The Museum of History and Industry was once based in McCurdy Park, just south and east of East Montlake Park, before the museum relocated.

Where the Montlake Cut opens into Union Bay, a 40-foot Haida totem pole stands beside a shoreline trail, with Husky Stadium looking on from across the water. East Montlake Park occupies this waterfront corner of Seattle's Montlake neighborhood, but it has been closed since 2019 while the state prepares for the SR 520 bridge replacement, so check its status before you plan your visit.

Before You Go: The 520 Closure

Start your planning with the closure, because it shapes everything else about a trip here. East Montlake Park has been closed since 2019 for work tied to the Washington State Department of Transportation's SR 520 bridge replacement project. For current access and reopening details, check with Seattle Parks and Recreation, which manages the park.

When the grounds are open, you can wander floating paths, step out onto an observation deck and settle onto benches that face the water. You will also find a large parking area, a welcome surprise for a shoreline park this close to the University of Washington.

Read the full guide

Finding the Park

The park is easy to picture on a map, with water and roads framing it on every side. The Montlake Cut runs along the north and Union Bay along the east, while State Route 520 hems in the south and East Park Drive E marks the west.

Head to 2802 E Park Drive East, Seattle, WA 98112. Husky Stadium sits just across the water, so on game days your view to the north is hard to miss.

The 1937 Haida Totem Pole

Make the 40-foot totem pole your first stop, since it is the park's best-known feature. Read the plaque at its base, which tells you the pole was carved in 1937 by John Dewey Wallace, a Haida chief, in Waterfall, Alaska.

The pole arrived as a donation and was dedicated in a ceremony in May 1983. It rises right beside the trail that winds through the park, so you pass it naturally as you stroll.

Walk the Montlake Cut Waterside Trail

Follow the Montlake Cut Waterside Trail, a route that has traced this shoreline since 1971, as it passes through East Montlake Park. From here it hugs the water past the totem pole and carries on west to West Montlake Park, linking the two parks on either side of the Montlake Bridge.

The Former MOHAI Site

This corner of Montlake was long tied to the Museum of History and Industry. Before construction of the replacement Evergreen Point Floating Bridge, McCurdy Park stood to the south and east of East Montlake Park and was home to MOHAI, which has since moved to a different site in the city.

Landmarks a Short Walk Away

Stretch your outing with a few historic landmarks just steps from East Montlake Park:

Montlake Bridge and Montlake Cut, less than 0.1 mile away
UW Canoe House, ASUW Shell House and the former US Naval Training Hangar, also under 0.1 mile away
Montlake Boulevard, a park about 0.2 mile away

Keep exploring with our guide to the Montlake neighborhood, or browse all parks in Seattle to find green space that is open now.