Accessibility – Washington Park Arboretum

Those with limited mobility are welcome to drive and park in the lots located along the Arboretum Drive.

Parking

Accessible parking is available in the Graham Visitors Center parking lot at the Washington Park Arboretum. Arboretum Drive is closed to general public traffic but is available for visitors with limited mobility to offer greater Arboretum access. There are many parking lots along the drive that you may use during your visit. Please drive very slowly and be aware of pedestrians, bicyclists, and maintenance vehicles.

Public Transportation

Metro bus routes 988, 43, and 48 run near the Arboretum along 24th Ave E. Ask for the E McGraw Street stop; head east from the stop to the Montlake Tot Lot, an accessible entrance into the Washington Park Arboretum. If you are coming from Madison Street, you can take route 11, get off at Lake Washington Boulevard E, and walk north into the Arboretum. Several buses coming from the east side stop at the end of SR-520. Use Metro’s Trip Planner to get here.

Accessible Trails 

We recommend three accessible trail loops that each have paths at least 5 feet wide for the whole length and do not exceed a 5% grade incline. These trails are composed of paved sections and compacted gravel. Please see photo reels below for a know-before-you-go peak at each trail – trail conditions may vary depending on the weather.

AZALEA WAY AND ARBORETUM LOOP TRAIL

VIEW TRAIL MAP HERE – One of the most popular walks at the Washington Park Arboretum, the loop through Azalea Way combines fully paved trails with compacted gravel. Park at Graham Visitors Center and access Azalea Way through the south side of parking lot or through the patio at the north side of the Visitors Center. The full loop takes you along the iconic Azalea Way to Woodland Garden and lower Rhododendron Glen, connecting to the Arboretum Loop Trail and north along the wetlands, viburnum, and oak collections. All 16 benches on the Arboretum Loop Trail are fully accessible. You can view those on our interactive basic map. Some users have difficulty viewing the map in certain browsers. If this happens for you, try switching browsers.

Azalea Way and Arboretum Loop Trail Photo Gallery

PINETUM AND CONIFER COLLECTIONS LOOP TRAIL

VIEW TRAIL MAP HERE – Park along 26th Ave E or E Lynn Street for the easiest access. Enter the Arboretum at E Lynn Street and 26th Ave or E Calhoun Street an 26th Ave E. This loop trail will lead you through the conifer collections of the Pinetum, featuring trees from every continent except Antarctica.

Pinetum and Conifer Collections Loop Trail Photo Gallery

PACIFIC CONNECTIONS TRAIL

VIEW TRAIL MAP HERE – Drive south down Arboretum Drive E to reach the accessible parking spots (2 available) at the vehicle turnaround. This trail guides you through the Pacific Connection Garden entry gardens and into the New Zealand and Cascadia Forests. This trail is a combination of paved path, compacted gravel, and stretches of compacted soil.

Pacific Connections Garden Trail Photo Gallery

Restrooms

One wheel-chair accessible stall is located in each of the Graham Visitors Center restrooms.

Menstrual Products

Menstrual products are currently not available in our bathrooms. Facilities on UW main campus do provide free products and locations can be found here.

Service Animals and Pets

• Service animals are welcome in both outdoor and indoor spaces.
• Dogs are more than welcome at the Washington Park Arboretum and Center for Urban Horticulture as long as they are on a leash and get picked up after.
• Only service animals are allowed in the Seattle Japanese Garden. See the Seattle Municipal Code on Animals for more information.

We are continuously working with Seattle Parks and Recreation to get accurate information about the ADA accessibility of trails throughout the park.

Programs

Connect with the UW Botanic Gardens from the comfort of your home: UW Botanic Gardens at Home.

Online Classes: Our adult education department is now offering classes online to facilitate learning at home. Check out upcoming classes & workshops, professional continuing education, and symposia.

Youth & Family Activities: Explore the natural world around you with our Youth & Family Self-Guided Adventures. And join us for Virtual Story Time with the Miller Library!

We would like to increase the accessibility of our in-person programs. If you have ideas about organizations we may be able to partner with or other ideas for accessible programming, email us at urbhort@uw.edu.

Audio Tours

Audio tours are available for the Pacific Connections Garden which highlights iconic plants from five countries/regions connected by the Pacific Ocean: Australia, Cascadia, Chile, China, New Zealand.

Feedback

Here at the UW Botanic Gardens, we strive to make our spaces accessible to people of all backgrounds. We are currently working on expanding our resources to enhance the experience of our visitors.

We would love to receive feedback for how we can improve your experience in our gardens. Please email urbhort@uw.edu and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.