The Burke-Gilman Trail is excellent and was important in creating the concept of Rails to Trails. The trail is all good but could be better in spots. The trail is missing a section between Ballard and the UW. Don’t expect to find a parking space in Ballard. Between UW and Bothell, the trail is very good except that in many places the bumps (from roots) and cracks in the pavement are excessive. In Bothell, the Burke-Gilman transitions directly into the Sammamish River Trail, which goes to Woodinville and Redmond. One of the most convenient parking areas for the Burke-Gilman Trail is actually the Wilmot Gateway Park on the Sammamish River Trail. One wish (besides fixing bumps) is that there was a convenient place to charge ebikes on the trail.

I rode the entire trail, up and back. The surface of the trail is nearly all in excellent shape. The grades are mild and none are very long. The street crossings in Snohomish are mostly very easy. Further up, in Arlington, the street crossings are not quite as safe. The trail has plenty of places to stop and restrooms at key locations. The trail passes through some very pretty forest and farm country. There are markets and coffee shops in two or three places. There are several excellent places for a lunch stop. I spotted eagles twice. To avoid the traffic on the Snohomish end, consider parking at Machias Road access (Three Lakes exit from Highway 2). Going up and back from Machias or Pilchuck parking areas gives approximately 50 miles up and back instead of 61.

Beautiful ride.

Best Trail ever

I ride this trail daily on my bike from Redmond to Bothell and enjoy the scenery no matter rain or shine. People along the trail are very considerate and friendly giving way and providing help when needed. The maintenance teams blow the leaves off the trail early in the morning and keep the bathrooms clean. This is a great trail to enjoy miles of pavement without any cars.

Started at the Red Lion Hotel in Port Angeles and went five miles towards Sequim. Picturesque and fair maintenance I’d say. This trail could be a gem with a little TLC. Going the other direction towards Ediz Hook is through an industrial area without much visual interest.

I recently completed the entire trail, with just a few deviations. For starters, take the bus from Four Corners outside Port Townsend to Discovery Bay (about 6 miles). This avoids a narrow busy section with no shoulders. I also took a loop past Tounge Point and Crescent Bay to get off of highway 112 sooner. Finally, I went to Rialto Beach instead of La Push because the reservation is closed due to covid.

Most of the route is on nicely paved asphalt trails. I camped at Squim Bay Stte park, Fairholme and Mora cpamgrounds in Olympic NP. At Squim Bay, reserve the bike in site, as it is much cheaper than a regular campsite. The best section is past Lake Crescent, one of the most beautiful lakes in the country. Fairholme campground does not have an obvious route connecting to the trail. You need to get off the trail several miles before and take the gravel road closer to the lake.

There is about 10 miles on highway 101 that's not great, and a shorter stretch on highway 112, but the rest of the route is great. There is bus service from Forks all the way back to Port Townsend for 3 bucks.

This trail now connects to the Centennial Trail right where SR-9 passes over. It goes up the hill in a very nicely landscaped woods, then along a future subdivision before it turns to run along 84th street for a short distance. I think this trail is better for walking than biking because of all the little hills and street crossings, but it has some nice views and is a great way for people in nearby houses to get to the longer Centennial trail. There are a number of park benches and waste cans for dog poop, so I imagine it’s a good dog walking spot too

August 16, 2021 we rode the Spruce Railroad Trail up and back 21 miles. The beautiful views of Crescent Lake as we rode along the forested paved bike path were spectacular. The weather was a perfect 60 degrees with clear skies. About half the trail goes through gorgeous forest land quite high above the lake where the lake is not visible. A portion of the trail is almost at lake level. Be sure to stop at the Punchbowl and walk a short distance to the bridge. The northeast end of the trail has a nice parking lot. The trail is well maintained. There were quite a few walkers and bikers all enjoying time on the trail. Looking forward to riding this trail again. We also rode a short trail that ended at the double decker bridge and Elwah River--very pretty.