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Trip Report    

Seattle Olmsted Circuit: Section 10

On a foggy morning the section 10 steward walked with a group from Seacrest Foot Ferry Terminal in West Seattle, along Alki Trail into West Seattle neighborhoods, down the stairs onto the Spokane Street Bridge and into downtown Seattle.

Fern Brody Fern Brody
January 22, 2026
  • Road suitable for all vehicles

  • The turn by turn directions are accurate.

    The route is well maintained and in good shape.  Use the sidewalk to the East (Elliott Bay side) on the Alki Trail - its wider and free of debris.  The path in the Longfellow Creek Greenspace gets muddy, but is still very walkable.  Pigeon Point has some steps to climb, and they are in good condition.  The steps leading down from Pigeon Point are in good shape as in the hand rail.  Use the crosswalk to cross Spokane Street for safety as you have several lanes to traverse.  The work on E Marginal Way S is completed, and now the bike lanes are separate from the pedestrian walk. 

There is plenty of free street parking on Harbor Avenue SW adjacent to the Seacrest Foot Ferry terminal (parking at the terminal is usually tight, and is limited to 2-hours).  The initial part of the walk follows the Alki Trail skirting Elliott Bay and the Port’s Jack Block Park.  We got a chance to view the mural at the base of the Spokane Street Bridge, and visited the Dragonfly and the recently renovated Salmon Bone Bridge.

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Hiking through the Pigeon Point neighborhood and hills gets us to the stairway leading down to the Spokane Street Bridge (e.g. the low bridge).  The stairs go through a heron rookery, but didn’t see herons on this January day.  

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Then we walk the shared pedestrian and bike sidewalk on the bridge, being careful to cross Spokane Street at the lighted crosswalk.  Note that the Mountaineers publishing offices are behind us on Harbor Island in the office park.  

We stopped at the benches along the Duwamish East Waterway for a snack break, and to watch the folks out on tug boats.  Then we headed toward E Marginal Way S for a long stretch that parallels the docks.  There was a small encampment near the intersection of Spokane and E Marginal Way S, and there is a larger one up the street on Marginal Way as you approach downtown.  

It remained foggy all morning, but we did see the plaque marking the first gas station.  We had hoped to visit the Coast Guard Museum, but since it was MLK day they were closed.  They have limited hours, so be sure to check out their website if you plan to visit.

The walk ends at Molly Moon’s ice cream at Pioneer Square Habitat Beach, but they are closed for the winter.  Visit pier 52 (Banbridge/Bremerton ferry dock) to use the restrooms in the main terminal.  Also note, the Marion Street Bridge to the ferry docks is closed until February 2, 2026. 

Take the foot ferry at pier 50 back to West Seattle to get your car.  Stop at Marination Ma Kai for a quick bite - if you eat meat try the Spam Musubi;  its a local favorite.