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Great American Rail-Trail In Washington

Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail near Kittitas Valley | Photo by Marilyn Hedges

Washington State’s history of trail development has resulted in some of the country’s most iconic and well-used trails, making it the ideal western terminus for the Great American Rail-Trail. The preferred route will begin at the Idaho–Washington border on the developing Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail, an epic rail-trail that travels in segments across most of the state, ending in Cedar Falls. From here, a variety of trails in King County carry the Great American Rail-Trail into the Seattle area, where the trail will ultimately continue west to the Pacific Ocean along the burgeoning Olympic Discovery Trail.

The “Great American” Route Through Washington

517.6

Total Miles

391.3

Existing Miles

126.3

Gap Miles

75.6%

Complete
Great American Rail-Trail Route Assessment 2024 Washington map
Great American Rail-Trail Route Assessment 2024 Washington map
Economic Potential of Washington graphic by RTC
Economic Potential of Washington graphic by RTC

Trails Along the Route

Click the links below to view full trail descriptions of Washington’s host trails on TrailLink.com.

Tap thumbnail to view photo gallery.

Gateway Trail

Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail along the Yakima River in Washington | Photo by Marilyn Hedges
Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail along the Yakima River in Washington | Photo by Marilyn Hedges

Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail

Spanning more than 200 miles across Washington, this pathway is one of the longest rail-trail conversions in the United States. Its eastern end begins at the Idaho border, about an hour south of Spokane, and from there the trail traverses rugged and pristine countryside as it makes its way to the Columbia River. West of the river, travelers will find dense forests, bridges with sweeping vistas and passage through a century-old tunnel at Snoqualmie Pass on a journey to trail’s end in the Cascade foothills, just 35 miles from downtown Seattle.

Route Reveal Celebration

Completing the Great American Rail-Trail: Catalyst Initiatives in Washington

In every state along the preferred route of the Great American, needs for completing the trail vary. To spur trail completion, RTC has identified initial catalyst initiatives—projects or challenges that would most benefit from RTC’s national breadth of resources. (View the complete list of catalyst initiatives and criteria here.) Through these initiatives, RTC will support local and state partners, investing time, expertise and organizational resources in specific projects that are critical to the ultimate completion of the Great American Rail-Trail.

Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail | Photo by TrailLink.com user biggerdawg
Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail | Photo by TrailLink.com user biggerdawg

Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail Funding

RTC will work with partners in Washington State to help secure the balance of funding for Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail projects in the 2019 Washington state budget, including the Beverly Bridge rehabilitation (Columbia River crossing on Old Milwaukee Road corridor), Malden to Rosalia upgrades (grading and resurfacing of 9-mile section plus trailhead creation) and the renovation of the Tekoa Trestle (decking, rail installation and minor structural repairs on 975-foot-long historic trestle).

Great American Rail-Trail branded map (2022) by RTC
Great American Rail-Trail branded map (2022) by RTC

Great American Rail-Trail Preferred Route

Be a Part of the Movement to Complete the Great American

Like you, we can’t wait to see the Great American Rail-Trail vision come to life—but we can’t do it alone. Help us reach 1 million pledges for the Great American, showing the strength and solidarity of the trails community.

Take Action
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