Ship Canal Trail
Ship Canal Trail
4

Top ways to experience Ship Canal Trail and nearby attractions

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.


4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles5 reviews
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yamhill
Katy, TX185 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2014 • Solo
When you come to Seattle bring your bike, rent one, or lace up your walking shoes.

Plenty of interesting stuff to see along the cities bike and hiking trails that you are not likely to see from a car or a tour bus. Whats more it's free

For instance there is newest of these paths...The Ship Canal Trail. It opened 4 years ago.
Not as lenghty as the mother of Seattle bike trails...The Burke-Gilman Trail (23 miles).

This puppy is a mere 2 miles long ...but 2 miles of sorta different sights along the way makes it very worth your while to check out.

The other day I was pedaling along under blue skies when I saw orange flames leaping skyward up ahead on the side of the trail. I heard a voice filled with urgency yelling over a PA ..."ATTENTION ALL HANDS ...A FIRE HAS BEEN REPORTED IN THE ENGINE ROOM ,,,A SEVERED FUEL LINE !"

I parked my bike off the trail fascinated with this simulated and quite realistic "fire at sea" scenario.

This turned out to be a fire training excersize being conducted on the good ship Fire Dragon by Fremont Maritime Services. The Fire Dragon is landlocked sitting behind a tall chain link fence topped with razor wire beside the Ship Canal Trail. It resembles the superstructure of a vessel. The Fire Dragon even has a helicopter on her deck. (not a real one)

In chatting with an employee I was told the company trains ships crews in emergency fire situation response. The company's certification training also includes navy and coast guard personnel.

I should mention that there is no set time where you can watch these drills. As I understand it they are conducted Monday through Fridays. I happened to be on the trail in early afternoon.
So you have to be lucky and be in the vicinity when all this happens. But it is fun to watch.

The Ship Canal Trail has a split personality...half the trail from the Ballard Bridge is maritime services ...shipyards and the like. Two, salty, old, buoys mark the entrance to the Foss Company (one of Seattle's oldest maritime services whoose vessels were featured in the "Tug Boat Annie" film series.

The rest of the trail where the Seattle Pacific University campus begins on your right is park like with lawns, picnic tables, large trees and nice views of passing marine traffic on the canal. The busy waterway provides a link from Lakes Union and Washington to the Ballard Locks and the saltwater of Puget Sound.

I saw all kinds of water traffic from kayakers and tour boats to classy yachts and tugs shoving barges.

My favorite thing to do is take a break along the water and watch the Fremont bridge's openings and closings. The bridge tender will signal to vessels with 5 blasts. The vessels toot their horn once and the bridge then opens. Vehicular traffic gets backed up for a few blocks...but then ...so goes life in Fremont.

That bridge is used by so many cyclists that they have a bike-o-meter ...an electronic visual bicycle counter. Already...at about mid afternoon that day... it indicated some 2300 cyclists had ridden across the bridge.

The trail (in name only) ends at the south end of the Fremont bridge...I took the ramp up past the seafood restaurant and the funeral home and found myself at the southend of the span. You can keep going if you wish (go under the bridge) and ride or walk south on the south Lake Union loop that you can follow all the way to the University District.

By the way the Burke-Gilman Trail follows the canal on the other side.

I usually access the Ship Canal Trail at the south end of the Ballard Bridge. That after cycling (or walking) across the span and taking the stairway at that goes under the bridge. Be careful crossing the roadway right under the bridge as visibility for oncoming vehicles is limited and they come a good clip. Take a right on the trail and you're good to go.
I might add that if you take a left under the bridge you can, 5 miles later, find yourself on Alaskan Way, in downtown Seattle fairly close to the Pike Place Market, The Great Wheel and other stuff to see on the waterfront.

Along the way you'll pass the Pier 91 and Peir 66 cruise ship terminals, Myrtle Edwards park with great sound and mountain views and Sculpture Park.

Or you can start your Ship Canal Trail adventure at the south end of the Fremont Bridge...just follow the sign there...take a right at the funeral home and another at the end of the block past the seafood restaurant and your are on your way.

Give the Ship Canal Trail a try. Have fun!
Written June 7, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

William M
127 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2018 • Couples
We just walked from Downtown Seattle to Sound Spirits along the Ship Canal Trail. Just head North on Westlake till you hit Lake Union. Beautiful stroll; 4.4 miles. Stop by Chinese Harbor along the way. At Sound Spirits I sampled all ten spirirts for $5
Written January 16, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Scott H
Brunswick, ME65 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2015 • Couples
Very nice trail wondering next to the ship canal. Very nice to walk and watch the boats go by. Great way to see the working part of the waterfront.
Written October 8, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Wendy W
3 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023 • Solo
I was enjoying an easy stroll with the dog but had a terrible experience when his rear left hip was struck and run over by a road biker. 😔 He’s a 10 lb small dog. Fortunately he’ll be okay but I wanted to post this as a reminder to keep an eye out and share the pathway.
Written March 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ozcan1
Bunbury, Australia2,726 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2018 • Couples
Five of us walked along the ship canal, observing watercraft and activity on both sides of the canal. Nice and shady, with sightings of squirrels en route. I imagine it would be even more enjoyable had we not already walked many, many kilometres through the Arboretum and across Marsh Island(!)

Pleasant nonetheless.. .
Written July 15, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Ship Canal Trail - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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