Ballard Locks

Engineering marvel, fish ladder, botanical garden

Each year, more than 70,000 vessels, from kayaks, commercial fishing boats and yachts to loaded barges with tugboat escorts, pass back and forth through the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks that connect the fresh waters of Lake Washington, Lake Union, and Salmon Bay with the salty waters of Puget Sound. Built by the Army Corps of Engineers and opened in 1917, the two locks and associated facilities include a spillway and gates to help control the different water levels on each side.

The “show” at the Ballard Locks, as this engineering marvel is commonly known, is entertaining and educational. Boats enter the locks, a gate closes behind them, and a mechanism raises or lowers the water – sometimes as much as 26 feet – to match the level on the other side. All the while preventing sea water from Puget Sound from mixing with the fresh water. Then the opposite gate opens, and the boats continue on their way. This process goes on all day.

But there is more to the show. Between June and mid-October, several species of salmon on their journey from the ocean to spawning grounds upriver pass through the area via a fish ladder that includes viewing windows and interpretive exhibits. On sunny days, arrive at midday, when it is often possible to look down into the water and see a large number of fish waiting to enter the ladder.

The hidden treasure at the Ballard Locks is the seven-acre Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Garden, named for the man who spent 40 years transforming the grounds into an English estate garden with more than 500 species and 1,500 varieties of trees and plants, including many rare specimens.

Learn about the history and workings of the locks, the fish ladder, and the garden in the visitor center and museum (both free). Or take a free public tour from March through November. You can go through the locks yourself on an Argosy Cruises boat tour.

Address 3015 NW 54th Street, Seattle, WA 98107, +1 (206) 783-7059, www.ballardlocks.com | Getting there Bus 44 to NW 54th Street & NW 30th Avenue |

Hours Daily 7am – 9pm | Tip The casual, no-frills Lockspot Café at the Ballard Locks entrance has been serving fish & chips, fish sandwiches, and steak and seafood staples from this spot for more than 90 years (3005 NW Locks Place, www.thelockspotcafe.com).