Five miles from Downtown, these Ballard water locks are a "fascinating" place to "spend an afternoon or have a picnic", "spreading a blanket" and "watching science trick Mother Nature" by lifting "boats of all sizes" between Puget Sound and the Lake Washington Ship Canal; the most compelling time to visit is June–November, when adult "salmon are running" like the "bulls in Pamplona", swimming up a 21-step ladder to head back to their spawning grounds.