King County, Washington

The Regional Trails System (RTS) in King County is one of the nation's most extensive multiuse networks, with more than 300 miles of trails for active recreation and nonmotorized commuting.

The expanding network includes celebrated pathways such as the 18.8-mile Burke-Gilman Trail from Seattle to Bothell and the 11-mile, developing East Lake Sammamish Trail from Redmond to Issaquah, both of which are part of the in-progress, 44-mile “Locks to Lakes Corridor,” allowing travel from the Puget Sound to the foothills of the Cascade Mountains on uninterrupted, nonmotorized trails. The 31-mile Snoqualmie Valley Trail provides stunning views of farms and mountains and crosses the hundred-foot-high Tokul Trestle.

The RTS currently connects communities from Bothell to Auburn, and Seattle to the Cascades. As the RTS continues to grow, with an overall vision of 500 miles of trails connecting 50 cities and three counties, it will become the centerpiece for trail-oriented development and a major recreation and transportation corridor for millions of visitors and residents alike.

Current projects—including an expansion of the 21-mile Foothills Trail linking King and Pierce counties, and completion of the East Lake Sammamish Trail from Puget Sound to the Cascade Foothills—will create new walking and biking connections, and help the county achieve its goal of creating a regional trail system for all ages and abilities that connects communities, inspires healthy living and supports a more sustainable and equitable future.

Featured Article

Seattle’s Heart Line: Burke-Gilman Trail

Rails to Trails Magazine, Spring/Summer 2014

Learn how the 18.8-mile Burke-Gilman Trail—already a popular active transportation and recreation corridor for hundreds of thousands of Seattle residents and visitors—was transformed into a next-generation trail facility.

By Karl Wirsing

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