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Print Friendly MapThe main segment of the Interurban Trail (South) follows a former trolley line 16.1 miles on a mostly straight and flat trajectory through several towns south of Seattle, providing a route for commuting and recreation east of the I-5 corridor. In addition, two shorter trail segments that total 3.7 miles allow space for outdoor pursuits on a ridge near Tacoma.
The Interurban Trail South follows the route of the Puget Sound Electric Railway, which ran between Seattle and Tacoma from 1902 until 1928 when it was shut down due to competition from cars and trucks. With links to several trails in King and Pierce Counties, the trail plays a role in the Leafline Trail Network, which will connect more than 900 miles of trail in the central Puget Sound region. Public restrooms and drinking fountains are scarce along the route, and shade is mostly nonexistent under the power lines.
Segment 1
Starting in the north, plenty of parking is available at a soccer facility next to Fort Dent Park in Tukwila, an area inhabited for centuries by the Duwamish Tribe, Indigenous people related to the Coast Salish of the Pacific Northwest.
At the south end of the parking lot, follow a sign marked River Trail to cross a small bridge; then find the Interurban Trail beginning at a junction with the Green River Trail (see page 173) in less than a mile. Take a left, follow the trail around an amusement park, pass under I-405, and then begin an 11-mile stretch of straight trail marked by a line of tall utility towers marching south to the horizon.
While the first few miles pass through congested commercial and light industrial areas, the trail is screened from surrounding warehouses by ditches where wildflowers, bushes, and grasses proliferate. Songbirds are drawn to these marshy areas, and trail users will hear their calls and see them flitting across the trail.
In 7.2 miles, the trail crosses the southern end of the Green River Trail at Foster Park in Kent. Trail users can use it to make a tidy 20-mile loop back to the soccer complex. Continuing south, the Interurban passes through a sprawling rail yard where trains are staged for passage to the Seattle and Tacoma harbors. The trail intersects a couple of rail crossings, which can be blocked by trains. The surroundings then take on a more agricultural nature for a few miles. Three miles past Foster Park, the Emerald Downs thoroughbred racetrack comes into view.
Commercial and residential development borders the trail in another mile. an find a giant outlet mall with fast-food restaurants on the right as the trail heads south through Auburn, and there are two cafés and a small grocer at the First Avenue North Trailhead in Algona. This trail segment ends in 2.2 miles on Stewart Road Southeast in Pacific, after passing three parks with war memorials.
Segments 2 & 3
Two separate Interurban Trail segments follow the old corridor over the ridge toward Tacoma in the west. The Jovita Station Trailhead in Edgewood features a historic railway display, followed by a 0.8-mile segment of trail. Farther west, a 2.9-mile section lying partly in the Puyallup Indian Reservation runs through a forested canyon. Planning is underway to connect these two segments.
Long-range plans call for connecting the Interurban Trail to the Foothills Trail in Pierce County via the Sumner Link Trail and the Puyallup Riverwalk Trail. Another trail project will connect the Interurban to the Tacoma waterfront by 2029.
The Interurban Trail South runs between the Green River Trail (Tukwila) and S 380th St. (Fife):
Parking is available at:
Please see TrailLink Map for all parking options and detailed directions.
We tried to start the trail where it starts off Stewart Ave but found no place to park without risk of towing. So we hopped on at county line rd where there was a small parking area near a duck pond. Most the trail was pretty smooth and straight but some areas bumpy. We chose to merge onto the green river trail and ran into to some of leash dogs but had no incidents. So no bathrooms along the trail that we could see but some restaurants you could stop at if needed. Would be nice if they could link to the Sumner link trail, close but no safe bridge to ride.
Nice ride, but I probably won’t ride this trail again though. I started at the Showare Center in Kent. There were a lot of homeless camps scattered throughout the trail in Kent, and I got sideways looks from a few people sitting on chairs posted outside of their encampments. None of them seemed like they were gonna start something, just made me feel a bit uncomfortable.
its well maintained, straight, flat and the scenery is interesting. and you actually feel like you’re going somewhere.
I like this trail a lot. Not too congested and kept up fairly well. My only warning is a specific raised railroad crossing that was bumpy enough to knock my bike chain loose. I’ll be returning as the weather keep getting nicer.
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