Location: University District
Address: 3501 N.E. 41st St.
Acreage: 90
The Washington Park Arboretum gets a lot of attention for its fantastic gardens, pleasant trails and wetlands viewing. Much less visited, but also excellent, is the University of Washington’s Center for Urban Horticulture directly across Union Bay.
This treasure for the university serves as an outdoor laboratory for studying flowers, plants, trees and how wildlife interact with various types of flora. You can begin with a short stroll through the gardens near the parking area that feature nearly 300 different types of plants in different soil conditions.
Don’t make the mistake of cutting your visit short. The approximately 3/4-mile loop trail through pristine wetlands is the reason to visit the Center for Urban Horticulture. Look for a wide gravel trail leading southwest from the main buildings. The loop trail will take you on a short journey to Lake Washington where I saw turtles sunning themselves and several species of birds looking for lunch. The bird watching opportunities are some of the best in the city, and the Seattle Audubon Society leads classes here. More than 200 species of birds have been spotted, so bring your binoculars for the best chance to view them.
Learn more here.
#439 (Visited 5/27/15)