Seattle's topography is one of its most distinctive features. The city is famous for steep streets, elevated viewpoints, and neighborhoods built on separate hills divided by waterways, valleys, and former tidelands. Much of present-day downtown and the industrial Duwamish corridor reflects extensive human modification, including regrading hills and filling tidal flats in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
- **Highest point:** The city's highest natural point is generally identified in the West Seattle area near High Point, at roughly 520 ft (about 158 m) above sea level. - **Lowest point:** Sea level along Puget Sound, Elliott Bay, the Lake Washington Ship Canal, and connected shorelines. - **Major hills:** Queen Anne Hill, Capitol Hill, First Hill, Beacon Hill, Denny Hill's former site, and the elevated ridges of West Seattle. - **Plateaus and ridges:** North Seattle contains long ridges and troughs left by glacial action, while Beacon Hill forms a prominent north-south ridge south of downtown. - **Coastal and waterfront areas:** The city has extensive saltwater shoreline on Elliott Bay and Puget Sound, plus freshwater shorelines on Lake Washington and Lake Union. - **Flood plains and lowlands:** The Duwamish Valley and industrial tideflats are among the lowest-lying and most flood-sensitive parts of the city.
This varied topography affects transit planning, housing patterns, drainage, views, and neighborhood identity. It also contributes to Seattle's large number of stair streets, retaining walls, bridges, and elevated park viewpoints.