Park hours: 4:30 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Visitor Center closed, no beach parking permits
Discovery Park Visitor Center is closed until further notice. The rest of Discovery Park is open as usual.
We are unable to issue beach parking permits while the Visitor Center is closed. Parking at the beach level without a permit or ADA placard is not allowed and may result in citation or towing.
Amenities
Tennis Courts Basketball Courts Restrooms Play Area Trails Drinking fountains ViewsImages
About
Discovery Park is Seattle's largest park, a 560-acre natural area occupying most of the former Fort Lawton site. Situated on Magnolia Bluff overlooking Puget Sound, Discovery Park boasts spectacular views of both the Cascade and the Olympic Mountain ranges. The secluded site includes two miles of protected tidal beaches as well as open meadow lands, dramatic sea cliffs, forest groves, active dunes, thickets and streams.
Discovery Park provides an open space of quiet and tranquility away from the stress and activity of the city, a sanctuary for wildlife, and an outdoor classroom to study the natural world. Maintained in its semi-natural condition, the park offers a biologically diverse natural area and an unmatched opportunity for environmental education.
Accessing Discovery Park
See Discovery Park Map for more detail.
Boat
Boating access available at 100' of shoreline north of the West Point Lighthouse and 100' of shoreline south of the West Point Lighthouse. Access is restricted to boats arriving by water only.
Bus
King County Metro operates two bus lines that reach Discovery Park. Metro Route #24 stops on the southern boundary of the park, and Metro Route #33 enters the park at the northeast corner, serving the North Lot near Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center.
Car
Discovery Park has 3 general-use parking lots and ADA-only parking at the beach:
- North Lot (Illinois Ave & Texas Way),
- East Lot (Discovery Park Blvd & 36th Ave W, next to the closed Visitor Center)
- South Lot (enter from 43rd Ave W & W Emerson St)
- ADA placard required: Beach Lot (end of Discovery Park Blvd, by the lighthouse)
Discovery Park Blvd allows car access through the interior of the park, but has no general parking past the East Lot. Parking at the beach is restricted to ADA users only.
Summer Shuttle Bus
In cooperation with ARC, Discovery Park usually operates a free summer shuttle bus on weekends between Memorial Day Weekend and Labor Day. The donation-supported bus connects the North and East parking lots to the beach.
The 2025 Summer Shuttle service has ended, and 2026 service has not yet been announced. See 2025 shuttle information (season ended).
Discovery Park Visitor Center (closed to the public)
Completed in Summer 2024, the Discovery Park Environmental Learning & Visitor Center underwent renovation to improve accessibility, addressing 160 documented barriers. Upgrades included accessible parking, pathways, and facilities, along with a new bio-retention pond and interior ADA improvements in restrooms, the kitchen, and classrooms.
Due to a burst water line flooding the mechanical room in January 2025, the Discovery Park Visitor’s Center is closed to the public until further notice.
Nature Kids Preschool meets at the annex classrooms adjacent to the main building.
Discovery Park History
Bernie Whitebear, United Indians of All Tribes and Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center
Shortly after the Point Elliot Treaty of 1885, PKa'dz Eltue became a US military base for nearly 80 years through World War I, World War II and the Korean War.
In 1965, a bill was introduced by Congressman Brock Adams to cede ownership of the military land to the City of Seattle with a vision of it becoming a city park.
The United Indians People's Council made a claim on Fort Lawton, citing rights under 1865 US-Indian treaties, that promised "the reversion of surplus military land to their original landowners."
On March 8, 1970, the nonviolent demonstration began. Led by Bernie Whitebear (Sin Aikst), Bob Satiacum (Puyallup) and indigenous peoples of Western Washington, 100+ Native Americans and supporters occupied areas of Fort Lawton using a base camp just outside the fence line. Famous supporters such as Jane Fonda and Black Panther chapter of Seattle helped increase national attention to the cause.
Four months later, the occupation ended peacefully. Negotiations continued until it was decided a new park would be created for the greater public and the United Indians People's Council would receive a 99-year lease for 20 acres of the surplus land to become a cultural center.
The United Indians People's Council continued organizing and formally became the United Indians of All Tribes.
A longtime vision of "an urban base for Native Americans in Seattle," Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center was completed in 1977.
For more information please visit The Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center https://www.unitedindians.org/
For a more detailed history please visit the UW Archives: https://depts.washington.edu/civilr/FtLawton_takeover.htm
More Discovery Park History
Fort Lawton & Discovery Park History: Fort Lawton originally occupied much of the northwestern part of Magnolia Bluff.
West Point Lighthouse
Discovery Park is home to one of the 18 active lighthouses in Washington State. West Point Lighthouse was established in 1881 and can be viewed from the South Beach Trail in the park. More information about the West Point Lighthouse can be found at the Friends of Discovery Park webpage, including this educational video.
Join the Discovery Park Advisory Council
Learn more here
Current Projects
Visit the Discovery Park South Beach Trail project page to learn about current improvements to the trail.
Discovery Park Master Plan
"The master plan, we believe, lays down guidelines which, if followed faithfully, cannot fail to create on this site a park which will be one of the great urban parks of the world-and a joy to this city forever."
Have your special ceremony here!
You can schedule an outdoor ceremony in almost any of our 400 parks, but this particular location is especially well suited for outdoor ceremonies. Please visit our outdoor ceremonies reservations site for more information.