The Burke-Gilman Trail from Fremont to Sandpoint

Hike Length: 6 miles
Elevation Gain: minimal
Hike Difficulty: easy
Map: King County Bicycling Guidemap or Seattle street map
hike overview map


The Burke-Gilman Trail was the first “rails to trails” conversion in the Seattle area, where an old railway right-of-way was converted to a walking/biking path. Now this trail, along with many other newer “rails to trails” projects in the area, have become immensely popular for all manner of non-motorized travelers. Mere walkers may be intimidated by the many cyclists who use the trail, some of whom seem to be pretending they’re in the Tour de France. Yet the trail has much to offer for the dedicated walker. For an entertaining day’s walk, try hiking the section from Fremont to Magnuson Park. Along the way you can enjoy the eclectic shopping districts of Fremont and the University District, and the scenic vistas of Lake Union at Gasworks Park. Bus service is extensive throughout this section.

The railroad right-of-way that the Burke-Gilman Trail follows was a product of the battle for transportation dominance in the late 1800s. Two Seattle entrepreneurs, Thomas Burke and Daniel Gilman, had the bright idea to build a railroad from Seattle to Canada, which would hook up with the Canadian transcontinental line and thereby lock up the lucrative transportation market to the east coast. Various financiers agreed to the project, and in 1885 the Seattle, Lakeshore, and Eastern Railroad (S,L&E) was born. Subsequently, much of the railroad was built as envisioned, with lines leading to Issaquah and Sooke, but Burke and Gilman’s scheme never proved very profitable. The S,L, & E was eventually bought up by the same large railroad companies that Burke and Gilman originally had tried to outwit. Declining use of the railway led to its abandonment in the 1970s, and to its acquisition by King County for use as a recreational trail.

The Burke-Gilman trail, and its extension the Sammamish River Trail, now reaches all the way from Ballard to Redmond, a distance of over 20 miles. The trail is entirely paved, which can be tiring to walk on for long distances. However, much of the trail is bordered by a dirt or gravel path. Use this softer surface to walk on when you can. This also gets you out of the way of the Tour du France wannabes. Soon the trail may be extended further to Issaquah. In time it may be possible to walk across Washington state, from Seattle to Spokane on one continuous trail!
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Getting there:


From Downtown Seattle , catch the northbound M 28 bus and ride it to downtown Fremont, just past the point where the bus crosses the Fremont Bridge, at Fremont Ave and N 35th St [GPS N 47 deg 38 min 60 sec, W 122 deg 20 min 59 sec].

Service is good on weekends

The Hike:

Upon your arrival in Fremont, its worth exploring the eclectic mix of shops and restaurants lining Fremont Ave and adjacent streets. Once hippy-influenced Fremont has perhaps become a bit too gentrified for some, but ordinary tourists will enjoy what remains of the colorful atmosphere.

To get to the Burke-Gilman trail from downtown Fremont, head toward the brightly painted Fremont Ave Bridge spanning the Ship Canal. Cross Fremont Ave at the N 34th St. intersection, then walk down steps adjacent to the waterside office building complex. You’ll find the trail near the waterfront, underneath the looming span of the George Washington Bridge (or “Aurora Bridge”, as it’s commonly called).

The Aurora Bridge was built in 1932 to carry the traffic of old US 99 into Seattle, and serves as an impressive monument to the rise of the automobile era. The construction of the bridge and highway greatly sped auto traffic into Seattle, and quickly put and end to Seattle-Everett interurban railway service, which is now memorized by the “waiting for the interurban” sculpture next to the Fremont Ave and N 34th intersection. Check out the added decorations that local Fremonters have usually added to the sculpture.

From the office park, follow the trail east as it passes alongside still slightly gritty waterside boat yards and businesses. In a short mile, the trail approaches Gasworks Park on the waterfront of Lake Union. The park is worth visiting for one of the best views of downtown Seattle. The rusting, grafitti-splotched remnants of the gasworks still remain standing within the park, now serving as an avant-garde sculpture of monumental size.

The trail continues heading along the shore of Lake Union, passing more boat yards on the right, and trendy lakeview condominiums on the left. Two miles from Fremont, the trail passes beneath the gigantic Ship Canal Bridge carrying Interstate 5 traffic over the water, then enters the University District. After crossing University Ave, the trail reaches the University of Washington campus, and follows its southern boundary. The main shopping area in the University District, where there are a lot of cafes and shops geared toward students, is a bit of a walk north on University Ave. Toward the eastern edge of the campus, the trail veers north and follows a greenbelt alongside Montlake Boulevard. Husky Stadium, a popular football venue, looms on the far side of the boulevard.

A campus access road (Pend Oreille) crosses the trail near the 45th St. viaduct, a long three miles from Fremont. Here it’s possible to leave the trail, cross 25th St., and enter the upscale University Village Shopping Center at its SW corner, where cafes and coffee shops are available to provide sustenance. To get back on the trail, cross through the shopping center and leave the mall at its east entrance, near the parking garage. The trail crosses NE Blakely St just to the north of the mall’s east entrance.

If you choose to stay on the trail, keep following the path as it makes a long arc around the north side of the shopping center to NE Blakely St.

Beyond the shopping center, the Burke-Gilman trail takes on a more green, suburban flavor. The trail leaves the lowland vicinity of Portage Bay and makes an almost imperceptible climb to a low summit among the hills of the Laurelhurst neighborhood at the 5 mile point. A long section of the trail is cut into the hill, where it is wooded and quiet despite the proximity of busy Sandpoint Way. Beyond the summit, the trail starts an equally slow descent to the intersection of NE 65 St. .

Here is the recommended end of the Burke-Gilman hike. A sheltered bus stop is located at the intersection of Sandpoint Way and NE 65th St, just east of where the trail crosses NE 65th. If you've got the energy, you can head into Magnuson Park and enjoy quite a bit of wandering there

Union Bay Natural Area

A nice variation to the previously described hike is to head through the Union Bay Natural Area, located on the lake shore east of Husky Stadium. To do this hike, leave the Burke-Gilman Trail when you reach Husky Stadium. Cross Sandpoint Way and walk around the right (south) side of the stadium to the waterfront. There you will find the U.W. canoe house where the public is welcome to rent canoes, a fun activity. Continue walking along the waterfront behind the stadium, following any route (driveway or walking path) that keeps you close to the water on your right. You will pass another boat house, this one for the racing shell crews. East of a baseball field, a bridge will take you over a slough to a parking area and the start of trails leading into the pretty Union Bay Natural Area.

Wander about in the Natural Area (the shoreline trail is especially fine), then head east to the edge of the parkland on Mary Gates Boulevard. Go left and walk north to the major intersection at Sand Point Boulevard. A short walk east on Sand Point will lead you to an easy access point to the Burke-Gilman Trail. If you are tired, buses can be caught here also.

Further Along the Burke-Gilman Trail

Of course, you can keep walking along the Burke-Gilman if you want. From Magnuson Park to Lake Forest Park, a distance about about 5 miles, the trail travels through a tranquil suburban landscape. After passing Mathews Beach Park, the trail stays close to Lake Washington, but houses block access to the water for the entire distance. Steep hillsides overgrown with trees occasionally border the inland side of the trail, providing mini-wildernesses that offer a respite from suburbanity. There’s little in the way of services until Lake Forest Park, where there is a small shopping center close to the trail. Here, Bus M 372 on Lake City Way can return you back to the University District.

The four mile section of trail from Lake Forest Park to Bothell Landing is a mixed experience. The first mile of trail beyond Lake Forest Park is pleasant until it reaches Kenmore’s Tracy Owen Station, a park at the north end of Lake Washington. Then the trail parallels Bothell Way for two rather ugly, thoroughly strip-malled miles. The scenery improves again as the trail approaches Bothell. The trail passes through a tunnel underneath 96th Ave NE and reaches the banks of the Sammamish River at Blythe Park; shortly beyond is a split in the trail where you should go left. The trail crosses the river, travels through pretty riverside parkland before arriving at Bothell Landing. Here an arched bridge spans the river, providing access to a shopping center where hungry hikers can find provisions. Bus M 372 on Bothell Way can return you to Seattle.

From Bothell Landing to Downtown Redmond, a distance of ten miles, the trail closely follows the Sammamish River. Here the trail changes names and becomes the Sammamish River Trail. Just beyond Bothell Landing the trail reaches a major trailhead parking lot next to 102nd Av. NE; a flock of free-ranging chickens is often seen patrolling the trail in this area. A half mile later, the trail jumps to the north side of the river, then passes under the I-405 freeway and gradually turns southward. Two miles from Bothell, the trail reaches Woodinville’s Wilmot Gateway Park, with restrooms and a riverside lawn.

From here, the trail follows a continuous strip of parkland that protects the river’s banks all the way to Redmond. As you head south, office parks gradually give way to turf farms and farm fields. There’s little in the way of trees or shade much of the way, but with all the dark, dank forest trails in the Seattle area, the big sky country of the Sammamish Valley can be a welcome change.

Four miles from Bothell, the trail passes a park near 145th St.; across the river is a complex of buildings comprising the Redhook Brewery and Chateau St. Michelle winery. The trail continues on heading south through several more miles of riverside fields. Eventually, clusters of apartments appear near the trail, indicating your imminent arrival in Redmond. Near NE 85th St. the trail passes by the modernistic Redmond City Hall. You’ve come about 9 miles from Bothell at this point. You can find good bus service to many points along NE 85th St. and the nearby Park and Ride at 83rd St. and 161st Ave. The ST 540 bus heads for Seattle and ST 545 to the University District, by way of Kirkland.

From 85th St., the trail continues on for another pleasant riverside mile to its current end at Marymoor Park.


Getting Back

Assuming you stopped your hike as suggested at 65th St. NE (Magnuson Park), locate the bus stop on Sandpoint Way and 65th St. Take either the M 74 or M 75 bus to the University District at Campus Parkway.

To get to downtown Seattle, transfer to a M71, M 72, or M 73 bus 

Rev 10/18/07