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New guide helps you navigate dozens of Seattle Olmsted parks

Traverse the route from Ballard to Rainier Beach.

The beach at Golden Gardens Park in Seattle, WA at sunset

The Seattle Olmsted 50 route goes through sites like Golden Gardens Park.

Photo via Seattle Parks & Recreation

Need to get your daily steps in after a heavy holiday meal? Check out the Seattle Olmsted 50, a newly mapped out route from the Ballard Locks to Rainier Beach that connects dozens of parks designed by the famed Olmsted Brothers architecture firm.

The project is a collaboration between the Mountaineers’ Urban Walk Committee and the Friends of Seattle’s Olmsted Parks.

As you can tell by their names, these orgs are fans of local strolls, but the project also honors the 120-year anniversary of when Seattle approved the Olmsted Park master plan.

And what a way to celebrate. Each ~6-mile section of the 31-mile path includes directions, elevation details, points of interest, bathroom locations, and other useful info.

You don’t have to walk the whole route in one shot and it can be traversed in any direction. Just lace up and enjoy the journey.

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