Cycling Seattle's Burke-Gilman Trail
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
In Seattle Nature & Outdoors
24 January 2011 | By Ellee Thalheimer, Lonely Planet
Seattle's Burke-Gilman Trail
Cycle Seattle's Burke-Gilman Trail, which runs from Ballard to Redmond.
(Lawrence Worcester/LPI)
Cycling the Burke-Gilman Trail is a whole hog experience of Seattle, not just a
shank. For one, it is an excellent way to savour sea-bound, lake-dappled
Seattle and its luscious parks. But more than just that, cyclists get to pulse
with the city's traffic. As they roll through the city, they whiff the
evergreen trees, fish-tainted salty air, or whatever is sizzling in the
neighbourhood cafe's skillet. In the thick of things, they rub elbows with
other people venturing on the same street corners, benches, parks and trails.
* Related article: Cycling Washington, DC
Though the popularity of cycling has ebbed and flowed over the last century,
Seattle's outdoor aficionados - who tend to be health conscious and
environmentally-minded - have always held their bicycles dear. Over the last
five years in particular, cycling has blossomed due to the city's
implementation of the 2006 Bicycle Master Plan, a ten-year funded strategy to
improve cycling conditions. As a result, bicycle lanes, sharrows (street arrows
indicating a shared road), separated bike trails like the Burke-Gilman and
educational programs have popped up citywide. Plus, ridership has skyrocketed.
"Never think you'll be alone out there cycling," advises Chuck Ayers, executive
director of a powerful advocacy organization called the Cascade Bicycle Club.
"There are always people out on bikes. It's a bike-friendly city."
On the Burke-Gilman Trail, you will see a melange of biker species that
comprise Seattle's teeming cycling community: competitive roadies suctioned
head-to-toe in matching lycra, lay-cyclists out for the views, aloof bike
messengers pierced in double-take places, downtown commuters bedazzled with
blinky lights and reflectors, students getting somewhere fast and cheaply,
weekend warrior dads working off the muffin-top, vegan earth-lovers determined
to live sustainably and any mix thereof.
The Burke-Gilman Trail
The glitzy superstar of Seattle bike infrastructure is the Burke-Gilman Trail
(www.burkegilmantrail.org), commonly referred to as "the Burke." Its paved,
27-miles (43 km) of multi-use recreational trail are part of the King County
Regional Trail System, and it is the darling of Seattle's commuters,
recreationalists and athletes. Since 1978, when the trail opened, the
Burke-Gilman has been the spine of cycling infrastructure, inspiring people to
hop on bikes and bolstering nearby businesses and real estate. In 2009, a
connector trail through Marymoor Park was completed which means that riders can
cruise about 40 miles (64 km) of uninterrupted bike path.
Novices love the path because it is easily accessible, undemanding physically
and totally separated from car traffic. Users follow trail etiquette, and folks
are known to amble along instead of race on their bikes.
The Burke-Gilman Trail follows the relatively flat terrain of an abandoned spur
line of the Burlington Northern Railroad. The path starts at 11th Avenue NW and
passes the bustling University District, intriguing water's edge residential
architecture and lovely parks like Gasworks, Matthews Beach and Magnuson. At
its most delightful, it weaves along wooded shoreline of Lake Washington with
views of snow-capped mountains crowding the horizon.
Rent a bike, hit the trail, drink some beer
Those wanting to check out the trail can rent bikes (and even accompanying
kiddie trailers) at a number of locations in the city. Convenient to the Burke
in the University District, Recycled Cycles (1007 NE Boat St; 206-547-4491;
www.recycledcycles.com) has a variety of rental choices.
For a superior bike outing on the Burke, beer-bent locals adore the
quintessential out and back ride to the Redhook Brewery (14300 NE 145th Street,
Woodinville, WA; 425-483-3232; www.redhook.com). This ride fuses important
elements of what Seattle loves best: exercise, pristine outdoors and a frosty
mug of local beer at the end. Using both the Burke and the Sammamish River
Trail, the route is 17 miles from the University District one way. If piquant
local wine tempts more than brew, the neighbouring winery Chateau Ste. Michelle
(14111 NE 145th Street, Woodinville, WA; 425-415-3300; www.ste-michelle.com)
gives tours and tastings.
If the plan is to experience the Pacific Northwest, you might as well go for it
full-force. Join in with the cycle-happy rabble. Grab the helmet, a rain jacket
just in case and mount up.
Other resources
Cascade Bicycle Club (www.blog.cascade.org): A local non-profit bike advocacy
group whose site contains tons of information (group rides, maps, etiquette,
events, etc) about cycling in Seattle.
City of Seattle (www.seattle.gov/transportation/bikeprogram): Their
transportation site provides information on Seattle's entire bike
infrastructure. From the site, you can order free bike maps, which are known
to be the best maps for cars, pedestrians, and bikers alike.
© 2010 Lonely Planet. All rights reserved. The article `Cycling Seattle's
Burke-Gilman Trail' was published in partnership with Lonely Planet.
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