Madrona Park
Seattle, Washington · on Lake Washington · Madrona Park
Verified · 4 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- Free
- SEASON
- May
About Madrona Park
Madrona Park is a City of Seattle Parks & Recreation property on the shore of Lake Washington in the Madrona neighborhood, centered on Madrona Beach, one of the city's official lifeguarded swimming beaches. It combines a sandy swimming hole with wooded upland trails and picnic areas.
The park sits on a wooded hillside sloping down to a sandy beach on Lake Washington, with a paved waterside path and a steeper wooded trail climbing above the shoreline; on clear days swimmers get views across the lake toward Mount Rainier and the Eastside.
Swimming at Madrona Park
Swimming is in the open water of Lake Washington off a sandy beach with a designated swim area, lifeguards on duty in summer, and diving platforms offshore; water is described by visitors as calm and refreshingly cool. The swim beach itself is reported by some visitors as small, and paddleboarding is popular in the adjacent open water. It suits families and casual swimmers given the lifeguard supervision and shallow grassy/sandy entry.
How to get to this swimming hole
Located at 853 Lake Washington Blvd in Seattle's Madrona neighborhood, reachable by car or city bus from downtown Seattle; separate wooded trails (about 1.3 miles round trip with roughly 305 feet of elevation gain, or a gentler 0.7-mile paved waterside path) connect from the upper park to the beach.
Parking: A designated parking lot plus street parking is available; visitor reports note the lot fills during busy sunny evenings.
The hike in
This is a drive-up/walk-up city beach, not a hike-in spot. From the parking lot it's a short, flat walk (well under 5 minutes) to the sand. Two optional recreational trails exist in the upland park but neither is required to reach the swimming area: a paved, stroller-friendly waterside path (~0.7 mi out-and-back, ~6 ft gain) and a steeper wooded hillside trail (~1.3 mi out-and-back, ~305 ft gain) that climbs from the beach into the park above.
No hike is needed to swim; the trails are a bonus activity for visitors who want a walk before or after.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Official City of Seattle lifeguarded beach (lifeguards on duty roughly late May-late August) with a shallow sandy/grassy entry, which favors families, but the swim beach itself is reported by visitors as small, there are offshore diving platforms in deeper water, and King County's monitoring page cautions swimmers to watch for currents and follow posted advisories -- so younger kids should stay in the shallow, lifeguarded section rather than the platform area.
Parking
Free
A dedicated parking lot plus street parking along Lake Washington Blvd; no fee found. Visitor reviews note the lot can fill on sunny summer evenings, requiring a street-parking fallback.
Restrooms
Yes
Bathhouse with restrooms and changing facilities at the beach (per Islands.com and Wanderlog visitor reviews); no separate vault toilets reported.
Hours
No posted gate hours found for the park itself (typical of Seattle city parks, generally open dawn to dusk). Lifeguard-supervised swimming is seasonal, previously reported as weekdays 12-7pm and weekends 11am-7pm from late May to late August; King County water-quality monitoring runs weekly mid-May through mid-September, with the beach shown as meeting bacteria standards as of a July 27, 2026 test result.
On the water
No dedicated boat launch or watercraft dock is documented at Madrona Beach itself. Visitor reviews describe paddleboarders as common in the open water adjacent to the swim area ('tons of people out on the water, mainly paddle boarding'), launching directly from the sand. No sourced rules were found specifically covering kayaks/canoes or motorized/personal watercraft at this beach, so those are left off the allowed list rather than assumed.
Rentals nearby
Community boating center renting kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, and sailboats (open public rentals plus youth/adult programs)
Prices: $45 per 2-hour paddling session ($110 for a 5-session pack); Adult Paddling season pass $245; Adult Unlimited (sail + paddle) $330; Family Unlimited $500; Youth Unlimited $90; 50% off season passes for students/seniors/military with ID, 75% off for people with disabilities or Sand Point residents
Magnuson Park, 7861 62nd Ave NE, Seattle -- on Lake Washington, roughly 6 miles north of Madrona Beach by road (same lake, not adjacent) · Summer open-boating rentals: Friday-Monday 1pm to sunset (through Labor Day), Saturday-Sunday 11am to sunset
What regulars say
Visitor reports describe Madrona's water as calm and refreshingly cool, note the swim beach itself is small and can feel crowded/'possibly dirty' on busy days (one reviewer suggested sticking to the trails instead of the packed swim section), and mention paddleboarding as a popular activity in the open water next to the beach. The same reviewers note the parking lot can fill up on clear, sunny evenings.
Backstory
The Madrona neighborhood and park take their name from the madrona (Pacific madrone) trees found on land donated for the park by early settler John Ayer.
Madrona Park: FAQ
Does Madrona Park charge a fee?
No entrance fee found; it is a free City of Seattle public park and beach.
Is Madrona Park kid friendly?
Official City of Seattle lifeguarded beach (lifeguards on duty roughly late May-late August) with a shallow sandy/grassy entry, which favors families, but the swim beach itself is reported by visitors as small, there are offshore diving platforms in deeper water, and King County's monitoring page cautions swimmers to watch for currents and follow posted advisories -- so younger kids should stay in the shallow, lifeguarded section rather than the platform area.
Do I need to hike to reach Madrona Park?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Madrona Park?
A dedicated parking lot plus street parking along Lake Washington Blvd; no fee found. Visitor reviews note the lot can fill on sunny summer evenings, requiring a street-parking fallback.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Madrona Park?
No dedicated boat launch or watercraft dock is documented at Madrona Beach itself. Visitor reviews describe paddleboarders as common in the open water adjacent to the swim area ('tons of people out on the water, mainly paddle boarding'), launching directly from the sand. No sourced rules were found specifically covering kayaks/canoes or motorized/personal watercraft at this beach, so those are left off the allowed list rather than assumed.
When is the best time to visit Madrona Park?
Late May through late August, when Seattle Parks lifeguards are on duty (reported hours: weekdays 12-7pm, weekends 11am-7pm) and King County conducts weekly water quality monitoring from mid-May through mid-September.
What are the rules at Madrona Park?
Lifeguards supervise swimming during the posted summer season; standard beach/park rules apply and swimmers are advised to follow posted advisories.
What water body is Madrona Park on?
Madrona Park is on Lake Washington, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
