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Old 06-21-2009, 05:17 PM
 
Location: Ocala,Florida
86 posts, read 317,354 times
Reputation: 52

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hey all..wife and i will be in Seattle for 2 days this summer and I would really like to do some hiking in "the woods" while we are there. I've heard Discovery Park is a pretty big park with some great hikes. Problem is I can only do something short say 1-2 hours max as we only have limited time. Does anyone have any good suggestions as to what trails in this park might be good for getting "into the woods" or maybe giving us some good views of the surrounding scenery. Any help would be appreciated sincerely. Thanks! Also, what other parks would be viable alternatives. I realize there are qite a few parks but Discovery just sounds so cool. Plus, we would be up near the Queen Anne neighborhood anyhow which makes it seem fairly close. Thanks!
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Old 06-21-2009, 06:02 PM
 
Location: WA
4,242 posts, read 8,756,763 times
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Most of the hikes in Discovery are short, unless you decide to walk the entire loop trail. I'd suggest maybe walking from the South parking lot down to the South beach, over to the lighthouse and North beach, and then trackback. The attraction is the beach, the view of the mountains if its clear, and tide pools on the North Beach if you time it right. I'd say the woods themselves are not as awesome as in other parks.

Of course, if you had more time, I would suggest driving to Mt. Rainier or the Olympics. But if you're in Queen Anne anyway and you only have a couple hours, Discovery is your best bet.
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Old 06-21-2009, 06:11 PM
 
Location: Ocala,Florida
86 posts, read 317,354 times
Reputation: 52
awesome. Thanks a ton. I cannot wait. The more I read about Seattle, the more excited I get about visiting.I fell in love with Portland last summer and will probably do the same with Seattle!
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Old 06-22-2009, 09:36 AM
 
Location: Greater Seattle, WA Metro Area
1,930 posts, read 6,521,705 times
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If you have a car, you could also consider a 25-30 minute drive out of the city to Issaquah to hike on the Chirico Trail up to Pu Pu Point. Once up there, you can see Mt. Rainier and the Cascades from one side and then you hike another 300 feet up and over to the other side and you can see Lake Sammamish, the Olympics, Mt. Baker, etc. Of course it needs to be a clear day to do this but for the round trip 2 hour hike (including gawking time) you will take in some of the best scenery in the area.

http://www.shuttertours.com/archives/719

Then you could stop somewhere on Front Street (Issaquah Brewhouse or Jaks come to mind though there are plenty of food options) for a bite to eat. You will feel like you have gone to summer camp.
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Old 06-22-2009, 11:50 AM
 
Location: WA
4,242 posts, read 8,756,763 times
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2 hours if you are a triathelete, maybe! That trail is relentless.
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Old 06-22-2009, 05:49 PM
 
Location: Ocala,Florida
86 posts, read 317,354 times
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yeah i will have a car but would like to keep it to a minimum for now. I do hope to explore the various surroundings in future visits when I have more time like Mt ranier, orcas islands, olympic peninsula etc. By the way, how long does it take to drive around the olympic peninsula? It looks to be about 120 miles or so all the way around but not sure timewise. Can anyone confirm?
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Old 06-22-2009, 09:24 PM
 
Location: Seattle area
854 posts, read 4,134,221 times
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To drive around the Olympic Peninsula, you really want two days at least. It could be done in one long midsummer day if you have no kids with you and no desire to get out and do, see, or feel much. If you want to get a taste, but can't stay long, I'd suggest a halfday trip to get a flavor: ferry to Bremerton, take a drive to Scenic Beach State Park, and look across the Hood Canal at the Olympics. Very nice. Walk up the beach a bit, kick yourself for not staying longer (), and drive to Bainbridge, have lunch, and take the shorter ferry back from there.

If you have longer, the beaches at Kalaloch and north are nice. (Do not drive all the way to the Pacific and stop at Ocean Shores and turn around and go back. If you're bothering to get to the Pacific, AT LEAST see Kalaloch! Ruby and some other beaches are even nicer!).

There's a little park, Olallie, on I-90. It's not very far away, and it's RIGHT on the freeway. It's a very quick way to easily get that in-the-woods flavor and feeling. There's a short path that goes through some oldgrowth along the Snoqualmie River for awhile -- I like it there, even though it's a very small park. It's basically a place to pop off the highway for an hour and get into some beautiful forest lighting along a river; the river and a hill block out the highway noise. There's a little powerplant at one end of the park and a clearing with picnic tables at the other -- nice place to spend an hour and feel like you got into another world. Nothing fancy -- it's just that short trail through the trees. (If you have more time, Twin Falls state park is nearby too, and also quite nice. I've found it to be much more crowded, but still not too bad).

Getting onto Rainier is much better, of course, but if pressed for time... see the beaches, bluffs, eagles, madronas, mountains, ferries, and waves at Discovery Park; see a river, mountains, and cedars at Olallie. Can easily do both of those and then some in a single day.
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Old 06-24-2009, 05:02 PM
 
Location: Ocala,Florida
86 posts, read 317,354 times
Reputation: 52
Quote:
Originally Posted by jenlion View Post
To drive around the Olympic Peninsula, you really want two days at least. It could be done in one long midsummer day if you have no kids with you and no desire to get out and do, see, or feel much. If you want to get a taste, but can't stay long, I'd suggest a halfday trip to get a flavor: ferry to Bremerton, take a drive to Scenic Beach State Park, and look across the Hood Canal at the Olympics. Very nice. Walk up the beach a bit, kick yourself for not staying longer (), and drive to Bainbridge, have lunch, and take the shorter ferry back from there.

If you have longer, the beaches at Kalaloch and north are nice. (Do not drive all the way to the Pacific and stop at Ocean Shores and turn around and go back. If you're bothering to get to the Pacific, AT LEAST see Kalaloch! Ruby and some other beaches are even nicer!).

There's a little park, Olallie, on I-90. It's not very far away, and it's RIGHT on the freeway. It's a very quick way to easily get that in-the-woods flavor and feeling. There's a short path that goes through some oldgrowth along the Snoqualmie River for awhile -- I like it there, even though it's a very small park. It's basically a place to pop off the highway for an hour and get into some beautiful forest lighting along a river; the river and a hill block out the highway noise. There's a little powerplant at one end of the park and a clearing with picnic tables at the other -- nice place to spend an hour and feel like you got into another world. Nothing fancy -- it's just that short trail through the trees. (If you have more time, Twin Falls state park is nearby too, and also quite nice. I've found it to be much more crowded, but still not too bad).

Getting onto Rainier is much better, of course, but if pressed for time... see the beaches, bluffs, eagles, madronas, mountains, ferries, and waves at Discovery Park; see a river, mountains, and cedars at Olallie. Can easily do both of those and then some in a single day.
Thanks for the suggestions! I have noted them and will make serious thoughts of them. They all sound so great. I ran into this last summer too in oregon. SO much beautiful scenery so little time to experience it all. if I had 3 weeks off , sure but i only have 10 days total and will be going BACK to Oregon, then up to the Gorge Amphitheater for 3 days so really I only have a few days total in Washington. Total bummer. However, the good news is when I finally move back west gain, I will have all the time in thw world to explore every nook and cranny!!
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