Hiram M. Chittenden Locks (Ballard Locks)

Formerly Ballard Locks

InfrastructureSeattle, WASeasonal

Free daily tours run May 1 to September 30 only; the visitor center follows the same Wednesday to Sunday season on this page.

How to visit: official page ↗Open in Google Maps Apple Maps Satellite view

Working ship locks between Lake Washington and Puget Sound, with a visitor center, fish ladder and botanical garden. Free one-hour tours run Wednesday to Sunday, May to September.

Hiram M. Chittenden Locks (Ballard Locks) — Photo: Unknown Photographer / US Army Corps of Engineers, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Ways to visit

Free daily tour of the locks, garden and fish ladder Seasonal

Tours are offered May 1 to September 30 only.

What you see

Inside tour, Groundsrecreation.gov (agency or tourism page), 2026-11-05

How

Scheduled tour · about 60 minutesrecreation.gov (agency or tourism page), 2026-11-05

When

MonTueWedThuFriSatSunA tour starts at 2 p.m. each day the visitor center is open (Wednesday to Sunday, May 1 to September 30) and takes about an hour. Organized groups can request a separate tour by email.Season: 05-01 to 09-30 (Wednesday to Sunday, May 1 to September 30.)recreation.gov (agency or tourism page), 2026-11-05

Booking

Not stated · closes 0 days ahead · same day possible · onlineReservations are made on Recreation.gov up to midnight Pacific Time on the day of the tour and carry a $1 fee; they can be changed or cancelled until 24 hours before. The page does not say whether tours also take walk-ups.Book ↗recreation.gov (agency or tourism page), 2026-11-05

Cost

FreeReservation fee (non-refundable): $1Tours are free; no day-use fee is charged. Parking in the city lot is paid.recreation.gov (agency or tourism page), 2026-11-05

Requirements

None stated.

Not stated on the official page: photo ID, citizenship, residency, minimum age, height, fitness and accessibility, safety gear, photography, personal details in advance.Photo ID: No ID rule is stated.Safety gear: The page asks visitors to follow the guide, observe signs and keep out of restricted areas beside an active waterway.recreation.gov (agency or tourism page), 2026-11-05

About

The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, completed in 1917, let boats pass between Lake Washington, Lake Union and Puget Sound. The grounds have a visitor center with a theater, a fish ladder viewing room and the Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Gardens. Free guided tours of the locks, garden and fish ladder start at 2 p.m. on days the visitor center is open, May 1 to September 30. Winter opening hours are not given on this page.

Owner: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Run by: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District.

Getting there

3015 NW 54th Street, Seattle, WA, 98107

The north parking lot beside the locks is city-owned, with pay stations.

The pin marks the site itself, not necessarily the entrance (47.66556, -122.39639). Apple Maps directions go to the street address instead. Show on our map · Google Maps · Apple Maps

Locks visitor information: 206-783-7059

Last checked 2026-11-05. Sources are listed below.

More on the official page: nws.usace.army.mil. Check it before you go.

Sources

recreation.gov/ticket/facility/10112103 · official tourism or agency page · read 2026-11-05For: name; street address; phone and email; who runs it; Free daily tour of the locks, garden and fish ladder: open or closed; Free daily tour of the locks, garden and fish ladder: what you see; Free daily tour of the locks, garden and fish ladder: kind of visit; Free daily tour of the locks, garden and fish ladder: days and hours; Free daily tour of the locks, garden and fish ladder: booking; Free daily tour of the locks, garden and fish ladder: cost; Free daily tour of the locks, garden and fish ladder: requirements
wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntityData/Q5769… · Wikidata · read 2026-11-05For: location

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