St. Edward State Park Kirkland, WA

St. Edward State Park Kirkland, WA

St. Edward State Park Kirkland, WA

It’s time to enjoy one of Kirkland and the Eastside’s understated gems. St. Edward State Park is located in the cities of Kenmore and Kirkland. St. Edward State Park Kirkland, WA is located on beautiful Juanita Drive.

St. Edward State Park Kirkland, WA is a 365 acre day use park with 3,000 feet of freshwater shoreline on Lake Washington. Over the years, the land has been used for various purposes. The land was originally used for logging in both the 19th century and again in the early 1920s. From the 1930’s to the late 70’s, the land was owned and occupied by the Archdiocese of Seattle, who operated a seminary. Today, the majority of the land is owned by it’s current tenant, Bastyr University.

The park’s most singular feature is the St. Edward Seminary building. This four story,  fantastic Romanesque Revival building, throughout several decades, housed many aspiring seminarians wishing to enter into the priesthood.  Actors, Catholic Church dignitaries, state politicians have all passed through or lived in the beautiful building. A favorite guest of the seminary was the world famous “Trapp Family Singers”. Yes, the Von Trapp family that was featured in the Sound of Music!!! The outside is still in great condition,  but the interior has significantly suffered. Most of the building could be described as a eerie and empty. In fact, over the years, police and firefighters have used parts of the building to train bomb sniffing dogs! For the most part, the building is no longer accessible to the public, with the exception of rooms that are still in good condition. The dining hall is available for rent, in the case of corporate meetings, weddings, and retreats. In addition to the seminary building, the property featured a gymnasium and an indoor pool.

St. Edward Seminary closed in the late 1970s and the surrounding land was designated as a state park. Eastside residents love the large acreage and the vast amount of hiking / running and mountain biking trails. Come to St. Edward Park Kirkland, WA and you will enjoy a forest canopy that primarily consists of Coast Douglas Fir, Big Leaf Maple, and Western Hemlock. The park features several large grass lawns and meadows. To the south of the smniary building lays a large baseball and soccer field. A feature of the park that cannot be missed is the large children’s playground. The play area has been named of the best in Western Washington. The playground features a toddler and big kid play area, small climbing wall, swings, and slides. Surrounding the play area is several picnic tables and grill stations, perfect for a picnic! Many people come to the park to take in the beautiful nature and wildlife. For a great day outdoors in a large beautiful park, look no further than St. Edward State Park Kirkland, WA. For more information please visit http://www.parks.wa.gov/parks/?selectedpark=Saint%20Edward&subject=maps