A very peaceful place, nice walking trail, leading to the grand finale a beach!

This park definitely has a variety of features. From playground to hiking trails to beach and open playing fields. There's also a stream where I had my first live salmon encounter!! :) The north bluff hiking trail was nice and short. I think 1 mile loop. We did run into some private residential area and wasn't sure where to continue so we just turned back and took a different route back down. The view from the top of the bluff was beautiful but so was the view on the bridge leading down to the beach so you can take your pick on where to take in the magnificent puget sound shoreline. read more

I'm partial to Carkeek. It is one of the first places I went when moving to Seattle and I still go there even though it is a bit of a hike now. Beach access, all is really rocky and no doggies allowed (most people appear not to care about that second part). Trains pass through pretty commonly. Park isn't overly large, has a play area for children, a couple shelter, a bunch of picnic tables, large grassy knolls for basking and frolicking. Super busy on a nice day! Lots of off-leash dogs with poor recall though, so beware if that is a concern to you. Trails are easy and short, some up hill but not difficult by any means! Great views. read more

That overpass, wow, it got to me as a kid. I had this crazy dream where I was stuck on it and there weren't any stairs on either side, a never-ending train just rolled on underneath. It was a scary yet exciting moment. Even now walking over it is a trip, but pure fun, ah memories. Later on we'd head there to drink and party. They seem to have cracked down on that somewhat but its still a great place to head during the day if your in the neighborhood and want to check out the a less frequented beach park. If you want to use the picnic stuff I remember them being pretty crazy about reservations on weekends so plan ahead. read more

An excellent place for walking, reading, looking at the glorious views it has to offer, groups, and probably loads of other things I can't think of right this minute. I was introduced to Carkeek before I lived here, and have been back several times since moving. No complaints. :) read more

This place is awesome! .. my wiener dawg LOVES this place. . After the hike he likes to catch his ball in the open field. .. looks like a good place to bbq as well just haven't done that yet. read more

Carkeek Park - Parks Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Plenty of parking Bathrooms! Lots of trails Great for kids, picnics, hiking. read more

Love this park. It's not usually crowded. The trains, the beach, the wilderness, the sound, etc. It's a cornerstone of local flavor.

Lovely park with different trails for those looking for a quiet walk or a little exercise (can get a little hilly). Great views, a little stream to follow and two large areas for picnics and play. Access to a walkable beach, no dogs allowed on the beach but people seem to ignore this posting anyway, at least their pups are friendly. Every now and then you can watch the trains go by from the bridge, kite surfers in the water and children going absolutely bananas kicking soccer balls around. Good fun! Be careful parking near the entrance as it is a bit quieter, I had my car broken into even with people passing by the area frequently. Basically don't be a dummy like me and leave anything in view (even handbag tucked under the seat-ladies). In general it's a fairly safe place to go and I don't feel uneasy walking alone. It's got a good vibe, lots to look at and you don't feel like you're in the city anymore. Come alone, bring a friend, bring a date, bring your entire extended family cause this place takes care of all. read more

I had no idea this park existed! It is absolutely beautiful and peaceful. My friend and I got great parking and sat on the beach for a few hours while we chatted. Really nice area and not at all crowded like Greenlake or Golden Gardens. I'll be back! read more

very cool park! i can't believe that i live just a few blocks away from this. the trail at the end of 107th down by viewlands elementary winds through some impressive blackberry bushes and then down into a very jurassic-park-esque valley that leads to the park. there is a bridge that goes over the train tracks and we were lucky enough to see a train rocket past us. it was pretty awesome. we found up bunch of really strange jellyfish and got to watch an awesome sunset behind the olympics. the best part is that there's a lot more to the park than what we wandered around in. read more

Carkeek Park - Parks Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Love Carkeek park! I take my dog here nearly every day after work to hike around on the trails. Awesome views of Puget Sound and the Olympic mountains. Lots of stimulation for kids, they can watch planes, boats and trains go by. read more

Carkeek Park - Sunset at Carkeek. - Parks Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Cranes, crows, surf. Great morning meditation here. Meandering trails and picnic tables. One of the easiest Seattle parks to negotiate, Yet still feels like you're a little farther out. Five stars would be without railroad, But not a lot Carkeek can do about that. Bring a picnic and enjoy! read more

Carkeek Park - Ohhhhmmmmmmm... - Parks Near Me - Seattle, Washington

LOVE THIS PLACE. So much fun to take the kiddos that I watch. They love the playground, going to the beach or running around after a soccer ball on the grass. We even saw a snake once! read more

Excellent place to spend the day - morning, afternoon or evening. Less crowded than Golden Gardens or Greenlake, Carkeek is just secluded enough to always provide a quiet and fun time, even on the warmest of days. Rock throwing. Salmon sliding. Train watching. This park has something for everyone. Great for celebrations with several BBQ pits, picnic tables and more. read more

Carkeek Park - Rock throwing at Carkeek - Parks Near Me - Seattle, Washington

It is not often crowded at the beach level. Beautiful with the sunset... The grass area on the lower part is peaceful and perfect for picnic, although it is not by the water. Small but pristine, this park is one of my favorite read more

I love Carkeek Park! The beach is awesome, and the trails are fun too. I actually think Carkeek is still sort of a hidden gem of Seattle. Even though it does get crazy busy on the weekends, it's still not as bad as say Golden Gardens or Alki. BTW, the "creepy guy" someone else mentioned in their review, is the Bubble Man. If you live in Ballard, PhinneyWood or Greenlake you've probably seen him around. He's actually super nice--just a little eccentric! read more

This place is so beautiful. I didn't know about hidden gems like this park. It's the perfect place for photo shoots or a cute little spontaneous date. You can capture the most beautiful sunset photos too. I don't think I've ever been to or seen a park/beach as cool as this Carkeek. I love the bridge that leads to the beach. It overlooks the beach so you can get a full overhead view of everything! read more

I'm a fan. I actually brag about living close by. I really can't tell you why but walking through Carkeek park reminds me of Jurassic Park, but in a good way. Was the scenery really pretty in that movie? I don't remember..it's been a while. And moving on.. This park is great. Lots and lots of trees, trails, streams, an orchard, great view, place to picnic, beach.. read more

I found this park while wandering one day through northwest Seattle, and am ashamed to say I had no idea it existed. Carkeek is absolutely a hidden gem. Old growth forests, trails, empty beaches; it's pretty special, and for just a moment, you can forget you're in the Seattle city limits. To me, Seattle seems to be lacking one great flagship park, but Carkeek is an excellent Pacific Northwest experience. read more

Wow, this place was packed the Saturday afternoon we went! Then again, I imagine any park in Seattle would be when the weather reaches 90 degrees right? This place is huge and would really accommodate for any sort of gathering or bbq'ing since there are a couple of different lawns you can choose from, and shelters are also available. Kids will also like the playground area; I tried to get my fiance to go on the swings with me so he could show off his backflip off of one but I got denied. The beach area was pretty large, although there was about 6-8 kite surfers setting up their gear so they took up a good amount of space. We will definitely be back with a group of friends for some bbq time! read more

This place is fantastic. Absolutely perfect example of an urban forest. On par with the bois de Boulogne in Paris (except only kinda sorta since that park was designed). Anyways, I love the trails as they're dog friendly--except for one--and the amount of vibrancy that surrounds you is just overwhelming. I'll be bringing a group of 20-30 to the fire pit to celebrate to start of the Folk Life festival in a couple weeks. Expect a report back soon! :) read more

This park is AWESOME! My sister and my nephew live by there and we have been a few times. The views are great and there is a big grassy area for the lil guy to practice all his sports. There are lots of trails and lil hidden places I would love to go and discover. Maybe I will do that soon. On a clear day, the mountains are in full view, and it makes you really appreciate all the NW has to offer. Yeah Carkeek! read more

Beautiful park with a beautiful view of the mountains. Come down here to throw a frisbee! Or let kids play on the big toy! Carkeek park is one of the lesser known parks in the area. When people are so quickly to go to Golden Gardens or Alki, Carkeek can at times be less busy and a hidden gem. With views that are just as great as Golden Gardens, including a beach, Carkeek Park is one of my favorites. read more

Easily the best park within city limits. Miles of hiking, beautiful beach, great activity fields, amazing views, great kids playground, this park is huge and just about perfect. read more

Decided to give Golden Gardens a break for once and head to Carkeek Park one afternoon. I was very surprised by this park's beautiful layout and nice beach. I liked the trails through the woods and the grassy field/playground area. I will definitely be heading back here this summer to enjoy the hiking trails and spend some more time on the beach. read more

We came here a few days again and we had so much fun!! The park was clean and spacious. It had unique features , you can do everything here. Hike, have a picnic, chill by the beach over all it's a great place to be. We will be coming back. read more

Great wooded park in the city, tons of trails, beaches, and of course amazing playground - bring your kids and stand on the bridge when the train comes read more

Volunteer Park is my usual spot, but Carkeek offers fantastic views of the Sound. There are numerous picnic tables overlooking the water, and a nice playground for the kiddies. I saw trails but don't know how extensive they are. Take the stairway over to the beach for some photo ops. read more

I really like this place. The trails are awesome. It's like stepping into the wild. When you're on the trails there are no signs os city life except for when the train stroll by. There's so much to do there. There are beach, views, playfield, playground, trails for walking and running, and even one big fire pit. It's crazy how you just have to take one turn into a neighborhood and 2 mins. later you feel like you're in the middle of no where. Love it. read more

Another successful day at Carkeek with my dogs and beautiful views!

Even on a typical Seattle Sunday..... this place still was a great place. Plenty of space for all the family and friends. A lot of others had the same idea even though the weather was not on our side. Even though there was a line at the covered house on the hill, we still manged to get the other large party to still share with us. Thank U to them and their families. This Sunday was a spec ail day for many reasons, and i will never forget it. Although if i had only one suggestion it would be to put a changing table in the woman's bathroom. read more

I love this park for my toddler. The salmon slide is excellent, as is the train-watching bridge. We check tide charts and go to low tide, and sometimes encounter naturalists from the Seattle aquarium, who introduce us to sea snail egg casings and other amazing things! The woods hide an apple orchard and many little bridge crossings for leaf races. We come to Outdoor Adventure Playgroup meetups here, plus some city naturalist classes for families. I couldn't be happier with this park as my main neighborhood spot. read more

I agree with Maria C -- this is a great park. It is always my first choice because you get the beach, the train, the woods, the view of the Olympics, easy parking, and a great play area. Their environmental education center is very cool, too. The only thing I don't like is that the trails are a bit boring and undeveloped. read more

This place is a great place to walk some trails with your dog and have a picnic on the grass. Beach looks nice too but sense dogs aren't allowed on the beach I can't talk from experience. read more

A beautiful park with plenty of trails, some streams, a beach, great views of the Olympics, and an environmental education center. This park has a well-earned reputation of being a way cool place. read more

I love this place!! I've heard about it for so long and I'm glad I finally got the chance to check it out. It's huge! Many options for whatever you're in the mood for. Have kids? Go to the play ground area where there are a few different things with many options for kids to play on. Love the water? head down to the water front and stroll on the beach. (no dogs allowed down there) In the mood for a hike? Take any of the 'trial' options and walk through a beautiful mossy forest. There are also a plethora of picnic tables throughout the park along with some spots to post up and BBQ at. Great spot to venture out to if you haven't, it's definitely worth it! read more

I went here once with a friend and saw all kinds of mussels and the like on the beach. If you touched them they closed up. I have no idea what they were called but that was cool. Another time I went here for a little kid's birthday party and met another guest who was from the same town I am from in Indiana and we figured out our dads knew each other. Weird. I can't promise that will happen to you here. However, the beach is cool, there's a nice view of the Sound, some trails and open spaces for kids and dogs to play and all the stuff you expect from a good park. I like how it's kind of tucked away from many things in the city. Note: There are cars here, but no keeks. read more

Very nice park. I love to organize summer events there. The view of the sound is fantastic and it's never too incredibly busy there. There are also lots of play areas near the picnic tables so kids can have fun while adults hang out, have a BBQ and enjoy themselves. read more

I would consider this park better than average but I can't give it five stars for its beach area. The forest and river are fantastic though. Warning: avoid this area on holidays and when schools are out; complete mess. read more