Northacres Park is a Seattle park with wooded trails, picnic areas, sports fields and a dog off-leash area. Between N 130th Street and the freeway, it offers a mix of forest paths and recreation facilities for a visit outdoors.
- Address: 12718 1st Ave. NE, Seattle, WA 98125
- Park hours: Open daily
- Trail route: An easy, flat 1.0-mile route through a 20-acre park
- Facilities: Picnic shelters, restrooms, ballfields and a spray park
What Northacres Park offers
Northacres Park combines open recreation areas with a small forest and fir trees. The wooded setting gives the park a different feel from its fields and picnic grounds, with trails and a pedestrian path linking areas of the grounds.
The park’s amenities include soccer fields, baseball and softball fields, drinking fountains, grills, restrooms and a children’s play area. A water-spray feature is also among its facilities, alongside picnic sites and the dog off-leash area. Seattle Parks describes the park’s setting and facilities, including a wooded area with trails, a pedestrian path, play area and picnic facilities.
Trails, play areas and facilities
The park’s trail route is easy and flat, covering 1.0 mile through a 20-acre setting. You can combine a walk on the wooded paths with time at the picnic area or playfields; the park map also identifies a pedestrian path, parking lot and restrooms.
The off-leash area sits in the northeast corner and covers 1.6 acres. It has open spaces, trails, shade, trees, benches and chairs, and is close to restrooms, play areas, playfields and picnic areas. Parking is on the west side along 1st Ave. NE and on the south side along N 125th Street.
For a picnic, Northacres has four picnic tables and four shelters, with reservable shelters at West Meadow sites #1–4. Permanent grills are first come, first served; if a permit holder arrives, anyone using one must give up the spot.
Personal grills require a picnic-site permit and must sit on solid ground—not grass, sand, plywood or picnic tables. Propane tanks must be 5 gallons or smaller, and used charcoal must be taken out of the park.
Seattle has other outdoor destinations, including a walking guide to Ravenna Park.
Park access and visitor rules
Northacres is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. For details about using the spray feature, check the official site before you go.
Regular park rules apply during picnics. Alcohol, cannabis and illegal drugs are prohibited in Seattle city parks, camping is not allowed, and city law prohibits drones and other remote-controlled aircraft. The park telephone number is (206) 684-4075.
Families planning another Seattle outing can use a visitor guide to Woodland Park Zoo.
How do you get to Northacres Park?
From the Crown Inn, Northacres Park is about a 1.7-mile trip, with a drive time of about 6 minutes. The Crown Inn is a Seattle motel, and you can find a room at this Seattle motel.
For drivers approaching on I-5, the route depends on direction:
- From I-5 northbound: Take the 130th Street exit, turn left at the first light onto N 130th Street, then turn left at the first light onto 1st Avenue NE. The parking lot is ahead on the left.
- From I-5 southbound: Take the 145th Street exit and turn right at the light. Turn left at the first light onto 1st Avenue NE, then continue across 130th Street to the parking lot on the left.
FAQs
Is Northacres Park suitable for an easy walk?
Yes. Its trail route is easy and flat, and covers 1.0 mile.
Can you reserve a picnic shelter at Northacres Park?
Yes. West Meadow sites #1–4 are reservable picnic shelters. Personal grills require a picnic-site permit.
Where is the dog off-leash area?
It is in the northeast corner of the park and includes open spaces, trails, shade, trees, benches and chairs.