Discovery park has become my sanctuary. It is my go to place to clear my head, the place I hugged trees (when I couldn’t hug human beings during COVID), the place I could just listen to water, birds, wind— away from screens and the business of life— all so close to the city. I can go as far as to say that Discovery park has saved me. I come back as a new (and marginally tolerable) person :) Thank you DP! Sharing a couple of pics: one is from today (10/9/21) and another from Spring 2021.

An adventure to discover each time you go. Many crisscrossing trails to lengthen or shorten your hikes. Many sites to see, from the light house to Mt Rainier. The treatment plant does add a little flavor to the mostly fresh air throughout your hike. We ran into a coyote on the way. But he just sat and watched.

I had a nice wander on the loop trail yesterday evening. Its a big park and I havent even gotten to explore most of it yet. But we did get to a beautiful cliff view over the water. Im sure once wet weather comes back, it will be filled with mushrooms . All in all, its a nice place to wander.

This park is one of my favorite places in Seattle. I have no words to describe how beautiful it is. Only one word: Great

This is my favorite place for relaxation in Seattle! The sunset at Discovery park is beautiful! You can either do a hike to the beach or just drive there and witness the magnificent panoramic view.

Beautiful park. Lots of shade and really easy waking. Nothing steep to walk and stairs makes it easy for those with bad ankles.There are even cute little wooden overlooks built for pictures and views. The north west side of the park has a great view of the Puget Sound and theres a small white house.Will definitely come back with my family

One of my favorite Seattle walks! The loop is perfect, if you don’t detour down to the water and lighthouse. It’s hot and sunny (when it’s not overcast), with lots of steps, and a little anticlimactic. The rest of the park is great though, with great trees and a cool view from the bluff.

Great place to walk and play. Forest and beach. Playground and lots of walking trails. Loved our sunset visit!

A nice getaway in our backyard. This is the best hike you can go on in the city, and it has great views of the water. It’s a pretty easy hike and the park also has a playground, tennis courts, and a basketball hoop.

Amazing! Just amazing!!!! We hiked to the beach and it was such a gorgeous sunset. We ended up doing a long hike back to the car in the dark, but I was told there’s a closer parking lot to the lighthouse, but we haven’t figure it out. The views of Mt Rainier are really incredible.

Great little trip outside of the city! Maybe under an hour from Union St. Lots of different paths, but headed straight towards the water. I could sit on the beach all day. The tide was out, so I got to enjoy the beach. The lighthouse was a little anticlimactic, but I felt great after spending ~2.5 hrs here.

Had a great time! Didnt get to spend a lot if time there, but did walk to the Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center from the North parking lot. Enjoyed viewing art painted by ‘Visions of a Makah’ by Frank Peterson, checked out the gift shop, and walked to the left of the building to look out on the Puget Sound. It was beautiful! Masks are required in the Center and they do take temperatures, but it was nice. Planning our next trip for an all day visit to the park including a picnic lunch.

Great hiking trail... ☺️The scenery is amazing and refreshing... Especially as you to to down to the beach.. Definitely a place to be...

One of my absolute factories in Seattle. Fantastic picnic spot. Its just really picturesque with very little effort, and if you do want to spend some effort, the hike down to the beach is really nice.

Beautiful park and trails. You can see the beach/lighthouse and the trees all in one place. Plan on spending at least a few hours here, so much to see!

Wonderful hiking, breathtaking views. Absolutely worth your time if youre looking for something nice and outdoorsy but not too challenging. Loop trail has good long sections in the shade which is nice too. Great overlooks.

This is a huge park with lots of walking trails at either entrance. Fantastic view of the Olympics and a large field for a blanket to lounge or picnic.

Overall, a wonderful place to walk down a variety of trails and loops located conveniently in Seattle.You can go down the beach trail to come out right on the beach and enjoy the sound of the waves, the salty air, and the picturesque tiny lighthouse. While youre down there you can walk to the cliff faces and find a tiny cave to peek inside. Just be warned, the walk back up might be challenging for people who dont have a lot of stamina.You dont have to go down to the water at all to enjoy the park though, there is a nice old Church and some classic houses located in the upper/east section of the park, youre surrounded by nature in the loop up there and it really is a great time.If you have free time and want to walk, this is a great place to do that.

Great wilderness area for wandering, picnics and photos/videos. Down the trails, you have beautiful sights on the way down to the beach and the lighthouse, with frequent benches and other rest areas.Not at all handicap accessible past the first area with older houses and not ideal for longboards or Onewheels in stretches.Plan for the walk back up. You can take the road on the wake back up so itll be faster. But still uphill.

When you get back in your vehicle from this park, you’ll understand why it can’t be a 5 star. No question about it a BEAUTIFUL PARK, amazing views and can I not mention the sunsets or beach views. Out of all my hikes this was the first one I didn’t get much elevation. Great hike for anybody or anything. I love my MOUNTAINS and alpine lakes. This was a nice hike to just get out.

Beautiful breathtaking escape near the city, wooded paths along the sound.

Great place to walk and get great views of Puget sound .

I love that this park is not too far out of the city and that you can literally go in Roam so much space. Really awesome views from just about anywhere that you Walk from and there is quite a lot of sites to visit and check out along the way. Will definitely be visiting this park again!

It’s a huge park, with lots of hiking trails and paved trails as well. Plenty of shade and giant beautiful trees. Came during the evening for a short hike and it was fun! Please note that you should take important belongings since there’s a chance your car might get broken into. Other than that, it’s definitely worth coming here and doing multiples trails that lead to water or loop around the area !!!

Awesome park with decent sized beaches hidden in Magnolia. Huge open meadows, cool old buildings, bluffs you can sit on top and look out over the sound, and great trails with lots of viewpoints and places to take a break. And of course the two beaches that meet on the lighthouse, jutting out into the sound. Only reason its not five stars is you can smell the sewage from the water treatment plant in some parts on the beach.

Lightly trafficked on a Friday afternoon. Clean. Lots of space to roam and beautiful views everywhere you look.Gold and Bald Eagles hunting on the beaches.Fun to explore the beaches around the lighthouse.

Pretty nice n simple trail some of which is wheelchair accessible. Nice views.

Beautiful walk in Discovery Park to the beachfront. Saw diving seahawks in the water, and enjoyed the walk. Bathrooms along the trail, pretty clean for outdoor amenities.

Awesome place. Be ready to walk form the parking area to the beautiful light house

So many beautiful and peaceful paths to take.

Took the kids and the puppies on a hike to the beach. We all enjoyed it and it was beautiful. Saw some wildlife and collected shells. Parking is a bit of a pain, so make sure you have that figured out ahead of time.

Evrything is good at this place. Except the parking. You have to park around 1.5 miles away from the location in discovery park. View is ultimate. Good for sunset 🌅. Mt Rainier view is also stunning !!

Not a regular, curated park. Has a lot of wild flora. Beach is quite dirty overall. Has a nice view of Mt. Rainier. Decent hikes and walks.

Well marked easy hike. Lovely for short get away in the middle of the day.

Very nice, quiet and clean. Tons of trails. And all of that so close to the center of city!

This park is by far the best park in the Seattle vicinity. This park offers everything, sweeping postcard views, picnic areas, as well as shoreline beaches that are completely secluded.This park offers a range of various difficulties of hikes as well as offering various eco-systems wildlife to enjoy. If you are there when the tide comes in, the sea lions come and beach themselves around the lighthouse. You can watch them float in everyday around sunset. Its a great place to fly a kite also which is pretty cool. It really does have everything here, except the availability of restrooms. This park could even be enjoyed by wheelchairs, not necessarily every part of the park, but definitely the upper parts of it can be enjoyed, its paved. Its one of the last places in Seattle you can take your family to and know its going to be a great time no matter what!!!

Lovely park with plenty of hiking and biking trails. Give yourself some time to visit as the park is large. Beautiful views of mount Rainier when the weather is nice.

I love Discovery Park! Perfect for bird watching and wildlife viewing. We have seen everything from bald eagles to river otters to seals to barred owls... Every visit is an adventure!The park has some steep elevation changes, especially if you want to go down to the beach, so make sure you are prepared with some water and a snack. Little kiddos can sometimes have a hard timeaking the trek back up from the beach, so make sure you are prepared if you go all the way down. There are plenty of gorgeous views without going down to the beach though.

Only a 4 because of parking issues. Read other reviews for more info.Great views of the mountains.

A beautiful park with many woodsy hiking trails for the family. There is a winding road down to the shore where you can walk along the driftwood beach and visit the West Light. Parking is very scarce so expect to grab one when you can. There are two handicap parking spots at the bottom for the disabled. Beware of parking in the No Parking areas as the park authorities will site and give you a gift of a tow out of the park...

Love the unofficial trail off Daybreak Star.

Put the stress of your day behind you and go to this park and walk. Walk and breathe.

Nice park for the hike with amazing view of bay and mountains in Seattle.

Gorgeous breath taking views!!! Tried to park near the light house but tons of signs saying we needed a permit for parking near the beach. Visitor center was closed. Found free parking on south lot but turned out to be 45 minute hike down to the beachBeautiful though!!! Totally worth it. I just wish the parking situation wasnt so confusing for an out of towner. Clearly marked trails though so we didnt get lost. Restrooms too along the way. Nice A++++

What great walk to or an urban hike with stellar views. Take the dog. Take the kids. Or just enjoy the solitude. The open fields, woody trails, and rocky shore appeal to all. And plan a visit to the Daystar Center and learn more about the people who originally occupied this area.

One of the best parks in Seattle to explore and enjoy some excellent views of the Sound and west Seattle and Bainbridge.The park is humongous, so there is something for everyone and it always feels like there is some new trail or viewpoint to discover.

Beautiful area with great hiking pads and views. Parking is far and few, so be prepared to walk aways to get to the beach.

The hiking trails were great but could use a little maintenance on them to keep someone from getting hurt. The bathroomd were needing a little bit of care, but hiking to the lighthouse was an amazing experience

Love this hike! Great lookout points!

Great place for photo shoots and have a long have walk with friends...Peace of mind 😍

Visited last weekend to take family pictures and was honestly quite underwhelmed and disappointed. We followed the GPS to the parking by the lighthouse, only to find out its permit parking only. The sign says people with disabilities and families with young children (us) can buy a permit from the visitor center. But the website notes that the visitor center is shut down due to covid. So the only way to park there without risking a ticket is to have a handicap sticker. Families with young children have to drive miles away to find street parking or park in the parking lot and expect a substantial hike back to the lighthouse. That was too far for us, so we walked to the Daybreak Star Cultural Center, with the hopes of the following the trail down to the water. Unfortunately, that path was blocked off and had a Do Not Enter sign. What I saw of the lighthouse and beach as we drove past it was really pretty, but this is a place you need to come prepared to spend a good many hours hiking to your desired location as parking is seriously inconvenient.

Beautiful park with great trails!

Great place to go for a lil stroll. Big enough so you sometimes feel completely alone. Also cant forget the water.

Absolutely love this park. Great trails, views, pet friendly. One of Seattles gems

I have lived in Washington for over four years now and I had never been nor heard of this place until recently. Boy am I am super happy that I did visit this last weekend because this is a treat for anyone who lives in an urban area with relatively little access to the coast line.Although Seattle is a coastal city for the most part, or rather we have a waterfront, this access to a park just 15 min from the city center is absolutely gorgeous and a must see for anyone in the Seattle area. Highly recommend taking your dogs as there are many paths that are pet friendly. Definitely be prepared to get muddy in the winter.

Great park! I hiked several trails and enjoyed seeing flowers, birds, beach views from high and low and other cool plants like berries and what looked to be an apple tree. The trails were well kept and I found seating in multiple areas from picnic tables to benches and tree logs. Another unintentional highlight: Puppies. I saw soooo many cute dogs here. Awesome if you have a pup that loves to go on walks or hikes with you. Just bring a leash so you can make sure all pups stay safe.

Nice trail and awesome view

Beautiful park but horribly overcrowded during the weekend. 30 seconds didn’t pass without seeing another person, so not exactly a peaceful park if that’s that what you’re seeking. However, there are tons of great views.

Got to love the hike and the beautiful views.

What a fabulous way to get exercise and be in beautiful forest lands and see the Sound! On a clear day like this you can see both Baker and Ranier. Amazing... Right here in the heart of Seattle.

This place has amazing park scenery and epic northwest views!

Awesome for spending a morning hiking. Great views. Highly recommend the trip from Seattle. Bring water.

A perfect place to enjoy Seattles incredible mountain and sound views, with walks and hikes well suited to families. In the photos, note that the tide is unusually low.

Ya gotta get here early, but its absolutely worth it.

This is a great park to explore with kids. Lots of different areas to check out, even if you dont want to trek all the way down to the beach (and then have to climb back up!). There are three different major parking areas, try them all for different experiences.

One of the top parks to visit in Seattle.

Amazing view of downtown Seattle

Great place for an evening walk or a hike.

A cool trail running spot. Plus I saw an eagle.

Great lighthouse and park. Only downfall is there is 0 parking. Literally no spaces.

Beautiful, expansive park. Very convenient and nice to walk, run, or just relax at. Great view points from atop a cliff or by the lighthouse. Truly a privilege to have so close to home.

Beautiful views of Mt Rainier from the lighthouse area!

Great views of Mt Rainier and also Mt baker from the trail between the lighthouse and the north beach. Also, you get great views of the Olympic mountain range, and the puget sound. The trails are well developed and smooth. So, a family friendly experience. As far as I could see, all parking is open now and plenty of it was available on Saturday afternoon. And its free

Huge park! Very beautiful.

My favorite place in Seattle.

Really peaceful and beautiful place to jog or walk

Great urban hike down through forest to the beach, with frequent views of the Sound and Olympics. No shade on the beach in afternoon so can get hot though, morning would be better.

Beautiful place for a hike

Huge park. Amazing view with lighthouse. Few makeshift tent made out of wood. Its amazing.

Great system of trails!

No designated parking for extended stays but it was fun to jump out and check out the beach!

Amazing loop trails with beautiful view of the Puget sound! There is also a way to the lighthouse, which is located very close to the sound. Overall a good place to hang out with friends/family.

Beautiful park, and the beach is easily the best part.

A lot of construction going on right now - view point was not accessible (unsafe)

Discovery Park is our go to hiking destination when we cannot get away from the city to see other beautiful WA trail destinations. There are countless breathtaking views found throughout the majestic 534 acre park. Its also pet friendly (leash laws are required). A great tranquil escape within a big city yet feels like a world away.The terrain varies so if youre seeking adventure and exercise the park does not disappoint. From the prairie-like fields and sand dunes at the southern end to meadowlands within the interior of the park. Keep your eyes open to spy some eastern cottontail rabbits, barred owls, deer or even eagles as well as many other rare wildlife such as the mountain beaver. The mossy laced forested areas feel peacefully magical and incredibly vast. Its also a wildflower delight during the summer bloom. At the western edge, Puget Sound tidal beaches are a beach-combers delight thats also host West Point Lighthouse. The western bluff offers a magnificent view of both the Cascade and the Olympic Mountain ranges. On a sunny clear day majestic Mount Rainier dominates the skyline to the south. The park also has tennis and basketball courts, a childrens play area nearby the visitors centre. Plenty of historic building structures remain from the storied Fort Lawton era. Some of these have been remodeled and are now private residences so do please respect the privacy of the residents.Parking is ample in the north, south and Visitor Centre parking lots (outside of the pandemic). Vehicle theft however is quite a serious concern so do take caution to secure your valuables to ensure theyre not visible. There have been ongoing reports of unleashed dogs over the years so exercise caution.ALERT: Summer season, please be sure your pet is protected against ticks. Dog owners have reported theyve found ticks in the park trails.

Always enjoy taking walks and site seeing in this area.

This is a huge park with trails and views for everyone. there are easier trails and harder ones, you can also park down by the beach but i really enjoyed the trail down to it. there is some sand on the upper trails where a lot of kids play. this is definitely a must see for nature lovers in the pnw :)

A gigantic park. Just like Stanley park in Vancouver and Japanese garden in Portland. This is an essential part of Seattle, where people go during the weekend and get sunlight.Here you can see the beautiful sunsets with Olympic National park and the ocean.Good for a small city hike. It has bunches of trails that you can choose and walk for about one to two hours.All in all, best quick getaway for Seattlite.

Beautiful space. Lots of places to get lost in nature. Some paths are very tight / narrow. Review the maps in parking lots for the trail options.Went 2 times over a weekend while visiting Seattle in June. Very very popular and Lots of people unmasked if youre conscientious about that kind of thing.

Discovery Park is absolutely beautiful and is well worth the visit if you are in the Seattle area. Ive heard parking can be hard to find, but during this particular time, we found no trouble parking in the south parking lot. The one bit of trouble is that there are only signs in certain areas, so if you dont know where to start on the parks many, many different trails, you can easily wander aimlessly for an hour or more. Of course, if you like discovering nature, this isnt such a bad thing. The views of the Puget Sound are stunning, and being on the south beach where you can see Mt. Rainier rising in the distance is absolutely breathtaking. If you are going down to the south beach and the lighthouse, which I highly recommend, prepare for a bit of a hike. Most of the park is on high ground which overlooks Puget Sound, so to get to the beach you have to climb a steep set of stairs down and a steep set of stairs back up again. Like I said, totally worth it, and the locals tend to use both the steep and flat grades for running.

COVID-19 Escape. May 2020Parking: ALL lots are closed - Street parking only.Park Closes at 8:00 pmDiscovery Park is an amazingly beautiful park. Discovery Park has plenty of space to keep safely apart from other people. Many trails lead you through grasslands, trees, and coastal landscapes. You can relax in the sun, play with your dog and family. Discovery Park is great for biking. While sitting on the porch writing, I watched a family riding together around the old barrack housing aria. There are amazing views of snowcapped mountains out past the Puget Sound. There are many old and restored military buildings. Some of Fort Layton buildings have been converted into magnificent private homes. Discovery Park is a great little get.

One of the best parks thats close to the city. So many trails to explore, some of which lead to the water and offer amazing views of the Olympics. You should definitely check out the quaint lighthouse on the westernmost point of the peninsula. Theres parking (although very limited) by the water. My preference is to park in the North parking lot which has a lot of space, restrooms and is next to a big wide open field where you can have a picnic or play sports. Then I typically hike up the paved ramp and take one of the trails down to the water.

Discovery Park is one of the very few parks in Seattle that I havent been to in five years that Ive been here. Its a huge park with numerous hiking trails for all skill levels, biking paths, and access to the beach.Clean bathrooms, plenty of parking, and a childrens activity room can be found at the Visitors Center. Nearby is a newly renovated playground. The Center is also where you pick up a parking pass to be able to park at the few spaces available down by the lighthouse.Stop by the Visitor Center for information about the park, what to do, and where to go (exploring).

Beautiful park to visit, plenty of parking and several hikes/trails to choose from. Great view points of all of the sound. Lighthouse is small especially those visiting from a different coast lol I love the sandy area on Fort Lawton beach!

Beautiful place to visit and watch traffic on the Puget Sound

One of my favorite Seattle parks. Scenic views. Can’t even tell it’s in a city.

This park is *huge* and has so much to offer. Appropriate name, as it probably takes days to discover it all.

Short drive from Seattle. Yet beautiful view.

One of my favorite trails and beaches of all time. I love that you can see Mt. Rainier from there on a good sunny day.

Nice big park/former military base. Wide open spaces and walking trails on the edge of Puget Sound.