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The Ballard Locks are a fun place to visit while in Seattle. It’s also one of the city’s top tourist attractions.
Introduction to the Ballard Locks
Officially the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, they allow passage between Puget Sound and Lake Washington via Salmon Bay, the Fremont Cut, Lake Union, and the Montlake Cut. It’s the busiest lock system in the entire country and completely free to all vessels.
The first discussions on building a lock system took place in 1854. The US Army Corps of Engineers started planning the project in 1891, and preliminary work began in 1906. The main project started in 1911 and the locks officially opened on May 8, 1917. They’re named for engineer Hiram M. Chittenden (1858-1917).
There’s no admission to see the locks and fish ladder (as of January 2025) and the grounds are open daily from 7am to 9pm. In addition to the locks, there’s a botanical garden, a small visitor center, and gift shop. Visit the official website for more info.
Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Gardens
To get to the locks, you first walk through the Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Gardens. Landscape architect Carl English spent 43 years developing the gardens starting in 1931. There are over 500 species and 1,500 varieties of plants from around the world.
Ballard Locks Administration Building
The path past the visitor center leads to the Ballard Locks Administration Building, which was completed in 1916. The Army Corps of Engineers built it to house the project’s offices. It also holds the pumps used to drain the locks during maintenance. Architect Carl F. Gould designed the building, which features a terrazzo floor inlaid with black Alaskan marble. It’s closed to the public except for special tour groups.
The Lock System
The Ballard Locks consists of two locks. We first came to the larger set of locks, which measures 80 × 825 feet (24 × 251 meters). We crossed one of the gates and watched the water spill in to raise a barge passing through. Once the water level was high enough, the gates opened and the barge left the locks with the aid of a tugboat.
Next, we continued by walking across the smaller set of locks and then a pedestrian bridge over the spillway. The smaller lock measures 30 × 150 feet (9.1 × 45.7 meters). As we crossed the bridge, we looked down to see the water rushing down the spillway.
From a point on the other side of the bridge, we could get a better look at the spillway. It’s 235 feet (72 meter) long with 6 gates. In the distance, we spotted a railroad bridge that we would pass over a few days later on our Amtrak ride back to Chicago.
Fish Ladder
After crossing the spillway, we finally came to the fish ladder, which is the highlight of the Ballard Locks. The fish ladder allows salmon to make their way between Puget Sound and Salmon Bay. It was designed by Hiram M. Chittenden and built because the locks project disrupted their natural migration pattern. The fish ladder is unique in that it’s located where salt and fresh water meet. They’re usually built entirely within fresh water.
A viewing room with windows into the ladder allows you to see up to different species of salmon including sockeye, chinook, coho, and steelhead. On top of the viewing room you’ll find some public art in the shape of waves.
