Dog Walkers in Sunset Hill

Situated along the water and just to the west of Ballard is Sunset Hill. True to its name, this hill is perfectly situated to catch the spectacular sunsets off the water and the Olympic Mountains. In addition to its amazing scenery, the area has access to some great places to walk and enjoy outdoor recreation. 

The neighborhood is mostly residential, however, because it gets a lot of tourist traffic for Shilshole Bay, there are a fair number of restaurants and retail along the outer edges. You won’t find pet supplies anywhere near the neighborhood, so be sure to combine treat buying with the rest of your weekly chores. 

The weather in Seattle is ideal for walking most of the year. The temperatures average out on the mild side and, even though there is a fair amount of rain, most days do have dry times where walking is possible. 

Throughout the residential areas, traffic is quiet and there are plenty of sidewalks to walk on with your pup. There are a few busier streets but, overall, you will find that this neighborhood is easy to navigate. When you get down closer to the water, it is another story. 

Shilshole Bay Marina, Golden Gardens, and the Ballard all ensure that traffic along the water is pretty heavy during the warmer months. Despite that fact, it is well worth carefully making the trip down to the water for any of these attractions. Dogs on leashes are welcome at all of these places with the exception of the public beach area at Golden Gardens. 

Sunset Hill is, in fact, a hill, which is important to keep in mind if you plan to walk down to the waterfront. Some of the walks up from the water can be quite steep. A lot of people opt to drive down into this area. 

Sunset Hills is not lacking for places to enjoy a bit of grass or sand and have fun while you do so. Golden Gardens to the north end of the neighborhood has lots of both as well as plenty of trails for you to explore. The park has an off-leash area as well and is the starting point for the Burke Gilman Trail. This trail runs across the bottom end of north Seattle and loops up over the northern tip of Lake Washington. 

The trail runs through the Shilshole Bay Marina which can be a great place to go for a walk and watch the boats. Along the south portion of Sunset Hill is the Ballard Locks which welcomes pups on a leash and has a large green space as well as a lot of great people watching opportunities. The trail also runs alongside the locks, so you can use the trail and still stop by to watch the boats go through.