Mountain Biking Golden Bay
Seattle’s Golden Gardens Park
It’s the fact that I’m sitting on a sandy beach staring across the water at snow-capped mountains that always gets me. The first time I rode the Burke-Gilman to its northwest terminus and found this park and this beach I couldn’t stop staring at those mountains. I’d never seen a place like this before, not with an entire range laid out before me so finitely that I could make out every peak and follow every line. Most beaches I’d been to had nothing but a horizon line to stare out at, just water off towards infinity. Sometimes I’d be at a beach where there’d be a hazy sliver of land in the distance, but nothing worth looking at other than to try and guess your distance from it (I’d hate to admit that right now I’m thinking of looking at New Jersey from the shores of Brooklyn and Staten Island but I am) This was so much different than that. This is scenery…rugged, massive and beautiful!
The park I’m referring to is Golden Gardens, on the shore of Puget Sound. This is a great place to spend an afternoon away from the city. The serenity you find here is enough to make you forget that you are actually only 8 miles from downtown Seattle. Every time I think about that I smile…another incredible spot so close to home! There are wetlands, hiking trails, grassy areas, a few covered picnic huts, and if you travel up a side road there’s a fenced off dog park. I always consider the adjacent Shilshole Bay Marina, with it’s hundreds of sailboats and fishing pier as part of the park as well, even though it’s its own area laying just to the south. This is one of my favorite spots to take photos, as having all of those tall ship masts in the foreground with the Olympics beyond makes for some very cool shots.
I love coming here. The beach is big enough to go for a nice walk or find some peaceful isolation. There are large pieces of driftwood lying around to sit on or you can just bring a blanket. Whenever I’m here I usually find myself watching a random volleyball game, as there is always one going on (the players here are pretty good too, enough so to make watching a few matches an entertaining option) I like seeing the kayakers and all the kite-surfers doing tricks, and being lucky enough to spot a sea-lion or bald eagle. And I especially like the image of the BNSF Railway passing by, looking so much like a model train set.
The frigid waters of Puget Sound don’t exactly call out to me to go for a swim, but I do usually see a few people out there splashing around, obviously braver than me. They’re not even wearing wet or dry suits, just basic swim trunks, seemingly unaffected by the cold. I keep telling myself that one day I’ll work up a good enough sweat to just jump right in, though it might require me to ride my bike straight into the water so I don’t have any time to talk myself out of it. I’m content enough just relaxing and getting lost in my thoughts while sitting and staring at those mountains.
About the Author
Reece Potter – Downhilling video
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