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Seattle Attractions
Hiram M. Chittenden Locks
— (Ballard Locks)
— Seattle Locks Cruise
Hiram M. Chittenden Locks
3015 NW 54th St
Seattle, WA
206-783-7059
Map
Seattle's No. 3 Tourist Attraction
Hiram M. Chittenden Locks
are a
complex of locks that sit in the middle of Salmon Bay. Known locally
as the "Ballard Locks," they are Seattle's third
most popular tourist attraction —
the Space
Needle is No. 1
and Pike Place Market is No.
2.
The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks
Opened on July 4, 1917, the locks — operated by the Army Corps
of Engineers — provide
a link for
boats
to pass between
the salt water
of the Puget Sound and the fresh waters of Lake
Union and
Lake Washington.
Seattle Locks Cruise
FUN
Seattle Locks Cruise
Up-Close View of the Locks
Get an up-close view of the locks
that raises and lowers the boats
—
people
drive for miles just to see the boats
(and kayaks) passing through these
famous Seattle locks.
Salmon Viewing
During the summer months, the locks provide
an excellent location for visitors to see salmon eye-to-eye — through
large salmon-viewing windows — as they return from their
ocean migrations.
___________________________
Carl S. English, Jr. Botanical
Gardens
206-783-7059
The Carl S. English, Jr. Botanical Gardens are located on the
grounds
of the the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks. Free Tours
are available Mon-Fri at 1 and 3pm,
Sat-Sun 11am, 1pm and
3pm.
Open daily. Free admission.
__________________________
Cruise the Locks
Take an informative 2 1/2 hour narrated Locks Cruise along
Seattle's historic waterfront—and its "Sleepless
in Seattle" house boat community.
Top
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As you can see from the photo above, there's not
much room on either side of the boat to pass through the narrow locks — it
takes some skillful maneuvering on the part of the captain, especially
for the larger boats.
Book
Seattle Locks Cruise
Hiram Chittenden Locks
Hours
Open Daily 7am-9pm.
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
Free Admission.
Locks Visitors Center
Stop by the Locks Visitors Center to pick up brochures, see exhibits and
to watch a 12-minute orientation video of the Locks.
Hours
Winter: Oct 1 thru' Apr 30
10am-4pm. Closed Tues and Wed. Summer: May
1 thru' Sept 30
10am-6pm.
Free Guided Tours
Mar 1 thru' Nov 30.
Major Hiram M. Chittenden
The locks are named after
Major Hiram Martin Chittenden.
He was responsible for the Locks being concrete instead of wood;
for a dual lock design vs. a single lock; and for eliminating the proposed lock
at the eastern
end of the canal, thereby lowering the level of Lake Washington and preventing
flooding.
More Info
206-783-7059
The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks are
approximately a 15-minute
drive north of
downtown Seattle.
Locks Cruise
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