Destinations: The Pioneer Square Habitat Beach

The Pioneer Square Habitat Beach is located just south of Colman Dock on the Seattle waterfront and in easy walking distance from Pioneer Square and the stadiums. Photo credit Tim Rice.

The Pioneer Square Habitat Beach is part of a suite of marine habitat improvements implemented in conjunction with the first phase of the Elliott Bay Seawall Replacement Project and was designed with a special focus on encouraging juvenile salmon migration. 

When the existing waterfront was first developed, many of the native intertidal elements were lost including sloping beaches, crevices and vegetated hiding places for fish. Restoring the function of a natural shoreline and improving ecosystem productivity is an important goal of the Waterfront Seattle program and the new Waterfront Park.

Concurrent with the opening of the beach on July 1, 2023 Seattle Center will begin its new role as the City’s lead department for operations of a new Waterfront Park, with a dedicated grounds keeping and security team that will be on site and on hand to help maintain Waterfront Park spaces and to help keep them safe.

After the summer peak period, Habitat Beach will be temporarily closed this fall to accommodate the installation of indigenous artwork by the Washington State Department of Transportation. 

Meanwhile, the historic Washington Street Boat Landing, located beside Pioneer Square Habitat Beach, includes a beautifully restored space for an exciting future tenant. 

Friends of Waterfront Seattle will be working with a concessionaire on improvements through the fall and both the Boat Landing and the beach will be open and active by next spring.