Matthews Beach Park

6 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Contact Us
General Contact Information

Amenities

Picnic Sites Swimming Beaches Trails Hand Carry Boat Launches Play Area Views Grills Drinking fountains Restrooms Basketball Courts

Images

About

Matthews Beach is Seattle's largest freshwater bathing beach. The park is named for pioneer John G. Matthews, who had his homestead on the site in the 1880's. The park is an ideal stopping place for bicyclers on the Burke-Gilman Tail- in fact, the outline of the original cove is suggested by the Burke-Gilman Trail, which was once the tracks of the Northern Pacific Railroad. In the 1940's, the area south of the main beach was the site of Pan American World Airways' offices, and the dock for Pan American's "Clipper Ships"- the world's first amphibious commercial air transports over the ocean. The City purchased the first ten acres of Matthews Beach in 1951. (Excerpted from Brandt Morgan's Enjoying Seattle's Parks.) 100' of sandbar shoreline north of where Thornton Creek meets Lake Washington allows for a hand carry boat launch. 

Swimming Beach

See this year's schedule on the swimming beach page

Have your picnic here!

This park has reservable picnic areas. Visit our picnic reservations page for more information on how to have your event here.

Parks and Recreation

AP Diaz, Superintendent
Mailing Address: 100 Dexter Ave N, Seattle, WA, 98109
Phone: (206) 684-4075
Fax: (206) 615-1813
pks_info@seattle.gov

Newsletter Updates

Subscribe

Sign up for the latest updates from Parks and Recreation

Healthy People, Thriving Environment, Vibrant Community