Gas Works Park

Gas Works Park is a public park on the north shore of Lake Union in Seattle, Washington, developed on the site of the former Seattle Gas Light Company plant and opened as a park in the 1970s. The site is notable for retaining much of the gas plant infrastructure as part of the landscape.

The park features large open lawns and a distinct picnic hill that provides clear views across Lake Union and the downtown Seattle skyline; the site is approximately 19.1 acres. Industrial structures from the gasworks form a central visual feature and are integrated into circulation and play areas, while paved paths link to the Burke-Gilman Trail along the lake.

The gasification plant structures were left in place and adapted into park features during the site’s rehabilitation led by landscape architect Richard Haag in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The city converted the industrial site to public parkland and it has since function as a recreational and civic gathering place.

The park sits on the north shore of Lake Union, roughly 2 miles (about 3.2 kilometers) north of downtown Seattle, with street access from Northlake Way and shoreline access for small watercraft.

• Size and setting: The park covers about 19.1 acres and sits on the north shore of Lake Union, making it a prime spot for skyline views and summer events.
• Design and preservation: Designed and rehabilitated by landscape architect Richard Haag, the site preserves much of the original gas plant as park features and play elements.
• Viewing point: Popular vantage point for viewing Seattle's Fourth of July fireworks and for photography of the downtown skyline across Lake Union.

What to See #

• Former gasworks structures: Remnants of the former gasification plant preserved as industrial sculpture and structures, including towers, pipes and retorts arranged along the lakeside edge of the park.
• Main lawn and hill: Large open lawn and gently sloping picnic hill offering unobstructed views across Lake Union to the downtown Seattle skyline.
• Play areas and shoreline access: Children's play areas and paved paths that connect to the Burke-Gilman Trail along Lake Union; boat access and shoreline edge for informal water access.