I-5 Colonnade Dog Park: Covered Off-Leash Area

Frequently asked questions

Yes. The off-leash area sits directly under the I-5 freeway, which shelters it from the rain and makes it a dependable all-weather choice.

It covers about half an acre, laid out in several large tiers on a steep slope and connected by walkways and some stairs.

The park is at 1701 Lakeview Blvd E, Seattle, WA 98102, under I-5 between Eastlake and Capitol Hill, just north of downtown.

Yes. Seattle Parks lists a potable water source at the north entrance of the off-leash area.

The 7.5-acre park also has trails and a mountain bike skills park, including the Tqalu Skills Zone pump track, which was rebuilt in summer 2025.

I-5 Colonnade off-leash area at a glance

Size: about 0.5 acre.

Layout: several large tiers on a steep slope, connected by walkways and some stairs, so it suits sure-footed dogs and owners who do not mind a climb.

Surface: crushed gravel.

Water: a potable water source at the north entrance.

Seating: several benches.

Weather: sheltered from the rain by the freeway deck overhead.

Hours: 4 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., per the I-5 Colonnade page.

The I-5 Colonnade park around the dog area

The I-5 Colonnade is a 7.5-acre city park that opened in 2005 beneath the freeway, stitching back together the Capitol Hill and Eastlake neighborhoods that I-5 split apart in the 1960s, according to Wikipedia. It runs from south of E Howe Street to E Garfield Street, between Franklin Avenue E and Lakeview Boulevard E, with a winding web of trails and bike paths.

The park is also home to a mountain bike skills park built by the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance and its volunteers. In summer 2025, Seattle Parks and the alliance finished modernizing the Tqalu Skills Zone with a paved main pump track and an adaptive, beginner-friendly track. Keep your dog leashed and close on the shared paths, and note that Seattle Parks has closed the paths in the southeastern part of the bike park because of deteriorating wooden structures; the closure applies to people walking dogs too, so check the park page for updates.

Getting there

Set your map to 1701 Lakeview Blvd E, Seattle, WA 98102. Seattle Parks does not list a parking lot for the off-leash area, so plan on street parking or a bus trip mapped with the King County Metro Trip Planner. Afterward, wander down into Eastlake for a bite from our Eastlake restaurant guide, or head uphill into Capitol Hill.

Off-leash rules to know

Seattle Parks and Recreation and Seattle Animal Control enforce the same rules at every off-leash area, so run through this list before you open the gate:

Your dog must be licensed and vaccinated.
Carry a leash for each dog while you are inside, and clip it back on as soon as you step outside the off-leash boundary.
Stay with your dog and keep it under control; unattended dogs are not allowed.
Pick up after your dog, use the containers on site and carry your scoop bags where they can be seen.
Leave puppies younger than four months and females in heat at home, and take off pinch or choke collars before you go in.
Leave bicycles outside, and bring food in at your own risk.

Read the full list on the city's park rules page, and keep in mind that dogs are not allowed on organized athletic fields, beaches or children's play areas anywhere in Seattle parks, even on a leash.