Trail Running in Seattle

[olyclimber]

Where are the best places to run on dirt in Seattle. Sick of running around in tight circles at my local park, would prefer new scenery. I do like to go over and run at Discovery Park . Others?

[kix]

there is a park in my neighborhood (Bellevue) called Weowna Beach Park along lake sammamish.

 

It is Old Growth with roughly 2.5 miles of roller coaster redwood path in a figure 8. stream, waterfall, some views. beautiful right now.

 

maybe not close for you, but it is worthy to note.

enter off of 168th Ave SE. google it.

easy access off I90.

 

p.s. running is ghey

[dt_3pin]

Disco is the best. Seward Park has some decent trails. The loop around the outside of the park is ~3 miles, and there are a bunch of trails that criss-cross the middle. Good hills and some of the only old growth in the city limits. Plus, a few pairs of nesting bald eagles!

 

Carkeek Park has some good trails and hills as well.

[bagsers]

If you don't mind driving to the eastside, Cougar Mountain is awesome! Miles and miles of trails...

[Eerie]

St Eds is a nice place for a run. You can do the upper trails - and work on reaction time dodging mtn bikers - or work your way down to the water for some burly hills back up to the road. There are flat loops, rolling loops, to pretty much a goat trail. Watch out for the owls near dusk. They will attack.

[dt_3pin]

Yeah, st. eds does have some great hills. my wife and I ran there once, but haven't been able to muster the fortitude to go again after witnessing two dudes butt fucking in the bushes

 

All our other Seattle-area trail runs have been sodomy-free. YMMV.

[J_Fisher]

The Arboretum is nice and has pretty flowers and stuff. There are trails on both sides of the road. It's a bit short if you're looking for long distance, though (maybe a mile each direction)?

[NealH]

Though not a trail per se, a nice (mostly) dirt/grass in-city route is the outer loop of Green Lake, down the grass median on Ravenna and then through Ravenna Park and back. Other than crossing the roads between Green Lake and the Park, it's all soft surfaces.

[snugtop]

A few suggestions:

 

Schmitz Park, West Seattle

St. Edward's State Park, Top Loop

Coal Creek, Primrose Loop (This one is all the more astonishing when you consider it's in Renton)

Hamlin Park (Shoreline)

Interlaken Park to the Arbortum

Mercer Slough (Bellevue)

 

A bit farther:

Maple Valley Trailhead - Wilderness Lake

Tiger Mountain Plateau Loop

Cougar Mountain - lotsa stuff there

 

And speaking of attack owls, I got dive-bombed by one while running in Discovery last summer. wOOT!

[olyclimber]

thanks.

 

Schmitz Park, West Seattle

 

I live right next to Schmitz....it is really nice to run around that loop in there, but I'm definitely ready to add a little variety.

 

 

 

I think I'll give these a go

Interlaken Park to the Arbortum

Coal Creek, Primrose Loop

I've saw one getting some mice, and heard one hooting in the trees, but have not yet been attacked in Disco Park by an owl. He probably just wanted to makes friends with you.

[Dechristo]

was the Mothman.

[snugtop]

Mercer Slough is pretty cool too. It's more wetland/marshy so it has a different feel than most of the trail runs in Seattle which are more forested...but on a nice day it's great. Trails, boardwalks, lots of birds and very few people. The downside is that it's on the eastside.

Edited May 16, 2006 by snugtop

[kix]

the park I mentioned, Weowna, is like Virgin Airlines first class luxury lounge compared to all these other bag of peanut parks.

 

did I mention the flying squirrels.

 

vicious.

[snugtop]

the best park is wherever parks.

[himal]

I do like to go over and run at Discovery Park

 

Don't forget the beach at Discovery. If you hit it at the right time you can make it around to Elliott bay.

[RocNoggin]

where are Disco and Schmitz parks?

[mythosgrl]

Mercer Slough is pretty cool too.

If you run around Mercer Slough, you're going to have to run in circles in order to even run 2 miles. I don't like running there.

 

Robinswood park in Bellevue has a 4 mile trail out and back that is nice, soft dirt/pineneedle mix. You can also run down the sidewalk and loop around through the blueberry fields. If you want more info, just ask me.

 

Cougar Mountain Trailhead off Coalcreek Pkwy in Bellevue/Renton also has tons of great runs. Not sure how long of a run you're looking for, but there are a lot of 4-10 mile loops. Just make sure to study the map at the trailhead first before starting. A lot of my friends have ended up running to Issaquah on accident.

[catbirdseat]

Mercer Slough is pretty cool too.

If you run around Mercer Slough, you're going to have to run in circles in order to even run 2 miles. I don't like running there.

 

Robinswood park in Bellevue has a 4 mile trail out and back that is nice, soft dirt/pineneedle mix. You can also run down the sidewalk and loop around through the blueberry fields. If you want more info, just ask me.

 

Cougar Mountain Trailhead off Coalcreek Pkwy in Bellevue/Renton also has tons of great runs. Not sure how long of a run you're looking for, but there are a lot of 4-10 mile loops. Just make sure to study the map at the trailhead first before starting. A lot of my friends have ended up running to Issaquah on accident.

Nonsense! I do a 4 mile loop that does not retrace any part of the route. You have to be willing to run on pavement for part of the route however. About half will be on bark, gravel or boardwalk, and half on pavement.

 

http://www.ci.bellevue.wa.us/departments/Parks/pdf/trail_map_ms.pdf

[mythosgrl]

I was talking about trails, since the title was "trail running".

[Doug]

The Cougar Mt. Trailhead off of Hwy. 900 offers a great trail run - from the trailhead to shy bear pass and back. I think it's ~3 miles RT w/a 1200' or so elevation gain.

[Thinker]

The greenspace described in the 'Sweet Granite in Renton' thread has a fun little system of trails that are fun to run. There's a stream, hills, shade, bums/hurdles, and it's largely isolated from the noise of the city....seriously.

 

And, if you're lucky, you'll find the granite erratic tucked away in the vegetation there.

[beer_factor]

I hear that the downtown REI has a nice trail system...