The Semiahmoo Parkway Trail blends the beauty of the Pacific Northwest's famous landscapes in one trip. The trail begins in the wooded Semiahmoo uplands and descends to Drayton Harbor and the Semiahmoo Marina. Small connector paths feed into the trail from the gated communities and golf course nestled among the trees. The mix of evergreens and deciduous trees cast a speckled shadows on the path, keeping it cool and giving a feeling of pleasant stillness, despite the presence of the adjacent road.
The path inclines upwards gently but as you near the peninsula, it begins to slope downwards more sharply. Soon, the screen of conifers gives way to sweeping views of the Semiahmoo Spit and and the sea below, with snow-capped mountains ranges visible in the distance.
A signpost welcomes you into Semiahmoo Park, which stretches the length of the narrow strip of land between Drayton Bay and Semiahmoo Bay known as the Semiahmoo Spit. Benches invite trail users to pause and take in the display. Near the north end of the spit is another park shelter, as well as clusters of high-end waterfront homes. The trail continues to the end of the parkway at the marina, concluding the 3.5 mile trip from end-to-end.
The Semiahmoo Parkway Trail is part of the developing Coast Millenium Trail, which will one day travel the length of Whatcom County's coastline from the Canadian border south on a combination of on- and off-street facilities.
Parking is available at Semiahmoo Park, located at 9261 Semiahmoo Parkway, Blaine, WA. There is additional parking at the north end of the Semiahmoo Spit, as well as a shelter and viewing point.
We started our ride from the Birch Bay State Park and headed north around the Semiahmoo area on Birch Point Road, Which connects to this trail right before it goes out onto the spit. We tried biking down the trail and back up the hill from the spit and found it very difficult with all the tree roots that have made the path very uneven and unsafe, when traveling at any speed. It’s a beautiful walking trail, but not so great for biking.
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