A walk is just a walk unless there is a destination, at which point it becomes an adventure. If you’re looking for a great excursion, grab your bike/running shoes/walking shoes/rollerblades/family/dog and hit the Chief Sealth trail. The trail starts at 15th Ave S and S Angeline St, crosses Beacon Ave S at S Dawson St, and ends at 51st Ave S and S Gazelle St, several blocks from the entrance of Kubota Gardens. The Chief Sealth trail is a wide, newly-paved route that traverses rolling hills and feels bucolic. Upon arrival at Kubota Gardens, you can enjoy its Heritage Tree collection, amongst thousands of flowering shrubs, perennials, ornamental trees and incredible Japanese garden design. It is an adventure that takes advantage of several public amenities: SDOT maintains bike and pedestrian infrastructure and partners with non-profit PlantAmnesty to maintain the Heritage Tree Program; the Seattle Parks Department owns and maintains Kubota Gardens. Both are free and open to the public. If you’re feeling tired, you can hop on the light rail at Rainier Beach Station and catch a ride back downtown.
A few notes for planning your trip: The trail ends near the back of Kubota Gardens, but the entrance is on the opposite side, so check a map before you go. Also, there is no drinking water at Kubota Gardens, so don’t forget your water bottle.
Links:
Chief Sealth Trail History: http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/chiefsealthtrail.htm
Kubota Gardens: http://www.kubota.org/
Heritage Trees: http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/heritagetree.htm
Seattle Bike Map: http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/bikemaps.htm