Highland Park Neighborhood of West Seattle

Autumn colors were the highlight of today's 10.4 mile walk in the Highland Park neighborhood of West Seattle.

It was a beautiful day with great visibility and I could see both the Olympics and the Cascades (even Mount Baker) from this quiet, mostly residential neighborhood. I walked streets between 4th and 16th Avenues SW from SW Holden to Trenton Street.

The eastern portion of the walk abuts the West Seattle Reservoir (which was recently lidded - the park is open but upgrades are scheduled to start soon)

and Westcrest Park with its busy off-leash area. Signs indicate that the towers in this photo are used by the FAA for air traffic control.

North of the reservoir park, I was surprised to find Falcon Ridge Farm

where I spotted two horses.

There were streets of newer, single family homes near the farm and a good-siezed apartment/condo complex.

16th and 9th Avenues are busy but the rest of the streets are quiet. There are a few businesses (grocery/deli, auto repair, hair salon) and an apartment house at 9th and Kenyon. There is also a daycare/preschool a few blocks south on 9th. Except for Highland Park Elementary

and two churches, Community of Hope Church of the Nazarene

and the Community of Christ Highland Park Congregation, the neighborhood is mostly residential with a mix of newer and older homes.

Most, but not all, streets have sidewalks and curbs and the area has a tidy look.

Along the way, I passed Highland Park Playground, a staircase and footpaths at the ends of dead-end streets,

houses and a mailbox decorated for Halloween,

sidewalk art

and an apple tree loaded with apples.

Another Seattle neighborhood loaded with surprises!