Day Hike - Wilds of Queen Anne

Meet just before 6 p.m. at the foot of the Galer Stairs pedestrian overpass on Westlake Avenue just north of Kenway Air. Park just south of the stairs -- free after 4pm.

These after work city hikes start at 6 pm and end about 2 hours later, close to 8pm. This up-and-down walk is a slight variation on Walk #11, Southwest Queen Anne, in Jake & Cathy Jaramillo's 2013 Seattle Stairway Walks, Mountaineers Books.  The guide calls for 2.6 miles but we'll do ~4.5 miles.  Metro Transit Bus Route 70 provides excellent service. And Metro 62 is handy, too

Our route takes us west up the linked Galer Stairs from Lake Union near the highest elevation past Old Queen Anne HS.  We hit Upper Garfield Stairs, the Wilcox Wall exploring Marshall Pk, Parsons Gardens and Kerry Pk --great views south and west  We return via Bigelow Ave N and the Galer Stairs to Westlake.

Total steps down ~1000 and total steps up ~1000 (but not all at once). The stair count moves the hike from Easy to Easy+.  The leader's knees will assure a tolerable pace.

Dress for the weather and the evening.  It will be dark and some travel is on city streets, so headlamps and reflective clothing are advised.