Search trip reports
2330674866769154835.jpeg

Trip Report    

Urban Walk - Seattle Olmsted 50: Section 2

A balmy mid-December night walk, with temps in the low 50s, and overcast skies. This night walk along the one-way version of SeaOlm Section 2 began at the west entrance of Woodland zoo, crossed Woodland Park and Green Lake, then Cowan Park and Ravenna Creek Park, onto the festive Candy Cane Lane, and then the final stretch along the wide boulevards of Fraternity Row and Memorial drive, to end at the bus stop across the UW medical center.

Deepti Scharf Deepti Scharf
December 16, 2025
  • Road suitable for all vehicles

  • The route was in good condition throughout, with minor caution here and there. The dirt trail along the north and east sides of the zoo was well-maintained but wet due to recent rain, so the only caution was the wet leaves that can be slippery sometimes, and roots to watch out for. At Green Lake we walked on the dirt trail beside the paved trail, which was also fine, with some muddy patches. Nothing remarkable about the trails through the other green spaces or sidewalks along roads — they were fine to walk on. 

We started the walk at 4:11pm after all eleven of us arrived at the west entrance of the Woodland zoo. As we wound around the zoo on the dirt trail, I watched my footing on the wet leaves, having danced a couple of skids on these during other walks. The bridge over Aurora was clear and almost dry, and we passed by the dog park in Woodland park. At Revolution coffee, we snagged a large table and enjoyed a few minutes of fellowship over treats.

The walk was 6.5 miles long, with 362 ft elevation gain, with most of the gain  in the second half of the walk.

Among the highlights for me was stopping briefly at Green Lake to take in the lights flickering across the twilight waters. The twilight stayed with us longer than I thought. By the time we entered Ravenna Park, it was completely dark. The leader checked with the group to ensure all were comfortable with walking in darkness with headlamps. There is something about walking together through a night forest — alone except the occasional runner — that opens our senses to the dark, to its mystery and power, that is uniquely experienced on a night walk such as this. 

A walker noticed the shards of silver moonlight on the pooled water through the thickets on the forest floor. At the glacier erratic in Ravenna Park, our headlamps lighted the wooden boardwalk, the shallow stream, and the enormous boulders the glacier left behind. A bare tree curved over the entrance to the boardwalk, framing the dusky scene. I had walked this route before in daylight. The darkness made it into a different walk altogether.

Emerging from the forested darkness into the wide, well-lighted boulevards of Fraternity Row and Memorial drive was another transition — into scale and grandeur. Framed by rows of mature Horse Chestnuts, the boulevards were quiet due to the holidays.

This urban walk is very toilet-rich — there may have been as many as 7-8 toilet stops along the way, with a few closed. There were no toilets after lower Ravenna…something to keep in mind…though the medical center toilets could be used in a pinch. The Woodland Park and Green Lake Boathouse bathrooms were rated A by fellow walkers; the others that were open earned between a B and C.

Altogether, a memorable walk.