Oh, Washington. Cruisin' through your scenic highways, feastin' on your panoply of natural wonders, you amazin' Evergreen State. There is a reason why you are called The Evergreen State in the first place. I'm so jealous of all the locals who can revel in your undisturbed and stunning beauty. Seriously, y'all. If you are addicted to the outdoors (like me), you need to get your butt over to Washington. Everywhere you go, it's like you're in a forest, with luscious green trees within spitting distance. Saint Edward State Park was my first, and unfortunately, only taste of the magnificent state park system in Washington. Starting from the water tower behind Bastyr University, it is a one-mile trek down to Lake Washington. How ridiculous is it that you can be transported so quickly from busy urban chaos to the untouched and sprawling woodland? You'll be immersed in majestic ferns and trees. The trail is well maintained, yet it's not one of those cleanly paved dirt paths. You can smell the woody bark, feel the sweet sunshine filtering through the forest canopy, and admire the lush scenery around you. The hike down to Lake Washington is quite leisurely because it is downhill. However, the trip back up is strenuous, and your glutes will feel the burn. You simply retrace your steps--but with a sharp ascent versus a comfortable descent. I'm sure you can venture on other trails to return to the entrance. Once you reach the lake, you can hike along the picturesque shore. There are A LOT of spider webs though. We also ran into a black banana slug! This is nature at its absolute finest! On a really warm day, you can take a dip in the lake. If that is not your cup of tea, just sit back and enjoy the cool shade and beautiful views of the lake and conifer trees in the background. The best part about hiking at Saint Edward is the towering trees that provide ample shade, wonder, and solitude. read more

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It's really wild to be in the middle of Kirkland and then find yourself in a lakeside oasis! Great for a weekday walk or a sunny day, parking is plentiful and trails take you through lush trees and you can end up right at the shore of Lake Washington. There are only a few picnic tables right at the water so you'll have to grab them quick. read more

We LOVE THIS PARK. The trails, the children playground and summer activities are awesome. Keep in mind you need Discovery pass to park, totally worth it. read more

The park is big. The children's playground is shaped like castle. The girls must like this place because I don't know where they've gotten off to. read more

I never knew a state park had a gigantic playground! We met here for a playdate and the play structure is pretty amazing - it looks like a giant wooden castle with turrets and bridges and more! My little one loved exploring every inch of the place and climbing everything she could! It made for one tired child and two tired parents! Hahaha - it is a state park so you do need the Discover Pass (which is spendy if you're just going for the playground!). Lots of parking and lots of people too - especially on a weekend! My husband actually comes here regularly to go mountain biking so although I didn't get to see anything else beyond the playground, this state park seems like it offers a lot of activities! read more

Love this place! Kid friendly. Beautiful walk, really creative playground, nice waterfront. Loved touring the castle as well.

A quiet forest in the middle of urban spawl with wooded trails, shoreline on Lake Washington and picnic areas with playgrounds for the little screamers. If the lake is too cold, there's a nearby pool to dive into and fields for baseball or soccer. Bastyr University is 3 minutes walk up the road and the herb garden there is worth a look. May the developers never get a foothold in this place. read more

Saint Edward State Park - Parks Near Me - Kenmore, Washington

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This is the best local park. Great field for sports, picnics or events. They have awesome hiking trails- some lead down to beautiful spots on lake WA. The wooden playground is awesome, my kids love it. Just the perfect park, never gets old! read more

First time hiking, and I really enjoyed walking here, though the first time, I was scared but I eventually got used to the steep parts. The park is comparable to Marymoore park. The trails could be a little longer but overall I had a very positive experience. One huge benefit to the main trail is the fact that bicycles are not allowed there. Wearing a mask also helped keep flies away from my face, and protect me in this pandemic. The beaches are frequently crowded in this time of year, so I don't recommend it if you're scared of going near large groups of people. read more

My kids love the "castle park". Its a lovely park in the midst of great greenery. My only complaint is the lack of restrooms and shade. I've yet to walk any of the trails, but they look fantastic! All in all, I heart this park and its totally worth the drive me me and my family. read more

Saint Edwards Park is a nice park. It is great to have a jog/walk. You must have the discovery pass or pay for parking. There is an easier hike and a hard hike, with lots of tree humps and dirt to go through. The hikes are usually 1 mile each way. The harder hike is going up and down and the easier hike is just going on a wide ground going up and down too. There is also a big playground for kids to play. Would recommend. read more

Oh my gosh!!!! This park is freaking amazing!!!! Like how do I have a 6 year old and just recently found this place!!! So you need to have a discovery pass or it seems like you can just pay for the day. They toy section itself is huge! Like huge! So no matter how many kids are playing still lots of room! They have an older kid area and then a little kid area that only has one way in and out! Hello safe space for runner kids! They also have bathrooms, trials, open field, pick if tables and bbq. It seriously has it all! We spent almost a whole day there!!! read more

Earlier this year the Citizens For Saint Edwards State Park, successfully nominated the historic building and grounds of the Park to the National Register of Historic Places. The historic designation was awarded April 25, 2007. This all culminated because of an attempt of a company to convert the old building to a Brewery / Hotel / Pub with the blessing of Washington State Parks. Hopefully, this will stay a park and not be overcome by commercialization. read more

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Great local park to go to when I'm in the area. My dog loves this place and we used to love sitting and watching the children play and laugh (play park is closed due to Covid-19) :( read more

One of the greats around town; encompasses a great mix of fun for everyone- pets included! A must visit on any beautiful day.

Awesome waterfront green space with a nice playground and hiking trail down to the lake. A public treasure. You need a discover pass or to pay to park. read more

How much do I like this park? So much that in the past 48 hours, I have been two times. It's that kind of awesome. Plus, it's not crowded. Double bonus. The first time was with my date, and we headed down to the beach to walk to the beach and watch the sunset and talk. We basically had the beach to ourselves, and dipping my feet in the water and talking was awesome. The only bad thing was the sun was setting quite quickly, so we took the "most difficult" trail, Grotto, up and it was kinda scary walking in the depths of a trail when the darkness is impending. Today, I hit the trails solo and took a few of the trails that were considered "easy" and "more difficult" and had a great relaxing time. I enjoyed myself, and basically had all the trails to myself. I felt like Snow White in a magical forest, with birds flying around. I loved it. I will agree with Terrell, the trail "directory" is basically useless and super confusing. But being that this place is about 15 minutes away from my house, I will be back again and again. My booty will thank me for it. read more

Arguably best park in Seattle certainly in North Seattle. Play area is the coolest thing ever. The trails vary from easy to somewhat difficult and lead to a very nice view of the lake. Beautiful setting and don't forget to visit the Grotto. We went on a free day so don't know the cost. read more

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I came here years ago with a hiking meetup group. And, yes, back then, I hiked inside St. Edward State Park. Just a couple weeks ago, I joined my running group and we did a trail run here. The experiences were so different! If you go to a state park, you will have to pay. Well, don't whine about paying... (discover pass) it's $30 a year or $10 a day. It's your choice! I've heard a story about not paying and ended up getting $99 penalty. Regardless, the fee is going towards to maintaining the trail. Therefore, we have nice trails out there for us anytime! Why would I say my experiences between hiking and trail running were different? Back in the days, I was very out of shape. Any state parks I went, I would call it hiking. Now, whether I run slow or fast, I able to run in those trails. Hiking was relaxing and trail running was relaxing in a way but intense! I enjoyed my trail running time here and I am glad that state maintains such a great trail for us to get out and do stuff outdoor! I would love to come back soon. read more

St. Edward State Park is a hidden gem in the Seattle area. Love this park. The park boasts the longest stretch of undeveloped shoreline of Lake Washington with miles of trails for walking, hiking, or biking. They have a free weekly concert series in the summer. It is truly awesome. Check it out! FYI: You need a Discover Pass to park here or you will get a ticket! read more

Feel like a hike but not a long drive? Want to climb the castle? (Play structure) Need a reprieve from the busy beaches and just want to sit near the lake, or sneak in a swim? Want to enjoy a festival, health fair, Haunted Trails or other local event? Have a bizarre need to follow the macabre and see for yourself where human remains were recently found? Then here ya go! Labeled trails give distance and difficulty of hikes, with fairly good maintained trails. Ok parking, and recent traffic updates on Juanita drive make exit/entrance a little easier. Very easy to wander into the woods or down to the water and forget just how much "civilization" is so close by. read more

This is a great place to take your kids on a sunny afternoon. You can hike a 1.5 mile loop that takes you down to Lake Washington, climb trees, throw rocks, and other simple fun. At the top of the hill they have a nice playground for younger kids, and plenty of open lawn if you want to bring a frisbee or football along. Make sure you bring your Discover Pass, the state park rangers always seem to be there giving out tickets. read more

I love, love, love this place. The trail system is extensive, and you could easily get a quality 10 mile hike out of it without retreading previous routes. Elevation gain peaks at around 400 ft (maybe a little less) but it's steep enough to feel like a "real" hike to those who are a little out of shape or are just beginning to explore the great local options. If you're looking for a training hike for Baker or Rainer this isn't for you, but if you're trying to get up your courage to try Mt Si without trekking out to North Bend every weekend then St. Eddie's worth a go. There's a great, HUGE playground, and the Seminary is neat to look at. The pool is closed (funding cuts). Beware of the map you can get online or at the visitor stand. It's not particularly accurate and certainly isn't easy to read. The trails aren't always marked when you're on them, and there are plenty of unmarked trails that aren't on the map, so it's to some extent hiking-by-braille. Chin up; you're either heading down to the water or up from it. Expect muddy conditions fall, winter and spring. Crowds are almost non-existent even on the most beautiful summer day. There's quality birdwatching if that's your thing, and the tree cathedrals would please even the most devoted Twilight fan. read more

I love this park. Buy the Discover Pass for $30. $10/day to park at a park? Hell no. Get the pass. I love the trails here because they are short. I need short trails because it's damaging to my pup's joints if I hike her too far before she reaches maturity. I take her on the seminary trail (.62 miles) and at the end, she gets to take a dip in Lake Washington. They do have to be on leash at all times so it's not the best place to take your dog swimming. I haven't checked out the other trails yet because only the seminary trail has lake access, but my pass has already paid for itself and I got it just last week. read more

The Playground is like a castle with tons of places to hide and many slides plus swings and tire swings. They could clean it though as the tile mural has moss growing on it. read more

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This park is a true gem in the Kirkland area. It is hard to believe that such raw beauty is only minutes away from civilization (the closest QFC is about 5 mins away). Yet, nothing could prepare us for the charm and solitude that the trails offered. We headed over to the park on a pleasant Labour Day afternoon and took the advice of a park official to try the seminary trail. The trail starts behind the the old seminary building (look for the la2n next to the gymnasium - the trail begins on the opposite end of this lawn). A leisurely hike (with a 1 year old on my back) took us about 15 mins to get to waterfront. The trail was well maintained and ferns engulfed us all the way down. The view at the water front was spectacular and was the only place we could find a comfortable spot to sit on the sandy shore. Rather than retrace our path back, we decided to follow the trail on the right side that promised to follow the shoreline for a bit. Having the water by our side was so calm and refreshing. This then lead to what I thought was the most strenuous part of the trail - the winding ascent back up to the top of the hill. Mind you, it wasn't bad at all, and we saw elderly hikers easily navigate the trail. It took us an hour to complete the loop, including breaks for pictures. All in all, an afternoon well spent. We'll be back for sure. read more

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Great park, I work super close to it and unfortunately rarely take advantage of that. I love the trails, the grounds are always super clean (I hate litterers! *shakes fist*) I don't have kids, but I'm sure if I did they'd dig the playground... I have been to the free concerts there that happen Thursdays during the Summer, and St Ed's is perfect for it! Great music, not crowded what-so-ever, good food being sold there, and parking is ample. St Ed's also hosts the annual Father's Day weekend WABL Brewfest too, and I attended this year and it was amazing! Perfect site for such a huge well-attended event. I've been inside the building and in the Great Dining Hall, it is just gorgeous there. Thanks Kenmore and St Ed's! great working so close to it! fabulous for the free outdoor cocnerts in july/august, great grounds, lots of parking, always clean read more

Haha, this was my cool down hike after trekking around North Bend earlier in the day, but doing the trail down to Lake Washington is an easy hike to pick up on a restful afternoon. Top of the trail is the wider path by the picnic tables behind the seminary building. When you get to the lake, you're likely to see sailboats as well as lots of kids skipping rocks. Big-kid-at-heart adults too. FYI, outhouses only at the bottom, so if you need it, use the restroom atop near the parking lots. Discover Pass applies here also. For the families with small kids, there's a really great playground for children available near the seminary building. read more

February in Seattle. Even the shut-in's are getting restless. Parents who are pitted in the yearly battle with their young children's need to stage an in-home version of the "Running of the Bulls" will find the drive north to St. Edward State Park a worthwhile and fun event. For this is no run-of-the-mill sun-faded Little Tikes playground, but a fantasy world of wooden structures that your kid will love to navigate and work out their hegemonic fantasies around, in, over and under. There are two sections to the playground: one for small kids and another for the above-5 set. As of this writing, there is no 35 and over section, but it is not uncommon to see parents enjoying the structure in spite of this age restriction. The park itself is a beautiful setting, with a former Catholic seminary dominating the space behind the playground. The bathrooms are clean -- a big bonus for a park that tends to subdue the brain synapse that alerts your child to their biological need to go potty. They seem also to have finally done away with the parking fee that was formerly in place. And for those over-achiever parents who don't believe a day out with their 4-year old is complete without a grueling mountain biking competition, St. Edward has some terrific trails that will really wear your kid out for -- at least for a few hours. read more

This park was beautiful! My girlfriend and I took her son on a picnic and there were benches and tables for us to sit on. Because it's a state park, a discover pass was needed to park, otherwise you have to pay $10. The park was not overcrowded and the jungle gym was a good size. It sort of looked like a castle. Very cool for kids. :) I would definitely go back to walk my puppy there. Apparently there are trails that lead to the water so maybe I'll check that out next time. read more

Could you all just stop raving about this park? Please? Now everyone goes here! (: For you MTBers, this is good training grounds for the kids...not so great for technical riding. You might do some spring training here just because it is close in. I highly recommend accessing the trails at non-peak times like overcast days, week days early mornings and late Sundays, especially in the summer. If you follow that schedule it will seem more like the St. Eds I knew years ago-- back when people didn't talk about it!!!!! read more

Okay, I know it isn't in Seattle, but it is a great hike within 15 minutes of Seattle. This park is great. If you are into trail running, it is one of my favorites. It has a good terrain, but it isn't Tiger Mountain. There are several loops that are easy to find, but are still interesting to hike/walk/run. Also, there is beach access. The trails are usually empty, which is nice for a peaceful hike. read more

I will admit that my rating is based almost entirely off of the playground. I have a toddler, so getting past the awesome playground to explore the rest of the park is really not an option. I look forward to jogging on the trails one of these days, but until then, I'll have to stick to marveling over the playground. Okay. So I have never seen a playground like this before in my life. Certainly the best one in the Puget Sound area. I can't imagine how it can get much better that this. I suppose because it was designed by kids and built by the community. What does that tell you? We should all get together and build some more of these parks, so I don't have to drive so far just to get to this one! ;) If you have kids and haven't been here yet, GO RIGHT NOW. There is also a gorgeous old building on the grounds that used to be a seminary until 1977. There's nothing else like it around these parts, so enjoy the architecture and scenery while your kids play in the park, or take a hike down to the beach. I sure wish I lived closer to this park, I'd be there all the time! read more

I live nearby and visit frequently. Things I love: 1) Big, nice playground for kids 2) Evening concerts in the summer (thurs evenings in July, Aug) 3) The trails leading to the beach! There are four or so trails that drop about 300 feet to lake washington. I do a bit of trail running, and it is easy to run a combo of those trails to keep things interesting, keep the scenery changing. 4) It's free 5) Cool old building that is apparently available to rent for weddings and other such events. 6) Nice place for a picnic - plenty of tables in the grassy area The only thing I think is a bummer is that the nice pool (Carol Anne pool I think) has been closed for budget reasons. I still think the park is 5 stars though. read more

Nicely maintained. Close to home but feels like you're in the forest. Then you get to the lake and it is lovely. Easy walk to and from the lake. Great place to walk your dog, small beach area for them to play at the water. Nice park area with some tables and benches scattered about. Playground for kids. Restrooms. Big field for games. Don't forget your Discovery Pass! read more

Our family's favorite park! My eldest daughter calls it "The Owl Park". It's playground is safe, clean, well maintained and has activities for both little/toddler and older kids. We enjoy many, many playdates here. The park is really big and people can hike/bike/run. Remember to register for a Park's pass otherwise it's a whopping $10 parking fee per visit. read more

This is a fantastic park! I spent many hours here as a kid, on the playground or running around on the trails. At Halloween they used to (and maybe still do) a haunted trails thing where you go and run around on the trails in the dark and people in costume come and scare the piss out of you (literally, in my friend's little sister's case) and they have weird, creepy scenes set up with lights in the clearings. In the summer time there are fun musical events on the grass where you can just go and chill out and listen to local artists do their thing. I still drive up to Kenmore on weekends sometimes just to hang out here - I can't wait for summer! read more

I still love St. Eds, but now you need a Discover Pass to park there. It's an easy $30/year, and it's worth it--they're pretty on top of ticketing if you forget to pay the $10/day fee. (It's steep and ridiculous, I highly recommend the Discover Pass!) It's still the great park it has always been--it just costs to visit. I have seen some maintenance being done, so I'm assuming that's what the funds have been going towards. Not a bad investment! read more

You've gotta laugh when you think about this place, I mean "monks" were held up in the buildings next door for years worth of "training". I won't go any further... Lord of the Flies, yes, another reference to that great book, here the kiddos run a muck and the bossy one's usually get their way as many parents chat it up and suck down a $5 Char-bucks crap-a-cheeno and totally ignore their little Nazis in training. Parking can be a bit of a pain but for the "health" of the kiddos, it's all good. read more

All I can say is "I love this park"...ok...maybe that's not all I can say about it...but its definately a keeper. I actually 'discovered' this park a few years ago when I was looking for places to run around the Seattle area...now that I live in the area...I'm so glad its so much closer to home. The trails, the lake and the playgrounds are just some of the many wonderful features of this locale. Its an oasis during a hot summer day when you're looking for adventure in the shade (i.e. trail running or biking) and a trip when you just want to play with the kiddies, have a picnic or kick a soccer ball around. There are at least three miles worth of trails here...all with varying degrees of elevation (warning: some are more extreme that others so please read the signs). Most of the trails near the water are mainly for hiking/walking/running. The east and north side trails can be used for both foot and bike traffic. Its been about eight years since I first started coming here...and its one of my favorite places in the Seattle area. read more