Visit Gas Works Park year round for a striking view of Lake Union and downtown Seattle, watching kayaks and boats cruising by and seaplanes taking off and landing. The roughly 20-acre (8-hectare) public park’s lawns and big hill are popular among kite flyers, picnickers and dog walkers. A novel play area is a favorite for kids of all ages. Look for the artistic sundial at the top of the hill.
The park, open to the public since 1975, sits on the site of the former Seattle Gas Light Company gasification plant. Richard Haag won an American Society of Landscape Architects President’s Award for Design Excellence for his work as landscape architect responsible for converting the plant to a park. Haag and the design team were able to maintain much of the original gasification structure and implement methods for breaking down toxins in the soil. Note that the tasteful preservation of the various rusting towers and pipelines that you see at Gas Works Park has earned the site recognition on the National Register of Historic Places.
Along with its historic appeal, the park is a great place for family relaxation. Entry is free. The park is open every day from early morning to late evening. Visit for concerts, bike and running races, role-playing tournaments and one of Seattle’s Fourth of July celebrations. The site continues to be a Seattle favorite for out-of-town guests looking for an interesting and unique place to be outdoors and capture iconic downtown Seattle views.
Walk or bike from Gas Works Park along the Cheshiahud Lake Union Loop that circles Lake Union, passing Eastlake, the University Bridge and Fremont Bridge, always with pretty views of the lake.
Drive about 4 miles (6 kilometers) north of downtown Seattle, crossing the Fremont or Aurora bridges to get here. The park also lies along the popular Burke-Gilman Trail, which continues 12.5 miles (20 kilometers) north to Kenmore’s Log Boom Park. Be aware that there is no swimming, fishing or wading into Lake Union from Gas Works Park because hazardous substances from the gasification plant remain in the lake sediment.
