Located within Seattle’s urban landscape, Interlaken Park offers a refreshing escape into nature with its lush wooded trails and historic boulevard. This 2-mile walking tour takes visitors on a journey through one of the city’s notable destinations, where natural beauty meets thoughtful urban design. Beginning at the intersection of 19th Avenue East and East Galer Street, the tour winds through dense forest paths before connecting with the elegant curves of Interlaken Boulevard, providing a blend of wilderness and cultivated parkway.
The walking route provides an engaging experience of the park, leading adventurers down wooded trails before emerging onto Interlaken Boulevard. From there, the path takes a deliberate eastern course toward 24th Avenue before looping back to explore the western section of the boulevard, culminating at the scenic Bagley Viewpoint. This carefully planned route ensures visitors experience the variety of landscapes within the park, from secluded forest paths to open viewpoints offering glimpses of Seattle’s distinctive cityscape.
Interlaken Boulevard reflects the vision of John Charles Olmsted, the landscape architect who transformed Seattle’s park system in the early 20th century. Originally designed along an existing bicycle path, the boulevard was conceived as an elegant connection between the city’s green spaces. Olmsted’s meticulous planning is evident in how the road gracefully follows the natural contours of the land, creating a harmonious integration of infrastructure and environment that continues to delight visitors more than a century later.
The 1903 Olmsted Brothers’ report specifically highlighted the ‘Volunteer Hill Parkway’ (now Interlaken Boulevard) as “one of the most desirable” branch parkways in their plan for Seattle’s parks. This recognition speaks to the boulevard’s strategic importance within the broader vision for the city’s green spaces. The thoughtful design reflects the Olmsted philosophy of creating landscapes that provide respite from urban life while enhancing the city’s natural features – principles that have stood the test of time and continue to influence urban planning today.
Interlaken Park’s significance extends beyond its natural beauty, serving as a vital connector between two of Seattle’s most beloved parks. The park and boulevard create a green corridor linking Washington Park to the east with Volunteer Park to the west, fulfilling Olmsted’s vision of an interconnected park system. This connection allows pedestrians and cyclists to travel between these major parks while remaining immersed in nature, experiencing the transition between different landscapes and neighborhoods without leaving the peaceful park environment.
This green linkage represents an early example of what modern urban planners might call a “greenway” – a natural corridor that facilitates both recreation and ecological connectivity. By preserving this wooded connection between larger parks, Seattle maintained not only recreational opportunities but also wildlife habitat and natural systems within the urban fabric. Today, this connection continues to serve as a model for how cities can maintain ecological networks even as development intensifies around them.
Visitors to Interlaken Park should come prepared for varied terrain throughout the 2-mile walking tour. The route includes both paved streets and unpaved pathways, with several slopes that add moderate challenge to the journey. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended, as some sections of the trail can be uneven or slightly muddy during Seattle’s frequent rainy periods. While generally accessible to most able-bodied visitors, those with mobility concerns should be aware that some portions of the trail include steeper grades and natural surfaces.
The approximately two-hour experience offers a perfect balance of exercise and enjoyment, with plenty of opportunities to pause and appreciate the surroundings. The trail system is well-maintained but retains a natural character, avoiding excessive development that would detract from the wilderness feel. Seasonal changes dramatically transform the experience – spring brings wildflowers and bird songs, summer offers cool shade beneath the dense canopy, fall delivers spectacular color changes, and winter reveals architectural details of trees normally hidden by foliage.
The walking tour begins at the intersection of 19th Avenue East and East Galer Street, a convenient starting point accessible from multiple directions. This meeting location sits at the northeastern edge of the park, providing immediate access to the wooded trails that form the first segment of the journey. The intersection is well-marked and features sidewalks that lead directly to the trail entrance, making it easy for first-time visitors to orient themselves and begin their exploration of Interlaken’s natural aspects.
For those using navigation apps or GPS, the meeting point coordinates can be easily found by searching for “19th Avenue East and East Galer Street, Seattle.” The location is served by several bus routes, making it accessible via public transportation for those who prefer not to drive. Additionally, the starting point is strategically positioned near residential areas, allowing locals to simply walk to the tour’s beginning without needing transportation at all – embodying the park’s original purpose as an accessible natural retreat for city dwellers.
For residents of nearby communities like Woodinville, Interlaken Park is remarkably accessible despite feeling worlds away from suburban life. The approximately 20-mile journey from Woodinville to the park typically takes 25-35 minutes by car, depending on traffic conditions. Visitors from Woodinville can take I-405 S to SR-520 W, crossing Lake Washington before exiting toward Madison Street and navigating to the park’s entrance at 19th and Galer – a straightforward route that makes this urban destination easily reachable for a morning or afternoon excursion.
This proximity makes Interlaken Park an ideal destination for Woodinville residents seeking a brief escape into nature without committing to a full-day journey. The relatively short travel time allows visitors to spontaneously decide to explore the park when weather conditions are ideal or when they simply need a change of scenery. This accessibility highlights the interconnectedness of Seattle’s metropolitan area, where diverse landscapes and experiences are never far from reach.
Finding parking near Interlaken Park is relatively straightforward, with ample on-street parking available along both East Galer Street and 19th Avenue East. These residential streets feature unrestricted parking in most sections, though visitors should always check posted signs for any time limitations or permit requirements. The parking situation is typically most favorable during weekday mornings and afternoons, while weekends may see increased demand as more visitors flock to the park’s trails.
As a courtesy to neighborhood residents, visitors are encouraged to park respectfully by avoiding blocking driveways and maintaining adequate space for other vehicles to pass on narrower sections of street. For those who prefer not to search for street parking, there are several paid parking garages within walking distance of the park’s western edge near Volunteer Park. This range of parking options ensures that access to Interlaken’s natural beauty remains convenient for visitors arriving by car, supporting the park’s mission of providing accessible green space for all Seattle residents and visitors.
