Looking for more great parks to visit on Lake Washington?
Take a hike at nearby O. O. Denny Park, or head across the lake to Magnuson Park in Seattle.
LOCATION
Saint Edward State Park is located off Juanita Drive NE, just north of Kirkland, Washington, on the shores of Lake Washington.
LENGTH
1.5 to 4 miles — take your pick! We did a 1.5 mile loop, but it’s easy to create your own route from a variety of trails.
DIFFICULTY
Easy/moderate — Trails at Saint Edward are short, but getting to Lake Washington involves some hilly terrain. The total elevation change between the parking lots at the lakeshore is about 400 feet. The shortest routes to the lake are also the steepest. Be prepared for mud if it has rained recently.
WE HIKED IT
December, 2021, about 1.5 hours to do a 1.5 mile loop hike, including play time by the lake, plus more time at the playground and checking out The Lodge
CURRENT INFO
For general information about Saint Edward State Park, visit the Washington State Parks website. Trail information and reviews are available on the WTA (Washington Trails Association) website and AllTrails. Saint Edward State Park is also featured in the book Urban Trails: Eastside by Craig Romano. If you live in the area, I highly recommend this book. Visit The Lodge website for more information about overnight stays, dining, and events.
GOOD TO KNOW
- Saint Edward State Park is (perhaps obviously) a Washington State Park, so be sure to bring your Discover Pass or else purchase a day pass from one of the automated machines in the parking lots.
- Looking for a chance to visit Saint Edward for free? The Washington State Parks offer a number of free days throughout the year, including the day after Thanksgiving and New Years Day. For a full list, please visit the Washington State Parks website.
- The layout of the parking lots can be confusing if you’re unfamiliar with the park. To plan ahead, check out the online park map. We parked at the northernmost lot near the “storage sheds”. From there, we followed trail #2 to the lake, continued along the lake on trail #1, then headed back up to the playground on trail #5. Please note that while the map identifies trails by number, most of the actual trails are not labelled. Fortunately, the trails are easy to follow, but I recommend taking a photo of the map at the trailhead so you can refer to it later.
- Restrooms are located near the parking lots.
- A vault toilet, picnic tables, and garbage bins are available near the main beach on Lake Washington, making this a great spot for a picnic.
- The fields surrounding the parking lots are also perfect for picnics and outdoor games, and the playground is a must for families with young children.
- Dogs on leash are welcome at Saint Edward State Park.
- Some trails allow mountain biking, while others are for hikers only. Check the signage to verify if bikes are allowed.
HIGHLIGHTS
Saint Edward State Park is a lovely green oasis in the greater Seattle metro area. For those living around the north end of Lake Washington, it’s a wonderful place to escape to for a woodsy walk, even if you only have a few hours to spare. For families, the playground is fantastic, and the recently renovated historic seminary, now called “The Lodge”, is a beautiful centerpiece to the park. You can even enjoy a meal or spa treatment here if you want to get fancy!
THE KIDS’ TAKE
It’s all about the playground! Indeed, Saint Edward State Park has an awesome playground featuring an enormous labyrinthine wooden play structure. It’s perfect for games of hide-and-seek or tag. But don’t neglect the trails! They’re short enough for little legs to manage (if a bit steep for some), and the pocket beaches along Lake Washington are a delight to explore.
WHILE YOU’RE HERE
Saint Edward State Park is a great place to relax and enjoy simply being outdoors. On a sunny day, consider packing a picnic or some lawn games. If you want to treat yourself, look into a meal or spa treatment at The Lodge. For more urban hiking, check out O. O. Denny Park, which features a beautiful trail through a forested ravine, as well as a large accessible lawn along Lake Washington. Big Finn Hill is another nearby park offering miles of woodland trails.
Our Experience
Somehow this fall, weeks passed without us getting out on the trail. This situation was finally remedied last Sunday with a quick trip to nearby Saint Edward State Park. Despite being less than a 15-minute drive from our house, it had been almost two years since our last visit.
We met up with friends at the trailhead north of The Lodge. On the park map, this area is labeled “storage sheds”. I’m not sure if this labeling is particularly helpful to park visitors, who are not allowed to access or use said storage sheds, but regardless, it’s a good point from which to start your hike. A trail map is located at the trailhead, and you can purchase a Washington State Parks pass from the automated machine if you don’t already have one.
Soon we were following trail #2, making our way downhill toward Lake Washington. While trails at Saint Edward are labelled on the park map, the trails themselves are mostly unmarked. Fortunately, it’s a relatively simple trail system, so it’s hard to get lost.
One of the first notable sights on our journey was an impressive grouping of trees — two fallen and one still standing. Together, they create something of a trailside puzzle. Any theories as to the history behind this fanciful trio?
Trail #2 leads downward at a gentle slope. During the wet season (and we are well into the wet season currently) trails at Saint Edward are muddy, but we didn’t encounter anything treacherous. Just be sure to wear shoes or boots with good traction.
As we approached the lake, sunlight wafted through the trees, casting a pale golden glow over the lake. The boys were ahead of us, and had already clambered down onto the first beach. The beach is located a few feet below the trail here. It’s not difficult to climb down, but if you prefer an easier entry point, don’t worry. Skip this section and keep heading south to the main beach, which is both larger and more accessible.
As for us, we spent a good amount of time at this tiny pocket beach (it’s the one that appears in the photo at the top of this post). There is always something new to discover at the water’s edge. Eventually, we gathered the kids back onto the trail and made our way south toward the main beach.
The trail here sticks close to the water, and there are more pocket beaches to explore if you have the time. Something else caught my eye, however, as we continued our walk. Something pink, gnarled and bumpy, shrouded in delicate grey cobwebs. Was it a fungus? A slime mold? My ability to identify such organisms is practically nill, so this intriguing specimen remains a mystery. If you have any leads, let me know.
Further down the trail we crossed a few short boardwalks before arriving at the main beach. Five-year-old T was disappointed that this hike was taking longer than expected, but he perked up at the sight of the open lakeshore (and a well-timed snack).
One unique quality of Saint Edward State Park is the fact that it includes some of the last remaining undeveloped shoreline along Lake Washington. As white settlers carved away at the land that would become Seattle, the flow of creeks and streams was irrevocably altered, and man-made barriers created an artificial separation between water and land. While I am sure the shoreline at Saint Edward is not totally free from human intervention, it provides a glimpse into the wild landscape that once thrived here.
It also provides a great place to picnic. A few tables near the water offer a beautiful spot to enjoy a meal, and there are even garbage and recycling bins to encourage visitors to “leave no trace”. Vault toilets are available a short distance further up the trail.
The boys enjoyed some more play time on the beach while the adults chatted nearby. The soft light from the setting sun shimmered through the clouds, and I couldn’t resist snapping a few photos. The boys even obliged with a masks-off portrait. Playing on the beach is serious business, no?
After our time at the beach, we turned to head up the hill, passing by the vault toilets on our way to the trail intersection. The entrance to trail #5 is marked by a “no bicycles” sign and a narrow fenced opening. Bicyclists, or those looking for a wide, more gentle path to the top, can stay to the left and follow trail #4. Remember that these trail numbers are only found on the map posted at the trailhead. Here on the trail, there are no such labels. Confusingly, we saw a signpost labelled “7” as we began our ascent, even though that number corresponds with a different trail on the map. In other words, don’t rely on these numbers for direction.
The trail grew steeper as we neared the top. In some places, steps helped ease the way. Here, too, it was muddy, but not too slick. Before long, the grade lessened, and we saw a familiar sight. The Lodge! Historically, this gorgeous building was a Catholic seminary before the property was converted to a Washington State Park. Now, after a recent renovation, it houses a hotel, spa, and restaurants.
Unsurprisingly, The boys made a beeline for the playground, where they happily ran out the last of their energy (did I say “last”? if only!) as the sky slowly darkened. Before heading home, we made one last stop:
Freshly bedecked with holiday lights, the brick path to The Lodge beckoned. Inside, Christmas trees lined the long corridor, each one featuring ornaments made by different local artists. It was a beautiful finale to our visit. Happy holidays, Saint Edward State Park, and to all who work so diligently to keep these grounds open and accessible for all! I hope we’ll meet again in 2023.
