By mike_ballard in August, 2009
I took this trail recently end to end. I found the trail to be in decent shape, sometimes lacking in signage. Intersections were sometimes really odd, and finding the next section was not always apparent. Still, even with the discontinuity, it still made a rush hour trip from Everett to Seattle very easy.
By David in February, 2006
"I rode (what I think is) the entire route between N 145th Street (the southern trailhead in Shoreline) & Alderwood Mall Parkway (a total distance of about 12 miles) this past weekend. The trail is still being built, with construction of a trail bridge over Aurora Avenue at N 155th Street currently going on, but the portions which are ready are smooth & easy. As of 02/2006, there are three portions that are complete:
(1) N 145th Street to N 155th Street
(2) N 158th Street (or close to it) to N 175th Street
(3) N 192nd Street to the Aurora Village Transit Center
In between you’ll need to ride on local streets which fortunately have decent bike lanes or shoulders (except Ashworth Avenue). My advice is that you look at the map provided at the trailhead for clear images of where you need to turn, although in Shoreline there are a decent number of signs which tell you this. The most scenic portion is traveling along the eastern edge of Echo Lake (portion #3).
After the transit center, you’ll need to rely on local streets all the way to 228th Street in Edmonds & will then need to make a right if you’re coming from the south to rejoin the trail. There are no signs in Edmonds telling you where to turn off 76th Avenue (Mountlake Terrace does a way better job of this). There is a slightly steep hill around the Shoreline/Edmonds city line. Once you do find the paved portions (near 228th Street & 73rd Place), it’s a mostly flat ride to Alderwood Mall (although the trail is not continuous; don’t worry, you won’t get lost in Mountlake Terrace). The northern portion isn’t very scenic, but it is fast & I take this route to go from Greenwood to Alderwood. You can easily see Mt. Rainier on the section over 196th Street (right next to I-5) on a clear day as I did.
If you don’t mind discontinuity, this trail is decent.
"