olyclimber Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 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? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kix Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dt_3pin Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bagsers Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 If you don't mind driving to the eastside, Cougar Mountain is awesome! Miles and miles of trails... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eerie Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dt_3pin Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_Fisher Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 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)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NealH Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snugtop Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 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! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olyclimber Posted May 16, 2006 Author Share Posted May 16, 2006 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dechristo Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 was the Mothman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snugtop Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 (edited) 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kix Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snugtop Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 the best park is wherever parks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
himal Posted May 17, 2006 Share Posted May 17, 2006 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RocNoggin Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 where are Disco and Schmitz parks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mythosgrl Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mythosgrl Posted May 31, 2006 Share Posted May 31, 2006 I was talking about trails, since the title was "trail running". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thinker Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beer_factor Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 I hear that the downtown REI has a nice trail system... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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