A Walk in St Edwards State Park - Kenmore

Historic Saint Edwards Seminary Building
is now a park facility and is available
for rental for events

The Magnificent Saint Edwards State Park is an incredible resource for our region! 

 It is highly recommended for users of all abilities.

Trillium Blooms Near a Side Trail

On a recent visit, we walked all the way from the upper grounds of the old Seminary building

and all the way down to Lake Washington.  (It's a little harder on the way up, but not too challenging).

Saint Edwards is the largest stretch of natural forested shoreline around Lake Washington. The flora and fauna are unmatched in the Seattle Area. Reports of many kinds of wildlife still abound. Amazingly deer, chipmonks, fox and maybe even bobcats have been reported.

Trail leads right to the Lake's edge

Cedar Stump hosts a variety of new growth

My tour guide was Ann Hurst a long time neighbor of the park and one of it's biggest cheerleaders.

Ann Hurst is a local steward of St Edwards Park
and knows a lot about its history.

Saint Edwards' beautiful and peaceful setting has not been without controversy. According to Ann Hurst,  there have been many incidents lately of flooding and changes to the hydrology over the years that have

Stream #0226 (a sad name for a creek)
is suffering from its headwaters being
diverted by development

threatened the streams and wetlands in the park.

Erosion problems near main trail
down to Lake WA

There have also been other controversies and disputes. A recent development for housing for the Bastyr University caused problems because of drainage issues.

Also Arrowhead Creek which runs to the North of the Park and through a lakeside community has experienced severe flooding in the recent past. It is also threatened in the current State Budget debates with closures.

An organization called Friends of St Edwards Park meets regularly. Here is their Facebook page.

The park has many amenities such as sports fields, playgrounds and picnic areas and even has a mountain bike track. http://evergreenmtb.org/wiki/index.php?title=Trail:Saint_Edward_State_Park

Map of St Edwards State Park

For more information about the park check this website -

http://www.parks.wa.gov/parks/?selectedpark=Saint%20Edward&subject=maps

Park hours/updates:

The park is open year round for day use only.

Summer: 8 a.m. to dusk.
Winter: 8 a.m. to dusk.

History

This site was once used by Native Americans while fishing the area.

In the late 1920s, the archbishop of Seattle donated the property to the Diocese of Seattle for use as a seminary by the Sulpician Order of Catholic Priests. In 1931, St. Edward Seminary was constructed. In the fall of 1977, because of declining enrollment and changes in the education of seminarians, the diocese sold 316 acres, including the seminary, to the state for use as a state park. In 1978, the property was dedicated and received its current name.

Huge Bigleaf Maples Host Licorice Ferns