Find the top rated bike trails in Olympia, whether you're looking for an easy short bike trail or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a bike trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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Sumner Link Trail provides an important connection between the Interurban Trail and the Puyallup Riverwalk Trail. Along the way, the trail follows the White River, offering views of the water,...
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The Cedar River Trail follows the old Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad corridor on a straight, flat shot out of the sprawling Seattle metro area and into the rural...
Tacoma's Prairie Line Trail follows the former Northern Pacific Railroad that was established here in 1873. Tacoma was the terminus of the rail line that stretched all the way to the Great...
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Elliott Bay offers trail users the opportunity to enjoy art, history, and a wide variety of outdoor activities in a beautiful waterfront setting. Myrtle Edwards Park is adjacent to the Olympic...
Gig Harbor's Cushman Trail is a paved, non-motorized route for pedestrian and bike use. The trail shares much of its corridor with overhead Tacoma Power electric lines. Along the way, trail users will...
Seattle's Cheshiahud Lake Union Loop offers scenic views of Lake Union, as well as access to parks, neighborhoods, and downtown shops and restaurants. A good place to begin your journey is at Lake...
The scenic Soundview Trail runs along and through the Chambers Bay public golf course—site of the U.S. Open in 2015—within Pierce County's Chambers Creek Regional Park. The 2-mile trail links at both...
The West Campus Trail provides access from the BPA Trail to Federal Way's West Campus medical centers. The short trail also offers the many surrounding neighborhoods a safe off-street connection to...
The Foothills Trail is a 30-mile collection of six unconnected segments of the old Burlington Northern Railway that served the farming, coal-mining, and logging economies near the base of Mount...
The Chehalis Western Trail follows the route of a Weyerhaeuser Timber Co. railroad by the same name that carried millions of logs out of Washington forests to the coast for shipment from the 1920s to...
Scenic and interesting are uncommon terms used to describe a trail alongside a busy freeway, but the I-90 Trail in Washington is different. The trail begins in the west in Seattle and runs for 10...
The Chief Sealth Trail runs north–south along Seattle's southeast side between S. Ferdinand Street at Beacon Avenue S. and S. Gazelle Street at 51st Avenue S. The paved trail provides access to...
The Thea Foss Waterway Esplanade begins at Thea's Park along Tacoma's eastern waterfront. The park offers access to the water for fishing, swimming, boating, and wildlife viewing (harbor seals and sea...
The Soos Creek Trail travels through heavily wooded forest on a north-south route spanning the eastern edge of the Seattle suburb of Kent. Following the path of its namesake creek, the trail begins...
The Sylvia Creek Forestry Trail is located in Lake Sylvia State Park north of Montesano on Washington's Olympic Peninsula. The interpretive trail winds through the deep forest and alongside scenic...
The Des Moines Creek Trail offers a nice connection between the south side of Seattle and the waterfront community of Des Moines on Puget Sound. The paved trail begins just south of the Seattle-Tacoma...
Meandering down a Bonneville Power Administration overhead electric utility corridor, the BPA Trail serves as a connector between Celebration Park and the downtown areas of Federal Way with its...
The Puyallup Riverwalk Trail traces the tree-lined shoreline in northern Puyallup, a few miles southeast of Tacoma. The paved pathway consists of two completed segments with about a mile of...
An adventure awaits those who tackle all, or part, of the 56-mile-long Willapa Hills Trail in southwestern Washington. The former Northern Pacific Railway line rolls through remote farm and forestland...
Across the waterway from its big brother (the Burke-Gilman Trail), the Ship Canal Trail runs along the southern edge of the Lake Washington Ship Canal near Seattle Pacific University. The trail links...
The Chehalis Riverfront Walkway provides a scenic route from the south side of Aberdeen to the sprawling Bishop Athletic Complex along an abandoned Burlington Northern railroad grade and levee. The...
The West Campus Trail provides access from the BPA Trail to Federal Way's West Campus medical centers. The short trail also offers the many surrounding neighborhoods a safe off-street connection to...
Running north to south along the industrial Duwamish Waterway, the 3-mile Duwamish Trail is an important connector in southwest Seattle. Beginning a half mile south of the Alki Trail, the Duwamish...
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The Interurban Trail (South) connects several towns south of Seattle along the historic route of the Puget Sound Electric Railway. The trolley ran between Tacoma and Seattle from 1902 to 1928, falling...
Gig Harbor's Cushman Trail is a paved, non-motorized route for pedestrian and bike use. The trail shares much of its corridor with overhead Tacoma Power electric lines. Along the way, trail users will...
The Alki Trail rides along the northern and eastern shore of West Seattle along Alki Avenue. Largely riding on a widened sidewalk, separated from traffic by a parking lane and curb, traffic on the...
Across the waterway from its big brother (the Burke-Gilman Trail), the Ship Canal Trail runs along the southern edge of the Lake Washington Ship Canal near Seattle Pacific University. The trail links...
The Chehalis Western Trail follows the route of a Weyerhaeuser Timber Co. railroad by the same name that carried millions of logs out of Washington forests to the coast for shipment from the 1920s to...
The Puyallup Riverwalk Trail traces the tree-lined shoreline in northern Puyallup, a few miles southeast of Tacoma. The paved pathway consists of two completed segments with about a mile of...
The delightful Ruston Way Path sits in the Old Town neighborhood of northern Tacoma. Its linear, flat and paved nature make it a cinch for all travelers and it offers lovely views of Commencement Bay,...
Sumner Link Trail provides an important connection between the Interurban Trail and the Puyallup Riverwalk Trail. Along the way, the trail follows the White River, offering views of the water,...
Scenic and interesting are uncommon terms used to describe a trail alongside a busy freeway, but the I-90 Trail in Washington is different. The trail begins in the west in Seattle and runs for 10...
Seattle's Cheshiahud Lake Union Loop offers scenic views of Lake Union, as well as access to parks, neighborhoods, and downtown shops and restaurants. A good place to begin your journey is at Lake...
The Des Moines Creek Trail offers a nice connection between the south side of Seattle and the waterfront community of Des Moines on Puget Sound. The paved trail begins just south of the Seattle-Tacoma...
The Cedar River Trail follows the old Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad corridor on a straight, flat shot out of the sprawling Seattle metro area and into the rural...
The Thea Foss Waterway Esplanade begins at Thea's Park along Tacoma's eastern waterfront. The park offers access to the water for fishing, swimming, boating, and wildlife viewing (harbor seals and sea...
The Chief Sealth Trail runs north–south along Seattle's southeast side between S. Ferdinand Street at Beacon Avenue S. and S. Gazelle Street at 51st Avenue S. The paved trail provides access to...
The Soos Creek Trail travels through heavily wooded forest on a north-south route spanning the eastern edge of the Seattle suburb of Kent. Following the path of its namesake creek, the trail begins...
Tacoma's Prairie Line Trail follows the former Northern Pacific Railroad that was established here in 1873. Tacoma was the terminus of the rail line that stretched all the way to the Great...
The Sylvia Creek Forestry Trail is located in Lake Sylvia State Park north of Montesano on Washington's Olympic Peninsula. The interpretive trail winds through the deep forest and alongside scenic...
The Soos Creek Trail travels through heavily wooded forest on a north-south route spanning the eastern edge of the Seattle suburb of Kent. Following the path of its namesake creek, the trail begins...
Meandering down a Bonneville Power Administration overhead electric utility corridor, the BPA Trail serves as a connector between Celebration Park and the downtown areas of Federal Way with its...
The Interurban Trail (South) connects several towns south of Seattle along the historic route of the Puget Sound Electric Railway. The trolley ran between Tacoma and Seattle from 1902 to 1928, falling...
The Puyallup Riverwalk Trail traces the tree-lined shoreline in northern Puyallup, a few miles southeast of Tacoma. The paved pathway consists of two completed segments with about a mile of...
The Cedar River Trail follows the old Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad corridor on a straight, flat shot out of the sprawling Seattle metro area and into the rural...
The Green River Trail currently stretches nearly 20 miles through the industrial heart of the Green River Valley from the southern suburbs of Seattle to Kent, connecting to a number of neighborhoods...
Gig Harbor's Cushman Trail is a paved, non-motorized route for pedestrian and bike use. The trail shares much of its corridor with overhead Tacoma Power electric lines. Along the way, trail users will...
The scenic Soundview Trail runs along and through the Chambers Bay public golf course—site of the U.S. Open in 2015—within Pierce County's Chambers Creek Regional Park. The 2-mile trail links at both...
The West Campus Trail provides access from the BPA Trail to Federal Way's West Campus medical centers. The short trail also offers the many surrounding neighborhoods a safe off-street connection to...
The delightful Ruston Way Path sits in the Old Town neighborhood of northern Tacoma. Its linear, flat and paved nature make it a cinch for all travelers and it offers lovely views of Commencement Bay,...
Running north to south along the industrial Duwamish Waterway, the 3-mile Duwamish Trail is an important connector in southwest Seattle. Beginning a half mile south of the Alki Trail, the Duwamish...
The Chehalis Riverfront Walkway provides a scenic route from the south side of Aberdeen to the sprawling Bishop Athletic Complex along an abandoned Burlington Northern railroad grade and levee. The...
Sumner Link Trail provides an important connection between the Interurban Trail and the Puyallup Riverwalk Trail. Along the way, the trail follows the White River, offering views of the water,...
The Scott Pierson Trail runs parallel to State Route 16 for most of its journey from 25th Street in Tacoma to 24th Street on the southern edge of Gig Harbor. The 5-mile trail is a safe and convenient...
The Grandview Trail runs in a straight line for more than a mile on the eastern edge of Pierce County's Chambers Creek Regional Park. The trail appropriately never strays too far from Grandview...
An adventure awaits those who tackle all, or part, of the 56-mile-long Willapa Hills Trail in southwestern Washington. The former Northern Pacific Railway line rolls through remote farm and forestland...
Commuters move between the cities of Olympia and Lacey along a former Burlington Northern corridor now known as the Woodland Trail. The Chehalis Western Trail runs north and south from the midpoint of...
The Burke-Gilman Trail is as much a thoroughfare for commuting to work and the University of Washington as it is a staple for social recreation and fitness. Built in the 1970s, the trail was among the...
Seattle's Cheshiahud Lake Union Loop offers scenic views of Lake Union, as well as access to parks, neighborhoods, and downtown shops and restaurants. A good place to begin your journey is at Lake...
This short community rail-trail connects the cities of Aberdeen and Cosmopolis through some original wetland areas. The trail also leads directly to the large sports complex at Pioneer Park, while...
The first part of the trail was in great shape with well maintained bridges and nicely compacted gravel. Our gravel bikes handled the conditions nicely. Things changed dramatically once we passed Pe Ell, starting with the 1st of 3 ancient railroad bridges. There was no signage to warn cyclists that the bridges are not rideable & barely walkable, so I was on the first bridge before realizing its poor condition. I had no choice but to continue. It was terrifying! WALK your bike CAREFULLY across these bridges. Just west of Lebam, the trail suddenly appeared closed, with no signage to indicate a detour. Luckily a resident saw our puzzled faces and directed us to stay right on Robertson Rd and look for an unsigned path leading down to the left about a half a mile from the closure. After that, sections of the trail were so overgrown with grass and blackberries that it was difficult to see obstacles and we had to proceed slowly. Once we got past Frances, the conditions improved and we made it to Raymond, sore and tired.
After a great night's sleep in the Pitchwood Inn, we rode back to Chehalis, opting to bypass the middle section of the trail by taking Mill Creek Rd/Elk Creek Rd before rejoining the trail in Doty. Be forewarned, Mill Creek Rd turns into a gravel logging road with a much steeper grade than the trail.
Better signage, bridge improvements and overall maintenance on the middle section would make for a more enjoyable ride on the Willapa Trail, but all in all, it was a great adventure!
This four-mile urban trail winds along the crest of Beacon Hill to the New Holly neighborhood. It takes in schools and small businesses and a variety of homes and is populated by friendly people who always greet me with a smile. Previous reviewers had criticized confusing intersections, I would characterize them as awkward or inconvenient as the trail is never out of sight—I was never unclear on where and how to proceed. I have walked this trail in the spring and fall and there has been beautiful flora, but I gotta admit, it’s just as dismal as the rest of the city in the winter. This is a wonderful neighborhood gem in tne south end.
I used the combination of Yelm-Tenino and Chehalis West trails last year to get ready for the Seattle to Portland ride. Start in Tenino and ride out to where the trail intersects with Chehalis then ride that trail to where the trail crosses South Bay road turn around there and you get around 50 miles of riding. Gas station on South Bay Rd is a good place to replenish water, etc. The weird little dirt part of the trail off of Rainier Road is the only issue. If you haven't ridden there before the trail drops down along Rainier Road for a couple of blocks then there is a sharp left onto this hard packed dirt part of the trail. Take it slow. It is pretty short and then the trail opens up to a very wide paved stretch. Great trail throughout. Quiet nice scenery and strategically placed facilities.
Really chill bike ride, out and back is a nice way to get the day going. Beautiful scenery with glimpses of Mt. Rainier every now and again. Lots of birds and fall color.
We rode the trail from Yelm to Tenino. My wife rode her 3 wheeled recumbant and I rode the Mt bike. The asphalt conditions were good and the tree root penetrations we read about were not bad at all. Our only negative encounter on the ride was the excessive amount of horse dung near the Yelm trail head. The trail is really flat and has a great amount of treed canopy. We stopped near a small lake and had lunch. We highly recommend this trail for all cyclists.
One of the best trails! I sometimes go on my own or with my family on Sundays. When you get to Kenmore stop at the 193 Brewery and grab a cold one. Cheers
I've ridden Foothills and Burke-Gillman trails since getting my bike, and they are primarily level mile after mile. Cushman was a different sort of bear. Though it wasn't a long trail, or exceedingly aggressive, It gave both the brakes (on my bike) and my legs a work out. It was a bit difficult to follow the trail, as a first-time user, as it jumps across some city blocks. Not the most scenic trail, but I'll go back for the exercise value.
Next to the golf course towards the end of the trail there was a makeshift tent with a sheet and scattered tin cans. It's shame now I cannot believe how this has trail has changed in 1 year!! At the very end where we turned around early we saw a homeless man walking in his jammies and bare feet looking at us like we were encroaching on his property. I will not use this trail again.
Rode round trip ride starting from Blythe Park in Bothel. Started out early morning on a Saturday so it wasn't crowded at all. The trail is well maintained. The trail passes by Lake Washington and the homes alongside the trails are a sight to see. Great spot for pictures and a pit stop at Gas Works Park.
The missing link portion is annoying. I failed to follow the directions listed on the description page for this trail and lost my way. I had to ask some riders for assistance to get back on the trail. Thank goodness for my fellow cyclists.
The only low point would be the one or two homeless people who've pitched their tents along the trail. Other than that the trail is popular and safe.
On a rare clear sunny day in Aberdeen Washington and this is a great walk! The trail is in good shape and is right along the bank of the Chehalis River. I would recommend walking with a friend, your dog and/or your favorite walking stick on this west end of the trail as there were some homeless people (I assume) around this area that were probably harmless. Still I didn't see any other walkers here at this end, just them (my reason for 4 stars instead of 5). Going further east and you come into the City of Aberdeen's crown jewel - Morrison Park with this trail right on the riverbank. Lots of people around here. Family's at the playground. There's a pier near here too with lots of benches to soak up both the sun and the outstanding river views. That's the old Weyerhauser export pier on the other side of the river where millions of board feet of Pacific Northwest grown and produced old growth timber was exported mainly to Japan. All that's left of that is what you now see. Anyway, if you're in the area and you like "river walks" the East Aberdeen Waterfront Walkway is worth your time. With plenty of free parking too. Especially on a rare clear and warm July summer day with a friend or two. Thumbs up on this one!!
I ride this trail (all of it or the eastern 2/3rds) to and from work, all year. Unfortunately the city/county does not maintain it. Currently (July 2017) most of the vegetation on the side of the trail is overgrown, in some instances significantly encroaching on the trail and dangerously reducing visibility. Additionally, there is much debris, glass and trash (mostly it appears to be related to several nearby homeless camps) scattered about, as well as quite a few discarded shopping carts from nearby supermarkets, target store, etc. Today I had to stop twice to move shopping carts off the train an onto the adjacent grassy area. Overall, it's a huge shame that the city/county department(s) responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of this important thoroughfare (one of the few protected trails in the City of Tacoma) is so blatantly lacking. It could be a great means of recreational / commuting cycling / walking / skating. But right now, it's a dirty, dangerous mess.
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