For many people in the Puget Sound region, the weekend means it’s time to hit the trails: exploring, adventuring, and basking in all the benefits forests and mountains provide (rain or shine!).
But a good trail is a lot closer than you think; in fact, a few are just a short jaunt from the boop of an ORCA card reader.
So slip your ORCA card in your pocket, lace up your shoes, and let’s hit the trail.
Here are five routes for running or hiking that start and end at Link 1 Line stations in Seattle.
Safety note
Before you hit the trail, three safety reminders:
- Follow our tips for being safe around train tracks: look both ways, take crosswalks, remove your headphones and put your phone away, and stay behind the yellow line.
- Practice good pedestrian habits to stay safe around cars between the station and the trail, too.
- Weather conditions can create muddy and slippery trails, so you should dress and wear shoes appropriate for the day, or try the trail on a nicer day.
Ravenna Park and Cowen Park (Roosevelt Station)
4.6 miles
Drop yourself into the peaceful Ravenna Park Ravine, a mere three blocks away from Roosevelt Station. You’ll enter at the attached-Cowen Park, passing through grassy play areas before descending into the ravine.
There are lots of highlights to these multi-tiered trails once you’ve arrived: the towering Ravenna Park Bridge above you, the short stretches of wooden steps and bridges, and the ability to see your fellow runners, walkers and cyclists pass by on the trails above and below you.
Fun fact: Ravenna Park and public transit have a long history together: the park was once a streetcar destination in the 1890s.
Volunteer Park and Interlaken Park (Capitol Hill Station to UW Station)
5.44 miles
You might be smack dab in the middle of a big city, but this route shows why a green oasis is always within reach
Seattle’s park system is one-of-a-kind, and here you’ll get to see three parks in a matter of miles, starting with Volunteer Park on the north side of Capitol Hill. You’ll wind through the trails of Interlaken Park, skirt along Washington Park Arboretum and end at UW Station
Washington Park Arboretum (UW Station)
3.9 miles
If you’re a tree- and plant-lover, then this is bound to be your favorite route every spring, with flowering dogwoods and cherries, plus hundreds of rhododendrons.
Your route starts at the University of Washington, crosses Montlake Cut and winds through the trails and bridges of Foster Island. Make sure you incorporate Azalea Way into your run for springtime blooms.
Take care when accessing the Arboretum from the Foster Island area, which can become overly swampy after Seattle’s heavy rains.
Colman Park and Lake Washington (Mount Baker Station to Columbia City Station)
5.27 miles
Let’s head for beautiful South Seattle!
Starting at Mount Baker Station, follow idyllic tree-lined Mount Baker Boulevard to the slopes of Colman Park, and then find the dirt path along the water of Lake Washington to head south for Columbia City.
It’s not just the views of this route that you’ll enjoy, but the sounds, like the water of Lake Washington lapping against the shore next to the trail or the chirping birds in Colman and Mount Baker parks.
Once Seward Park starts to come into full view, you’ll abandon ship. Cut through Genesee Park and Playfield to head toward Columbia City Station. Time it right and you can grab a post-trail snack at the Columbia City Farmers Market, or a cup of joe at one of Columbia City’s many bakeries and coffee shops.
Seward Park (Columbia City Station)
9.5 miles
Enjoy some of Seattle’s oldest-growth forest at this peninsular park east of Columbia City Station.
You can either stick to the 2.4-mile path around the peninsula or take some twisty-turny trails through the middle of the park.
Before and after the park, stick to the Lake Washington path to keep your route light on car traffic, or adjust your route to make for a shorter run/hike by winding your way through Columbia City’s neighborhoods.
Did we miss your favorite spot? Tag us @SoundTransit on social media and let us know!