St. Edward State Park: A Lodge Opens in its Middle

When one thinks state parks, usually what comes to mind are parks in the mountains or at the ocean beaches. Their distance away from urban centers can make them seem difficult to get to for a day trip. However, nestled in the suburbs on the east side of Lake Washington is St. Edward State Park. One can easily take a day trip to this park, and it recently got a unique upgrade. So grab your Discover Pass and find out how the park has had a significant face lift.

St. Edward Park hugs the shoreline of Lake Washington on the south edge of Kenmore. The park was originally a Catholic seminary. For many years young men came here to study scriptures and the tenets of the Catholic faith. However, these young men did not just sit and study all day. Part of their training was participating in manual labor, and out of that labor came many of the trails that are a part of the park today.

At the center of this seminary was the main building itself. It is a huge, beautiful structure, not ornate, but with its bell tower it strikes a remarkable figure on the skyline. When the seminary ceased in the late 1970s, and the seminary was handed over to the state, the main building sat unused for many years. No one quite knew what to do with it. However, just in the last month this building has opened as a hotel and restaurant, an unusual operation for state property. The Lodge is a unique experience surrounded by the beauty of nature. (Note: The photos below show the difference of photographing the building on the sunny side and then on the shady side. The color changes significantly.)

The inside of the building has been transformed into an elegant space. There is no grand entrance to the building, just a simple door. A short hall leads to the main hallway which runs the length of the building. To the right is the bar and restaurant called Cedar+Elm. The restaurant’s orientation is to local foods such that they have their own garden on site. We were able to have brunch there on a Saturday on the outside patio. The food was good, but on the pricier side. We expected that. My only complaint was the glob of spinach on my plate. I have never been a cooked spinach fan, and this did nothing to change my mind. However, the potatoes were wonderfully crispy. Loved them.

The much longer hallway to the left of the entrance goes past the small reception area. This brightly lit hallway with beautiful arched windows on the outside walls offers wonderful views of the park. Various paintings hang on the interior wall with statues and other art sitting near the windows. It’s great just to enjoy the sunlight streaming into the hallway.

Two other buildings, a gym and a swimming pool are near the main building. For many years the pool was open for public use. My kids went swimming there on a number of occasions as kids, but some time ago it closed. It will be interesting to see if The Lodge opens it up to the public or if it will remain for usage of the hotel guests alone. The pool area is currently still being renovated.

On an earlier visit to St. Edward Park, we enjoyed the opportunity to hike on some of the trails down to the shoreline. We started down on the North Ridge trail which is marked as most difficult. The trail was fairly easy to go down. It is not the smoothest of trails with outcroppings of rocks and tree roots often getting in the way, but I didn’t think it was that difficult. It was steep, and I think climbing back up the trail from the shoreline would be a bit of a challenge.

The trail follows along the northern edge of the park. We could see houses nearby, but they would not be easy to reach. A very deep ravine lies between the trail and the park’s edge. It would be a steep tumble down if one fell. The park is a good place to walk on a sunny day with tall trees shading the trail. The ground below has a variety of underbrush, but ferns have definitely taken over along the trail and hillsides.

The sign indicated the trail was 0.6 miles down to the shoreline. Once we arrived at the bottom, the trail turns south and follows along the shore. This is a beautiful and relaxing part of the trail. There is really no beach here and trees are growing along the shore so the trail is not at the water’s edge. However, we could see the water through the trees and hear the waves lapping against the shoreline. From time to time the foliage opens up, and hikers can get a view of the lake and the opposite shoreline. The only thing that breaks the peace is the occasional roar of a boat on the water.

Eventually the shore does open up to a small beach area. The water is shallow here, and kids seem to enjoy playing in the water. There are a few picnic tables around as well. When we were there on a Sunday afternoon, there were probably three or four families enjoying the water.

There is a fairly easy trail from this spot that leads back up to the main part of the park. However, we chose to follow the South Ridge trail, another trail marked difficult. The first part of the trail was quite difficult. It was washed out in places, and had lots of obstacles as well as being quite steep. However, once we got past the first part, the trail became easier and eventually leveled out as well. The views of nature were much the same as the North Ridge trail, and there was a deep ravine here as well.

The trail ends up near Bastyr University. This is a school that took over the Catholic church that had been built next to the seminary. It is not a part of St. Edward State Park. There’s also a water tower nearby. We followed the trail along the border of the school and eventually arrived back at The Lodge area.

One of the features we found here is a large children’s play. There are a number of things for kids to do in this area including a fort structure along with typical activities like swings.

Another feature in St. Edward State Park is the Grotto. The former seminary students built this structure as part of their work. It is a small area that was used for times of prayer or other small group activities. Today interested parties can rent out the grotto for weddings or other events. The rock facade is a unique backdrop for those Instagram photos.

Nearby, visitors can find picnic tables scattered around the area near the old seminary building. A ball field is also available for use. On a recent visit we observed teams playing cricket on the field.

St Edward State Park is a wonderful place to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. When you are walking the trails, it’s hard to believe that you are so close to a busy suburban world. Have you had a chance to visit St. Edward State Park over the years? What have you enjoyed about it the most? Share your experiences in the comment section below. We would all benefit from your thoughts.