Last updated 2026-08-29 · timing figures measured from US
Army Corps of Engineers lockage records by LockPush
How long is the wait at the Ballard Locks right now?
The live forecast on the LockPush home page is the only measured answer — computed from the Corps' lockage records refreshed every 5 minutes, split by direction. No official live wait time exists.
How long does it take to get through the Ballard Locks?
Median 27 minutes arrival-to-clear (8-minute queue + 18-minute chamber), measured over 781 recreational lockages. Evenings run ~21 minutes; late mornings 40+. The lockage itself never beats ~11 minutes.
What's the best time to go through the Ballard Locks?
After 7 pm (median 20–22 min) or early morning. Avoid 9 am–3 pm (median 39–42), the ~11:24 and ~13:59 tour-boat priority windows, Friday evenings outbound, Sunday afternoons inbound, and holiday weekends.
Are the Ballard Locks open 24 hours?
Yes — vessel traffic runs 24/7 year-round, on demand, with no timetable. Exceptions are maintenance closures (the large lock typically closes ~2–3 weeks each November).
Do the Ballard Locks cost money or need a reservation?
No fee, no reservation, no permit, for any vessel. First-come, first-served within the federal priority order (emergency, government and scheduled passenger vessels, commercial, then recreational).
Which lock will my boat use — the big one or the small one?
The attendants decide, not you — be rigged for either. In practice nearly all recreational traffic uses the small lock (30×150 ft, floating wall, no line-tending); the large lock (80×825 ft) serves barge tows and overflow. Measured: ~91% of lockages show the small chamber's signature.
What lines and fenders do I need for the Ballard Locks?
Two 50-foot lines with spliced eyes (a federal requirement, 33 CFR 207.750) rigged bow and stern, and fenders on BOTH sides — you won't know your wall assignment until the loudspeaker tells you.
Can I take a kayak or paddleboard through the Ballard Locks?
Kayaks: yes, small lock only — raft up and hold the wall as directed. Jet skis: small lock only. Paddleboards: prohibited in both chambers per the locks' boater guidance.
What VHF channel do the Ballard Locks monitor?
Channel 13, staffed 24 hours, phone (206) 783-7000. Recreational boaters normally don't call — red/green lights and loudspeakers run the show.
Why did that boat go ahead of me at the locks?
Federal priority (33 CFR 207.750): government and scheduled passenger vessels first, then commercial, then recreational in arrival order. Commercial vessels also don't share the small lock with recreational boats — one ahead of you costs a full ~22-minute cycle.
Is the wait longer at low tide?
Not meaningfully. Measured across 1,173 lockages against NOAA's Seattle gauge: about 0.07 minutes of chamber time per foot of tide. Demand, not water height, drives your wait.
Is it busier on weekends?
Recreational traffic in summer is roughly flat across the week (26 lockage-groups/day). Commercial traffic halves on weekends. Holiday Mondays behave like weekends; Opening Day (first Saturday of May) is the busiest day of the year.
Who goes first when the Ballard Locks open?
Small lock: strictly first-come, first-served by arrival order — boaters track and respect who arrived when, regardless of position in the waiting area. Large lock: the biggest recreational boats load first to take the wall, and smaller boats raft alongside them — often easier for the small boat, which ties to a hull instead of tending wall lines.