Park, where kite flying and kayaking are popular. Next stop: University of Washington, but not before the orange Wall of Death (an art installation representing a motorcycle velodrome).
Circling around the U District (so named for the University of Washington) and retail area at mile 7 will put you on a secluded path of maples, dogwoods, and occasional firs. You’ll then pass above the waterfront Magnuson Park at Northeast 70th Street, a former naval station next to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration. At mile 13, a bridge crosses Sand Point Way Northeast. To your right lies Seattle’s largest freshwater swimming beach, Matthews Beach Park.
Lakeside homes on tiny streets line the trail beyond. The city of Lake Forest Park welcomes you at mile 16, where you’ll pass a serpent fountain and a mural as you parallel Bothell Way Northeast/WA 522. Two lakefront parks provide a respite from this 3-mile commercial district. At Ballinger Way Northeast/WA 104, look toward the lake for the tiny Lyon Creek Waterfront Preserve. Tracy Owen Station, also known as Log Boom Park, is the last lakefront stop, offering restrooms, a water fountain, a play area, and history.
Leave the roadside at the north end of Lake Washington for the riverfront. At mile 20, you can head straight over a bridge into Blyth Park or fork left to continue onto the Sammamish River Trail. Buses will return you to Ballard, or you can continue to the east side of Lake Washington and onto Snoqualmie Valley or to the Columbia River.
CONTACT: seattle.gov/transportation/BGT.htm
DIRECTIONS
To reach Golden Gardens Park from I-5, take Exit 172 to N. 85th St., and head west 3.4 miles to 32nd Ave. NW. Turn right onto 32nd Ave. NW, and continue on Golden Gardens Dr. NW for 0.8 mile. Turn left onto Seaview Pl. NW, which meets Seaview Ave. NW and a parking lot in 0.2 mile. Disability parking is available.
To reach Blyth Park from I-405, take Exit 23 to WA 522 west toward Seattle. After 0.2 mile, bear right onto Kaysner Way. Turn left onto Main St. After 0.1 mile, turn left onto 102nd Ave. NE. When the road ends at 0.3 mile, turn right onto W. Riverside Dr. Blyth Park is 0.5 mile ahead.
3 Cascade Trail
County
Skagit
Endpoints
Polte Road at Coffman Ln. (Sedro-Woolley) to S. Dillard Ave. (Concrete)
Mileage
22.5
Roughness Index
2
Surface
Crushed Stone, Gravel
The 22.5-mile Cascade Trail—boasting 12 benches, 23 trestles, and two bridges made from repurposed railcars—follows the Skagit River as it parallels WA 20 into the Cascade foothills of northwest Washington (ending in Concrete). The trail, completed in 1999, claims its origins from the Great Northern Railway, which transported lumber and concrete during the 20th century. The mostly crushed-stone pathway runs through cultivated fields, open space, scattered woodlands, and river bottoms. The nearby river provides for some great fishing and nice river views, as well as scenic vistas of Sauk Mountain and other Cascade Range peaks.
You can start the trail in the outskirts of Sedro-Woolley at the Fruitdale Road intersection. A portable toilet is available at the trailhead. Here, you’ll have the option of heading west for less than 1 mile of paved trail or east for 22 miles of crushed rock. After you’ve passed mile 14 and Lusk Road, consider heading south approximately 1 mile to the 169-acre Rasar State Park, a beautiful location for fishing, camping, and eagle spotting.
A herd of beefalo cattle grazes in a pasture along the trail.
As you continue along the trail, note the beautiful backdrops of the region. Expect a couple detours; a little less than three-quarters of the way in, the trail diverts at Baker Lake Road onto a bridge walkway along WA 20, crosses Grandy Creek, and returns via Bird Dog Lane.
The trail ends at Concrete Senior Center (after passing concrete silos and crossing E Avenue). You’ll find restrooms and water here. Cross the historic Henry Thompson Bridge, one of the longest single-span cement bridges in the West when it was built, to rest at the riverside picnic tables at the Baker River Project and Visitor Center.
CONTACT: skagitcounty.net/Departments/ParksAndRecreation/parks/cascadetrail.htm
DIRECTIONS
To access the western end of the trail, take I-5 to Exit 232/Cook Road. Head east on Cook Road for 4.3 miles. Take a left onto WA 20/WA 9, and drive 2 miles to Fruitdale Road. Turn right to the trailhead; there is easy trail access for horse trailers here.
To reach the Concrete trailhead from I-5, follow Cook Road 4.3 miles west. Turn left onto WA 20/WA 9, and follow it 23.9 miles. Turn left (north) into town on Douglas Vose III Way, and immediately turn right onto Railroad Ave. to the Concrete Senior Center.
To reach the midpoint Birdsview trailhead from Cook Road, follow WA 20 for 17.3 miles, and turn left onto Baker Lake Road. Find horse trailer parking at all trailheads.
Parking is also available in Lyman and by Challenger Road, which parallels WA 20 for 2 miles in Concrete. Skagit Transit (SKAT) stops at four points near the trail, enabling users to access shorter stretches. Find the bus schedule at skagittransit.org/page-1412.html.
4 Cedar River Trail
County
King
Endpoints
