Ballard Boat Locks - Olivia Michelle

I recently discovered the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, or better known as the Ballard Boat Locks. It is one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen! Essentially a boat elevator, you can watch boats going through them daily.

This post may contain affiliate links. This means that I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase through the links in this article.

Hiram M. Chittenden Boat Locks
3015 NW 54th St, Seattle, WA 98107
The water in Lake Union and the Puget Sound are at different levels, so boats need help going in-between the two. The locks are open 24/7 to passing boats but only to visitors from 7am – 9pm. There are several different areas to check out including a park, visitor’s center, botanical gardens, salmon viewing room and the boat locks themselves.

The park and botanical gardens are the closest things to the parking lot. They are nice to walk through or pack a picnic and enjoy.

It takes about 15-20 minutes for the boats to go through the locks depending on how many boats there are and how much boat traffic there is the day you visit. One time we went it was just this Argosy cruise and they were in and out in 15 minutes. You are literally right next to the boats watching this happen.

On the opposite side from the park you will find the salmon ladder and underwater viewing room. During salmon season you can find them trying to swim upriver. At this time masks are required in the viewing room.

Also don’t forget to check out the Visitor’s Center! There are some exhibits with more information about the boat locks and salmon in Washington inside. If you have kiddos with you they can grab a Junior Ranger activity book from the Ranger on duty. This is a FREE program and when they are done filling it out they’ll receive a badge. There is also a small gift shop inside with books, souvenirs, and more.