Ballard Locks by Paddleboard – Getting Close to the Salmo…

Paddling to the Ballard Locks is the closest thing Seattle has to a bucket-list SUP experience. You approach through the Ship Canal, enter the lock chamber alongside sailboats and motorboats, and the water level drops (or rises) 6-26 feet as the lock cycles between freshwater and saltwater. When the gates open on the other side, you are in Puget Sound. The salmon ladder beside the lock chamber is worth stopping for in fall — coho and Chinook moving upstream are visible through the underwater viewing windows.

Getting There — From Lake Union

The approach from the east is the most common. Launch from Gas Works Park (2101 N Northlake Way) and paddle west across Lake Union, then into the Ship Canal heading toward Fremont. The Locks are at the west end of the canal — about 3 miles from Gas Works. The Fremont and Ballard bridges cross overhead during the approach.

Signal the lockmaster by waving when you arrive at the lock gates. Staff will direct small watercraft (kayaks, SUPs) to the small boat lock on the north side of the main locks. No fee for non-motorized vessels.

Getting There — From Shilshole Bay

Approaching from the Puget Sound side: launch from Golden Gardens (8498 Seaview Pl NW) and paddle south along the shore toward the marina entrance, then into the Locks approach channel. The sound-side approach means entering freshwater as you lock through — a different experience than the lake approach.

📍 Get Directions to Ballard Locks

Locks address: 3015 NW 54th St, Seattle, WA 98107

The Salmon Ladder

The salmon ladder runs alongside the locks and has a free public viewing area. Fall is the prime window: Chinook salmon run July-September, coho August-November. The underwater windows (open 7 AM to 8:45 PM in summer, 7 AM to dusk in winter) let you watch fish moving upstream. Worth building into any Locks paddle — pull up to the ladder viewing area from the water and dock at the public float for a few minutes.

Practical Notes

• Lock wait: Wait times depend on motorboat traffic. Busy summer weekends can mean 20-30 minutes in the queue. Weekday mornings move faster.
• Locks hours: Open daily. The small boat lock operates more frequently than the main locks — ask the lockmaster for timing.
• Current in the canal: Minimal in calm conditions. Can be perceptible when lake levels are high relative to the sound.
• Skill level: Intermediate. The approach through the Ship Canal involves real boat traffic — this is not a beginner paddle.