by Jake and Cathy Jaramillo (Seattle Stairway Walks)
The term “Deadhorse Canyon” evokes the image of squinty-eyed bandidos riding emaciated horses through dusty badlands. It’s an odd-sounding name for a wooded south Seattle ravine, and there are several theories about it. One of them says that during logging days, whenever felled trees landed too awkwardly to be moved down the canyon to the mill below, they were simply left behind as “dead horses.”
Whatever the real story, there’s no doubt this canyon was heavily logged, and that there was a mill at the mouth of the canyon, on today’s Rainier Beach. Yet today the canyon is a shady green second-growth wonderland, thanks to the constant restorative attentions of local volunteers. There is said to be a resident pair of eagles. Pileated woodpeckers and osprey are seen here too.
Taylor Creek, the fourth largest creek in Seattle and one of only three that flow year-round, runs the length of the canyon. In late winter when the sightlines in the canyon are clearest and the creek runs strong, the downcanyon view of the creek from the bridge above is pretty impressive.
This is especially so if you’ve only viewed the creek at the height of summer, when it runs quietly and undergrowth obscures it from view. Taylor Creek awaits a final upgrade at its outlet in Lake Washington that could once again make it hospitable to salmon.
Running as it does through a city park, Deadhorse Canyon features timber steps, 127 all told, as you follow this route up and down the canyon. The route soon turns out of the canyon toward Rainier Beach, opening up to residential streets with concrete city stairways and marvelous south Lake Washington views. One example is the Cooper Stairway, pictured below in May. It’s a major Seattle stairway, with 218 alluring steps.
Speaking of alluring, we also provide directions to some nearby attractions like 20-acre Kubota Garden, a labor of many decades on the part of the Kubota nursery family. You can spend hours strolling through its intricate landscaping, exotic plantings and subtle water features, and perhaps enjoy a picnic on the expansive lawn. The main stairway walk is itself short – around an hour – so there’s time for extra attractions. More.
By The Numbers: Deadhorse Canyon Stairway Walk
- Length: 1.8 miles
- Leisurely Walking Time: About 1 hour
- Steps Down: 307
- Steps Up: 120
Photo/Jake and Cathy Jaramillo (Seattle Stairway Walks)
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