Discovery Park (Seattle)

Discovery Park is a big, beautiful park covering 534 acres by the water in Seattle, Washington. It is the largest public park in the city and has lots of walking trails, including the Discovery Park Loop Trail, which is almost 3 miles long and was named a special National Recreation Trail in 1975. The park has many different kinds of places to explore, like forests, sandy beaches, open grassy areas, and high, rocky cliffs.

Inside the park, you can find the Daybreak Star Cultural Center, which celebrates Native American culture. At the very western edge of the park stands the West Point Lighthouse, a historic beacon that helps ships navigate safely. Nearby, there is also a treatment plant, though it is mostly hidden from view by marshes and trails.

Much of Discovery Park was once home to Fort Lawton, an old military base. Parts of the fort still remain and, together with the lighthouse, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, meaning they are important places protected for their history.

Description

Discovery Park is a wonderful place to see animals, especially birds and sea creatures. The Seattle Audubon Society has noted over 270 kinds of birds in the park and nearby waters. You can see harbor seals and California sea lions in Elliott and Shilshole Bays, and Townsend's chipmunks in the wooded areas.

Most visitors enjoy walking the Loop Trail, a path that goes through forests, meadows, and bushes. It offers great views of Puget Sound. There are also some old buildings in the main grassy area. You can reach the shoreline by road or trail, but you need a permit to drive to the beach. Free permits are available for certain groups, like families with young children, seniors, and people with disabilities. The south beach faces Elliott Bay, while the north beach faces Shilshole Bay. Between them is West Point and the West Point Lighthouse. The park has many types of trees, like bigleaf maple, red alder, and Douglas-fir. Some unwanted plants, like Himalayan blackberry, need regular care to keep them out.

History

Discovery Park was created in the early 1970s from land that was once part of Fort Lawton, a U.S. Army base. The city of Seattle received this land in 1972 and named it Discovery Park in 1973 to honor the British ship HMS Discovery, which explored Puget Sound in 1792. Fort Lawton stayed open as an Army Reserve base until it officially closed in 2012.

Over the years, the park has seen many changes. In 2004, Seattle bought more land from the U.S. Navy to make room for open space. Later, there were discussions about turning part of the old Army base into homes for people who need them. The park has also been a place where wild animals, like coyotes, black bears, and even a cougar, have been seen. The park had to close temporarily when a cougar was found, but the animal was safely moved to the Cascade mountains.

The beach in the park has sometimes been used without clothes in quieter spots, but this is not allowed by the city. In the future, the park’s visitor center might close if funding isn’t found, which would affect many programs and volunteers who help teach people about nature.

In popular culture

The Grunge band Temple of the Dog filmed the music video for their hit single "Hunger Strike" on the shores of Discovery Park.