Deb emails:
Some friends and I thought about trying to watch fireworks around the city from the Reservoir Park.
Since it’s the highest point in Seattle we thought perhaps we could see something, but I wanted to check with Maple Leaf Life if anything more is known about this. Is any activity planned at the park, and do you think it’s possible to see Seattle (and Bellevue?) fireworks from there?
We know it may not be the best view in the city but it would be convenient to see at least something!
In past years people have often gathered on the southeast side of the old (lower) park to watch the Seattle fireworks. We don’t recall being able to see across the lake to Eastside fireworks.
The view should be spectacularly better from the new Maple Leaf Reservoir Park.
We haven’t yet heard about any organized viewing parties. But the forecast for July 4 is great: Mostly sunny, with a high near 70 and an overnight low of 53 degrees.
Incidentally, we are a high hill – but not the highest
Maple Leaf tops out at 466 feet above sea level on Roosevelt Way Northeast next to the Blue Saucer.
PS: The view from the park is good – but the video above was taken from a houseboat dock on the east side of Lake Union.
Good! We could use some more sunlight on gray days like today.
Please don’t trim the trees just to give us a once-a-year view of the fireworks. I have lived in the neighborhood for several decades, and sadly, we are steadily losing our tree cover.
How about San Juan Hill? Roosevelt charges up both sides of it.
I have wondered for a very long time if Maple Leaf is an official hill and if it’s not why not? I know we live on a hill because its a steep downhill from every where. But I have never heard of a hill name. If we are higher up than Queen Anne Hilll, why are we not a hill? Just wondering
Some judicious pruning of the trees within the park, and along the street just south of the park would go far to improve sight lines of the downtown skyline and for fireworks.
Have a good Fourth of July weekend, everyone.
As someone who’s lived along the north fence for many years, I’m sorry to say that the view of the Lake Union fireworks from the upper park level isn’t very good anymore. The south perimeter of trees have grown too tall, and most of the fireworks don’t explode high enough to see above the trees.
Sometimes unofficial fireworks are visible in the direction of Portage Bay or Mercer Island.
We used to have great views of Ivar’s fireworks exploding above Queen Anne hill as well as Lake Union, but no longer. Banner Park has a better overlook for Lake Union’s fireworks.