RussiansInUSA editorial team · Facts checked November 5, 2026 · Official site
Kerry Park is a small viewpoint on the south slope of Queen Anne Hill in Seattle, at 211 W Highland Dr. It looks out over downtown, the Space Needle and Elliott Bay, with Mount Rainier on the horizon when the day is clear. The park is open 6 am to 10 pm, and its city page lists no entry fee. People come for the view, most of all at sunset and after dark, when the city lights come on.
Kerry Park history: a gift from the Kerry family
Albert and Katherine Kerry gave the land to the city in 1927. According to HistoryLink, the online encyclopedia of Washington State history, the roughly one and a half acre lot was donated so that everyone who stopped there could enjoy the view.
Albert Kerry was born in 1866 in Kingston, Ontario, and moved to Seattle in 1886 at age 20. He became a lumberman, running sawmills and lumber companies in Washington, Oregon, the Yukon and British Columbia. His own house stood on the same street, at 421 W Highland Drive, and he owned it from about 1903 or 1904.
In 1971 a 15-foot steel sculpture, Changing Form, was added at the viewpoint. It is the work of Seattle artist Doris Totten Chase (1923-2008). HistoryLink describes it as her first large-scale commission and names her among the first women to make monumental sculpture for the city's art collection. The sculpture was also a Kerry family gift, though two HistoryLink essays differ on the details: the Albert Kerry biography says his three children commissioned it, while the essay on the city's civic art collection says Mr. and Mrs. Albert Kerry gifted it and dates the work to 1969.
Seattle Parks and Recreation runs the park today. The city's site lists it as Kerry Park (Franklin Place).
What to see at Kerry Park
The view. The city describes it as Elliott Bay and the Central City, with an occasional backdrop of Mount Rainier. HistoryLink puts the mountain about 70 miles to the southeast, visible only when it is clear. It also notes that national newscasters often use the view as the backdrop for Seattle stories.
Sunset and night. The parks department says photographers line the wall at sunset as the city and the sound begin to light up. After dark, lit ferries cross the water and the Space Needle shines on its 500-foot pedestal.
Changing Form. The Cor-Ten steel piece was designed to change: according to the city's civic art history, a visitor could turn its top cylinder a full turn on bearings.
Play area and courts. The city lists drinking fountains, basketball courts, a play area and art in the park. HistoryLink places a small children's playground just below the viewpoint.
Ceremonies. The parks department calls the spot especially well suited for outdoor ceremonies. Bookings go through Seattle Parks and Recreation's outdoor ceremony reservations.
How to get to Kerry Park
King County Metro buses run from downtown up Queen Anne Hill:
| Route | Where it goes | Timepoint on the hill |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | West Queen Anne, Seattle Center, downtown, First Hill, Seattle University, Madrona Park | 7th Ave W & W Raye St |
| 13 | Seattle Pacific University, Queen Anne Hill, Seattle Center, downtown | Queen Anne Ave N & Crockett St |
Both routes stop at Queen Anne Ave N & W Mercer St in Lower Queen Anne. Schedules list only timepoints, so find the stop nearest the park and the times in the trip planner on the King County Metro site.
Address for your navigation app: 211 W Highland Dr., Seattle, WA 98119.
Hours, entry and park rules
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| Hours | 6 am to 10 pm |
| Entry fee | none listed on the park page |
| Ceremonies | by reservation with Seattle Parks and Recreation |
| Phone | (206) 684-4075 |
Hours checked November 5, 2026 on seattle.gov. Check the park page before you go.
Under the Seattle parks rules:
- alcohol, cannabis and illegal drugs are banned in parks;
- all city parks are smoke-free;
- dogs must be leashed outside off-leash areas and are not allowed in children's play areas;
- drones and other remote-controlled aircraft are banned in parks;
- loudspeakers and other sound amplifiers are not allowed.
More on the city in our Seattle guide, and other sights under what to see in Seattle.
Questions people ask
What are Kerry Park's hours?
Seattle Parks and Recreation lists Kerry Park as open from 6 am to 10 pm. It sits at 211 W Highland Dr. on Queen Anne Hill, and the park page lists no entry fee. The parks department says photographers line the wall at sunset, and after dark the Space Needle is lit.
Can you see Mount Rainier from Kerry Park?
Only on clear days. Mount Rainier stands about 70 miles southeast of the park, and Seattle's parks department calls it an occasional backdrop to the view. On other days the view takes in Elliott Bay, downtown Seattle and the Space Needle.
Who gave Kerry Park to Seattle?
Lumberman Albert Kerry and Katherine Kerry donated the land on Queen Anne Hill to the city in 1927 so that anyone stopping there could enjoy the view. The park covers about one and a half acres. In 1971 the steel sculpture Changing Form by Doris Totten Chase, also a Kerry family gift, was added.
Can I fly a drone at Kerry Park?
No. Seattle law bans drones and other remote-controlled aircraft in all city parks, Kerry Park included. Alcohol, smoking and sound amplifiers are banned there too, and dogs must stay on a leash.