8 Supercool Tree Houses, Forts and Hobbit Houses Around Seattle to Explore With Kids
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Spot wildlife from Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center lookout tower. Photo: Devon Hammer
4. Tree house tower at Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center
Location: 1625 118th Ave. S.E., Bellevue
Parking: Take the first right into the parking lot, just before the center’s light blue sign.
Tucked away in Bellevue near Interstate 405 is one of Bellevue’s largest and most wildlife-rich parks, Mercer Slough Nature Park. Start your exploration of the park’s wetland ecosystems at the Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center, a complex of classrooms, stairways and lookout spots that allow visitors to see the forest from many vantage points.
The star lookout spot is the tree house. Climb the ladder and go through a hatch onto what is essentially an elevated platform with handrails and a roof. Here, you are at eye level with the surrounding forest canopy. It’s magical!
The center is open daily, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., though occasional unscheduled closures do happen — meaning you may find a sign on the door indicating the center is closed for the day.
Nearby things to do: Grab a trail map at the center and hike on the shady trails, which are almost never crowded. A short walk from the center, you’ll come to the Bellefields Trail, which offers loops of several distances. At one point, you can cross the bridge over the main channel of the Mercer Slough, where visitors often see wildlife.
Next stop: Fort Worden State Park
