Saint Edward State Park
Explore a different—and wilder side of Lake Washington
Quick Facts:
Location: Eastside (Seattle)
Distance: more than 9.0 miles of trails
Elevation Gain: up to 500 feet
Contact: Washington State Parks
Recommended Guidebook: Urban Trails Eastside (Mountaineers Books)
Notes: Discover Pass required; dogs permitted on leash; park open 8am to dusk
Trailhead directions: From Bellevue follow I-405 north to Exit 20A. Then turn left onto
NE 116th Street and continue west for 1.4 miles. Continue straight onto Juanita Drive NE and drive for 3.9 miles. Then turn left onto NE 145th Street and proceed into Saint Edward State Park.
Good to Know: dog-friendly, kid-friendly, snow-free winter hike, historic
The largest undeveloped stretch of shoreline on Lake Washington, Saint Edwards State Park started as a Catholic seminary. This lovely retreat contains historic Romanesque buildings, more than 9 mile of trails, and more than 3000-feet of Lake Washington lakeshore.
Enjoy exploring Saint Edward’s manyfacets. One is its forested ravines, hillsides and lakeshore. Another is its playfields and playground—one of the largest in the state. And yet another is the park’s historic grounds and structures. From the trailhead you can immediately head for the forest and soak up the park’s wild side. However, if this is your first visit, you may want to head first on the Perimeter Trail which winds along the bluff top encircling the former seminary buildings.
Several interpretive signs line the way. The imposing main seminary building was built during the Great Depression under the tutelage of Seattle’s first bishop, Edward O’Dea. Remarkably, he raised $100,000 and secured a loan for $200,000 during this difficult time to help facilitate its construction. Saint Edward would become the first fully-accredited seminary in the country, but in 1976 it closed for good due to declining enrollment. Washington State Parks acquired the property a year later.
After you walk the Periphery Trail, start exploring the myriad of paths branching off it. There are several ways to get to Lake Washington—and several ways to make a loop trip out of it. The easiest is the Seminary Trail which utilizes an old service road. It is also open to mountain bikes. The most difficult and longest way to the lake is via Water Tower Trail to the South Ridge Trail. The South Canyon Trail is exceptionally pretty dropping into a creek fed ravine. The Grotto Trail delivers you to the stone-built Grotto, a former place of worship now a popular wedding spot.
For more details on this hike and many more in and near Kirkland, Bellevue, Redmond, and Issaquah, pick up a copy of my Urban Trails Eastside (Mountaineers Books).
