- Walking trails
- A picnic area
- Ballfields
- A pitch and putt golf course
- Horseshoe pits
- A skate park
- Lawn bowling
Because Lower Woodland runs right into Green Lake Park, it is easy to follow a romp in the off-leash area with a leashed stroll toward the lake.
Meet the park's wild neighbors
For a city park, Woodland Park is home to a surprising amount of wildlife. Watch for western coyotes, rabbits and barred owls, the most notable residents, along with released red-eared slider turtles. Squirrels, beavers, mountain beavers and coypus round out the mammals that share the grounds.
Bring binoculars if you love birds, since bald eagles, barn owls, Anna's hummingbirds, Steller's jays, northern flickers, woodpeckers and many smaller songbirds all turn up here. With coyotes and rabbits about, keep a close eye on your dog once you leave the fenced off-leash area.
From private estate to Olmsted park
The land you walk today was once the estate of Guy C. Phinney, a lumber mill owner and real estate developer whose name lives on in Phinney Ridge. Phinney died in 1893, and in 1902 the city brought in the Olmsted Brothers of Boston to design its park system, with Woodland Park folded into that plan.
A presidential memorial that vanished
On July 27, 1923, President Warren G. Harding stood in Woodland Park and addressed more than 30,000 Boy Scouts gathered for a national jamboree. Six days later he died in San Francisco, which made this one of his final speeches. A memorial to the day went up in 1925 and came down in 1977; its site now lies beneath the zoo's African Savanna exhibit, while its two bronze Boy Scout statues moved to the Chief Seattle Council of the Boy Scouts of America headquarters.
Zoo, roses and more nearby
Head west across Aurora and you will find the Woodland Park Zoo filling most of the park's western half, about 0.4 miles from the dog park. That side also offers a baseball field and a children's playground. Before you go, check the zoo's official website for tickets, hours, maps and event schedules.
Plenty more sits within a short walk of the dog park:
- Woodland Park Rose Garden, about 0.4 miles
- Keystone Place and Linden Orchard Park, both about 0.5 miles
- Linden Orchard community garden, about 0.6 miles
- Wallingford Farmers Market, about 0.6 miles
- John B Allen School, a local landmark, about 0.6 miles
Want to keep exploring? Dip into our Phinney Ridge neighborhood guide for more ideas.
Plan your visit
Seattle Parks and Recreation manages Woodland Park, so check the department's page for current rules and any closures at the off-leash area before you set out. Keep in mind that Aurora Avenue N. divides the park, and use the bridges whenever you want to cross between the dog park and the zoo side.
Weighing up where to go next? Browse our roundup of all off-leash dog parks in Seattle.
