Madrona Park

Picnic shelter, Lake Washington, Madrona Park, May 2012

 Lake shore natural area, Madrona Park, May 2012

Madrona Woods, Madrona Park, May 2012

Madrona Woods, Madrona Park, May 2012 

Stream with Lysichiton americanum, Madrona Park, May 2012

Madrona Park is one of a series of parks along Lake Washington Boulevard in Seattle.  It contains lake shore including a swimming beach, a wooded hillside of native plants, several streams, lawn, a picnic shelter, a barbecue concession open in summer & a dance studio, on its total of 31 acres.  Madrona Park is located in the Madrona neighborhood in east central Seattle.  Madrona was was named by John Ayer, who contributed the land for Madrona Park, after the tree Arbutus menziesii (known in Seattle as Madrona) which was common to the area.  This species is known as Madrone in California.  A number of Madrona still exist here.  The Friends of Madrona Woods teamed up with the Seattle Department of Parks & Recreation to turn the 9-acre urban forest within the park into a welcoming place for people and wildlife & encourage its return to a more natural & sustainable state.  Work was also done to recreate a natural area along a section of lake shore, which included the re-emergence of a stream flowing into Lake Washington.  The result of all this work is quite impressive.  Click here to read about more parks along Lake Washington Boulevard.