Hiram M. Chittenden Locks and Lake Washington Ship Canal

Construction of the Lake Washington Ship Canal and Hiram M. Chittenden Locks was completed in 1917 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Connecting the waters of Lake Washington, Lake Union, and Salmon Bay to the tidal waters of Puget Sound, the canal and locks allow recreational and commercial vessels to travel to the docks and warehouses of Seattle's busy freshwater harbor. The grounds feature a visitors' center, a fish ladder, and the Carl S. English, Jr. Botanical Gardens. The Lake Washington Ship Canal Visitor Center is a great starting point for any visit. Both floors of the Visitor Center are ADA accessible, including the theater where short films are shown about the navigational and recreational aspects of the project. Free daily tours of the Locks, Botanical Garden and Fish Ladder begin at 2:00 pm each day the Visitor Center is open, and run about one hour. Organized groups, like school field trips, may request a separate tour tailored to particular interests; these are scheduled independently of the free daily tours and confirmed by Lake Washington Ship Canal staff. Special Use Permits are required to host events, rent tables and chairs, or conduct filming and photography at the Lake Washington Ship Canal.