Lake Washington, Arboretum & Seattle's Outdoor Life

Seattle's outdoor culture (the most outdoors-oriented major American city after Denver, the city where more residents per capita participate in hiking, mountaineering, kayaking, cycling, and skiing than any other large city in the United States): the combination of immediate access to Puget Sound (kayaking, sailing, rowing), Lake Washington (the 87 km² (33.6 sq mile) freshwater lake on Seattle's eastern border), the Burke-Gilman Trail (the 27 km (17 mile) bicycle and pedestrian trail from Ballard through the University District to Kenmore), and the proximity of the Cascades and Olympic mountains defines Seattle's outdoor character.