Ravenna

Ravenna's quiet backstreets and stairways combine with its namesake ravine for a pleasant, refreshing tour of Seattle stairs. In addition to the main route described in detail in the book, you can check out extra attractions like "Professor's Row" on Ravenna Boulevard, or the optional walk to Cowen Park at the head of the ravine (Cowen Park Grocery has a cafe on the side, with great pastries and coffee).

The "www" icon indicates a slideshow of additional pictorial content referenced in the book. 

Ravenna Ravine: nature right in the middle of the city!

Your first stairway heads up from the back of a P-Patch

Cowen Park, upper Ravenna Ravine (optional side trip)

Comments

[Jen]

"Midway up the second flight on the left side of the stairs, a small house nestles among cedars and below a large stand of bamboo"

I live in that house! It actually contains one upstairs unit and two downstairs studios, and there are 3 other cottages in the group as well. The owner, Paul, planted all kinds of trees and plants and even made the stained-glass windows himself. Walkers, please walk by and enjoy Paul's beautiful handiwork, but keep to the stairs as the paths are private.

Anyway, I've always wanted to explore Ravenna park more, and I hope I can persuade my boyfriend to take this walk with me soon. Thanks for the route and your wonderful blog.

[Jake and Cathy]

Hi Jen, thanks for the additional info - we had no idea the extent of this little compound, though it is obvious that somebody had put a lot of sweat and tears into it. I hope everybody enjoys it as much as we did, from a respectful distance along the stairs of course. And, do take the walk through the ravine and park, it's a real gem!