Carkeek Park

Miles and miles of trails, some paved, mostly gravel.
Quiet and often full with families, dogs, joggers.

Carkeek is the best lowkey spot to kick it if you ever want a tranquil place to be in your thoughts. Unlike Alki Beach or Golden Gardens, this place isn’t run down by a whole bunch of people on a nice hot day. Matter of fact, this is probably the last spot people want to be on a nice day. Which is why it is so underrated for what it is.
It’s a small beach, a little rocky, it ain’t that perfect. But hey, neither are you but I’m not complaining! It’s a nice little spot just to see the views of the ocean and maybe hear the trains pass by every 20 minutes or so.

Found this park in an online search and loved it. Playground for children with an awesome salmon slide. Plenty of places to sit with bbq pits. There are badminton nets and trails we didn’t yet explore. There is a stairway that leads to a beautiful view of the creek and water. Very rocky beach so wear some good shoes. Great park with scenic views and lots to do for the whole family. We’ll be back!

This is such a nice park/​beach! It’s huge which is nice! I saw the trail areas but didn’t get to go through any of them because it was getting pretty late. But we walked all the way to the beach area and it was really nice. It was pretty clean and I like how there were logs to seat on so you don’t have to sit on the bare sand lol. The view was really nice. Behind the beach, there’s a train track which is gated.

I had no idea this park existed! It is absolutely beautiful and peaceful. My friend and I got great parking and sat on the beach for a few hours while we chatted. Really nice area and not at all crowded like Greenlake or Golden Gardens.
I’ll be back!

Carkeek, always heard of it, and haven’t been, until tonight! What a great little park. Lots of trail options. A small beach front to walk (remember no dogs allowed on the beach {boo}). I got in 6+ glorious miles with my pooch around 7:30−9 pm. Oddly there were a bunch of HS students traipsing around and making noise, not sure what that’s about. BUT anyways. GREAT park. They have bathrooms and places to picnic. Accessible, with enough parking, but it could get easily crowded at peak times.
Things to note: There’s a long ADA accessible trail, which is great for those not as mobile. There are plenty of streams around so you don’t have to pack water for your dog. There is long stretch of grass to throw the ball around for poochy too. The trails are mostly flat or low grade, with several bridges and stairs; so it’s a good place to work on your glutes and get some stair reps in, but it’s also a great place to take your mother who doesn’t want to exert herself too much with a hike ;) And finally, there are train tracks by the beach (so don’t bring anyone here [kids, dogs, your brother] if they’re afraid of trains, because you can see trains here and trains make lots of noise).
Definitely put this one on your list!

Nice park right near me that I never knew existed. Great view and a nice beach to sit and relax (maybe too cold for swimming). There are picnic tables with small BBQs for grilling in the shade. There is a nice lawn area to throw frisbees, a football, or to kick a soccer ball.
Bathrooms are not too nice and could use a little more upkeep.
It’s a good place to visit!

First time here & it offers so much. I was looking for a nice place to sunbathe & take an afternoon nap & this was a great spot.
If you aren’t a lazy bear like I, this place also has many picnic areas (unnumbered tables is first come & other areas take reservations). A play ground with swings & toys for kiddos & large green lawns to get together & blow some bubbles.
You can get close to the water by crossing a little bridge & making your way down some stairs. Not as crowded because the kiddos stay up by the play area.
Would come back to have a picnic or sit on a bench for long chats. Potentially so romantic.
Lots of parking, but crowded. The drive there winds through lush trees & greenery.

Nice sunset viewing spot. I saw somebody camp fire over there too.

Yes. Fantastic; worth the many 5 stars it’s received. My bf and I are exploring Seattle parks this Spring/​Summer to find our faves. When it comes to Parks past 45^th this is definitely a Gold Star! There are a handful of different trails to walk along, grassy areas (w/​kids toys) and a beach landing. This has a wide variety of nature (thick trails) and relaxation (blanket on the beach eating snacks). Note that the beach is more rocky than sandy and its relatively small (compared to Golden Gardens Beach size etc).
We will definitely be back.

One of the prettiest parks in Washington. Beachfront, hiking trails, and today I got to see a train! Bring a coat tho yo!

What a delightful little hidy hole of a park just north of 85^th and a little to the left in Seattle! Follow the winding roads down and around corners of cottages tucked away from the busy city streets nearby. Meander around twisting turns covered with lush green forest goodness welcoming you in to the bosom of Carkeek Park!
Driving into the clearing is at once a relief from the dark forest shade and a relaxing sigh as you see the coastline and draw in that first deep breath of saltwater blessed air.
So much to see and do here with touches of creative artistic Seattleite flare everywhere you turn! The kiddie play area is shaped like salmon, the cross walk is painted like piano keys, etc. So much fun! Lots of picnic tables, a large open field with several games of soccer and frisbee going on this Sunday evening in May.
An absolute delight tonight were the Banjo and Accordian musicians playing in the upper part of the park! Their beautiful music wafted throughout and made for a lovely soundtrack along with the sounds of children playing and the smell of BBQ’s at sunset. Closer to 8pm the musicians made their way towards the beach bridge to delight the park folk on the sand below enjoying the waves and watching the brilliant orange sun slowly set behind the Olympic Mountains.
Carkeek park was an amazing jewel of Seattle shining brightly today! It’s a beautiful sight!

I live very close to an entrance to this park so I‘m basing my review off of my usual experience. I enter the park from the entrance off of the cul-​de-​sac off of 103^rd behind the QFC. The walk is generally quite nice but because there‘s a water treatment plant along the route, there is a decent sized section of the walk that has a warm and slightly unpleasant smell. It‘s not awful, but it‘s noticeable and not the usual fresh, clean smell you expect in a park. That’s the only reason I’m knocking off a star. Still, it‘s a nice walk and at the end you find yourself at the main park area and the beach. There are some cute kid places and a serviceable restroom area.
The view is nothing short of amazing. You can‘t see downtown Seattle as Magnolia juts out but you have a beautiful view of the Olympics. You can walk across the bridge over the train tracks and enjoy the view while lounging on the beach (there are lots of large logs and driftwood there or bring a blanket) or you can try to find a spot on a bench on the near side of the tracks.
I‘ve been there and seen a couple taking wedding photos and a lady in a formal dress posing with her violin. If it‘s a clear day or looking like it‘s setting up to be a nice sunset, GET OUT HERE. You will be granted a glorious show and there‘s guaranteed to be a lot of other people out here just silently enjoying the beauty of a sunset over the mountains.
I’ve lived on the Gulf Coast and seen many a lovely sunset but I’ve honestly never seen a sunset more beautiful, serene and soul achingly satisfying as the ones I’ve witnessed here. I’ve been to more beautiful and enjoyable parks but nothing beats a sunset here. If you come for the sunset, drive here and try to find a place to park as the walk back to the cul-​de-​sac entrance is a bit too dark. Bring a flashlight because unless you leave early, you’ll be parking in the lot that’s farther from the beach and it’s a bit of a dark walk back.

Coming from a very biased point of view, this is one of the best parks in Seattle. There are lots of beautiful trails you can take to charming benches overlooking the water. There is a playground that supplies all of your kids’ needs. There is a beautiful beach, where I have built 2-​story log cabins with my friends. In the summer, Osprey fly above the beach, diving into the water to catch fish. Eagles and even the once in a blue moon orca can be spotted.
In November, make sure you come here for the salmon. Piper’s Creek is the best place in Seattle to see the salmon come out of the ocean to reproduce. There is also an apple orchard a ways from the lower field.
Carkeek is my backyard, as I live walking distance from this beautiful place. I couldn’t be luckier.

I love this place! I’ve heard about it for so long and I’m glad I finally got the chance to check it out. It’s huge! Many options for whatever you’re in the mood for. Have kids? Go to the play ground area where there are a few different things with many options for kids to play on. Love the water? head down to the water front and stroll on the beach. (no dogs allowed down there) In the mood for a hike? Take any of the ‘trial’ options and walk through a beautiful mossy forest. There are also a plethora of picnic tables throughout the park along with some spots to post up and BBQ at. Great spot to venture out to if you haven’t, it’s definitely worth it!

I’ve lived on the Eastside almost my whole life and never visited Carkeek Park. What a treasure. If you like St. Edwards Park, Lincoln Park or Discovery Park you will LOVE this park. Plenty of parking, Clean bathrooms (open!), lots of trails, creeks and Puget Sound. What more could you need?!

How can you not like Carkeek Park? It is beautifully maintained. For those who like long walks/​hikes, this place is perfect for you. For those who don’t like to walk or do long hikes, this place is also perfect for you. Why? Visitors can choose to either drive their cars to the shorelines to see the beautiful beach or they can do the long trail that starts at the front of the park.
My husband and I did the hike/​run and it was pretty fantastic. You feel like you’re lost in the woods rather than in the middle of this suburban part of Seattle. There are so many beautiful trees that cover the landscape. The trail isn’t too arduous so if you’re mildly in shape, this is the perfect walk/​hike. I brought my parents to this park too and they decided to save time and drive to the beach side. The views from the beach is spectacular. Around 6 pm, you can see the sunshine hit the water. It looks so surreal. You can get a glimpse of the coastline too from the beach.

Beautiful? Check. Hiking trails? Check. Super awesome trains that come by and make kids stampede to watch them? Check.
This park is always pretty and clean, which I appreciate because this place is always pretty busy. Despite having heavy people traffic, I have never felt the place to be crowded, and it seems like there is always a good place to set up and enjoy the day.
When the kids get tired of the play equipment and running around int he grass, the beach is great, and I have seen kids spend hours throwing rocks into the water. No kids or kids that will walk without whining for more than 20 minutes? Hit some of the cool trails; I really enjoyed bird watching on some of them.
Parking can be a little bit of a bear sometimes, but it’s worth it. It is always a pleasure to spend time in this gem of a Seattle park.

I still love this park and think it is an absolute hidden gem of a park. We were here this past weekend for a summer picnic and it worked out so well. Everyone found parking and had a great time. The grassy area was perfect to set up our badminton court, ladder ball and croquet. So much fun and so much to do!
There are lots of benches and tables around and there are trash cans too, which was convenient because we ended up with a lot of trash and recyclables.
It’s not too hard to find because there are signs outside that lead you in the right direction. The sunsets here are breathtaking and should not be missed.

I spent a lot of my childhood at this wonderful place and it’s just as good as I remember it. Its nice to know that some things dont change. Its a little hidden just off of Holman Road.
There is a lot of things you can do at Carkeek Park. There is a park, a beach, a couple of trails and even a little playground. It’s absolutely beautiful here. It’s a great place for families, kids, dogs, couples, just about everyone.
There is a lot of parking on different levels, it can get a little crazy when it’s sunny out but you can always park a little further and walk down. Great place to have a picnic, lay around or walk on the beach. Definitely one of my favorite parks in Seattle.