As the liquid backdrop to the beautiful suburban community of Bellevue, Lake Washington provides residents of the Seattle area who live near it with more than just a beautiful view. It also serves as a center for recreation, social gatherings, and community events. Residents of AMLI at Bellevue Park, many of whom enjoy beautiful views of the area’s natural treasures, have some of the easiest access to the lake and its offerings of any of the Seattle area’s residents.
The Lake
Carved into the landscape of present-day Seattle by a glacier from an ice age of eons past, Lake Washington is long and narrow. Two rivers, the Cedar River and the Sammamish River, flow into the lake from either end. Several creeks, including Coal Creek, Juanita Creek, and Ravenna Creek, feed into the lake as well, giving outdoor enthusiasts several different waterways to explore using Lake Washington as a starting point. Lake Washington is connected to Lake Sammamish via the Sammamish River and the Puget Sound via the Cedar River.
Lake Washington is 22 miles long and has a surface area of 33.8 meters. Its average depth is 108 feet, with a maximum depth of 214. The lake is dotted by five islands, the most well-known of which are Mercer Island and Foster Island. Mercer Island is itself host to an affluent city of 23,000, which is named after the island on which it sits.
A century ago, Lake Washington was the destination of much of the City of Seattle’s sewage. During the last half of the 20th century, the lake was the focus of several large-scale cleaning projects that helped revive its fish populations and purified its water. Today, it is an area attraction and its banks and Mercer Island are considered highly desirable places to live.
Its Surroundings
From just about every vantage point on Lake Washington, the picturesque Mount Rainier can be seen on sunny days. The lake is also surrounded by residential communities, the most well-known of which are Seattle and Bellevue. Add Mercer Island to the mix, and residents of 11 cities and towns can claim Lake Washington as their own.
As one of the most prominent and ideally situated of these communities, Bellevue occupies a significant stretch of the lake’s shore. Bellevue Downtown Park, a 20-acre plot of green space that is a favorite hangout of many of the city’s residents, is just three blocks from the water. The luxury apartment community that AMLI Residential manages on the park is just as close, offering residents quick and easy access to the lake and all it has to offer. In addition to the breathtaking views and array of luxury amenities AMLI at Bellevue Park residents enjoy, proximity to the lake is one of the upscale apartment community’s biggest draws.
Outdoor Activities
From boating and waterskiing to swimming along the shore, Lake Washington provides outdoor enthusiasts with the same opportunities that most large lakes have to offer. Several multi-purpose paths bring cyclers and joggers close to the lake at points, and the Lake to Lake Trail & Greenway gives exercise enthusiasts a chance to run or cycle from Lake Washington to Lake Sammamish. The really adventurous can even kayak from one lake to the other via the Sammamish Slough. The scenery and wildlife viewed along the way make this journey an adventure that kayaking buffs take again and again and again.
Outfitters in the area also facilitate several once-in-a-lifetime outdoor activities, including, parasailing, paragliding and hot air ballooning.
It was a beautiful summer in the Seattle area, but historical temperature and precipitation records indicate that the steady drizzle for which the city is notorious will return soon. Call your friends or gather your family together, and get out there and enjoy the sunshine while you can. Live Life + Love Life on beautiful Lake Washington.
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