Seattle: Volunteer Park

 Volunteer Park is a beautiful park on the north end of Seattle. It's a standard park that also includes a historic water tower, reservoir, an art museum and a Conservatory which is a fantastic garden in an old Victorian greenhouse. 

Location: 1247 15th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112
Time Needed: Maybe a half hour if you just plan the park. Add extra time for additional features.
Cost: Free, but some of the things within cost money.

We took our Uber up north to Volunteer Park.

There is a fantastic old water tower here.

 I thought this was kind of silly, until I realized how rough the walls are.

I thought I would be able to climb the stairs, I have climbed lighthouses before, but I kind of noped out.

I made it up to the first window though.

The front of it.

Pretty pink flowers. Not 100% sure, but I believe this is Autumn crocus.

The tower again.

While waiting for my friends I ran back up to get a shot of the stairs. I probably could have gone up, but I guess I was being a wuss today.

L.B. Youngs, Superintendent of the Seattle Water Department had the tower designed and installed.

Ferns. Now this is the Pacific Northwest I am used to.

Fun sign. Looks like the plaque is missing.

Ooh, a little bit of fall color coming in.

Volunteer Park Reservoir with the Space Needle.

Seattle Asian Art Museum it was closed today.

Closer.

One of the twin camels out front.

Replica’s of Ming Dynasty Camels from the tomb of a 15th century prince.

Black Sun by Isamu Noguchi

The Space needle through it.

The reservoir again.

The North Lily Pond.

Lots of ducks!

Panoramic.

Neat multi-tier tree. It looks very similar to the Octopus Tree in nearby Oregon.

Squirrel!

Yay! I caught him doing the super hero pose!

Up in the tree.

More neat trees. Down in Oregon with the Octopus Tree they are still debating what caused this phenomena, it could be natural, or coerced by Native Americans. I’m not sure what Seattle's take on it is.

The Volunteer Park Conservatory. Well this is weird, this will be the first nested in a nested post I have done.

William Henry Seward

Patriot and Statesman
As Governor of New York
United States Senator
And Secretary of State
Gave to the people of
this country a long and
useful life culminating
in his purchase for them
of the territory of
Alaska on March 30 1867

Erected by citizens of Seattle 1909

Uhm. Alrighty then.

From the other side.

Our next adventure, that I did not realize was on the agenda until now is just behind the park. But we still had some more park to get through to get to it.

The restrooms have a nice covered seating area between them. Since public restrooms are so few and far between I decided to take advantage.

Better shot. It’s fancy!

Lovely forested section.

Squirrel!

Gnarly tree burl.

Smaller one.

I guess in the summer time this is a wading pool.

The tree is eating this sign. Can't see the top but the bottom I think says “or bicycles in pool”. So, bicycles and something else are not allowed. I am guessing from the previous sign it might be “no dogs or bicycles allowed in pool”. But that is just a guess.

In memory of Pablo. Forever Young.

Donated to the
Children of
Seattle
By the friends of
Pablo Seldner
Volunteer
Landscape Architect

Nice little memorial.

Somewhere over the rainbow skies are blue

And the dreams that I’ve dreamed of

          Once really do come true.

Ferns.

The cemetery we are headings towards.

Well, that was an interesting park. It was really nice to get some nature in on our touristy thing heavy trip. A very pretty forested park with some nice views. Highly recommended.