The Green River Trail is closed at Fort Dent through October 2026 as part of the levee reconstruction project. Although a temporary trail has been built around the construction zone, do not use it. The surface is very slow, loose shredded bark, and the trail is not guaranteed to always be open. The detour is to ride on the sidewalk along Interurban Ave S or in the roadway.
King County
At the north, the detour begins at the casino, at S 141st/58th Ave S. Continue on the sidewalk instead of turning east on the GRT.
At the south, the detour begins at Fort Dent Way. Where the GRT and Interurban Trails meet Fort Dent Way, turn left toward Interurban Ave S, then right on the sidewalk along Interurban.
If your route uses the Lake to Sound Trail (formerly Black River Trail), it is still accessible from the GRT. At the casino, follow the GRT.
The following routes are affected. The detour has not been incorporated into the RwGPS files. The detour is about 0.2 km shorter than staying on the GRT; rides that use the detour in both directions will be about 0.4 km short. Ensure that you ride some extra distance if necessary to meet the route’s official distance.
Emergency Closure: The Palouse to Cascades Trail will be closed near Lake Easton between Monahan Rd and Stampede Pass Rd from June 22 to July 13, 2026. During the winter there was a landslide that required this section of the trail to close. This closure is for large equipment to access the site to help with the stream diversion. There is no detour for this section.
During the previous closure cyclists were informally allowed through the work site. There is no guarantee that will happen again. Let’s not slow the work down by trying to cross the work zone.
Many permanents on the trail are affected. Permanents still rideable are:
03653 – Iron Horse Trail
04882 – Snoqualmie Valley, Middle Fork, Snoqualmie Tunnel
The pedestrian bridge at NE 80th St in Kirkland has been closed indefinitely because of recently discovered damage. Four permanents are affected. Rerouting is fairly easy using NE 85th St or NE 70th Pl–NE 72nd Pl–NE 68th St. NE 85th St is not recommended due to construction.
Thanks to fantastic work by government agencies and independent organizations a bypass trail around the large slide that closed the trail between Rattlesnake Lake and Olallie State Park officially opens on June 5. Additionally the damaged sections at Carter Creek and west of Lake Easton have been repaired. All permanents using the trail will be rideable starting June 5. Several permanents that start at Olallie State Park and Hyak are already rideable. (All pending reactivation by RUSA).
The bypass trail is narrow. Washington State Parks asks that you walk your bike on the bypass.
There are reports of loose gravel in the Whittier Tunnel, aka tunnel 49, west of Lake Easton.
3653 Iron Horse Trail 4180 Wet Side-Dry Side 4882 Snoqualmie Valley, Middle Fork, Snoqualmie Tunnel 5081 Iron Horse & Middle Fork 5115 Three Lakes and a Tunnel 5175 The Real Northern Exposure 5789 The Shortened Real Northern Exposure 5790 Homestead Valley-Easton on the Iron Horse Trail
Thanks to Dave Harper for alerting me to this news.
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On June 1 King County will close the ELST through the end of the year for the George Davis Creek culvert replacement project. The location is midway between NE Inglewood Hill Rd and Louis Thompson Rd NE.
The trail will be completely severed during construction. Riders will have to detour to the adjacent East Lake Sammammish Parkway, if it too is not closed. A large number of permanent routes are affected.
According to King County, there will not be a bicycle detour. Typically this means no accommodation will be made for bikes on the road, such as a coned-off lane or wayfinding detour signs.
The culvert under East Lake Sammammish Parkway will also be replaced. The status of the Parkway during construction is unclear. Official messaging has been inconsistent. The latest verbal information an SIR member obtained from the City of Sammammish is that the road will remain open. Likely there will be delays at the construction zone.
Presuming the Parkway remains open, riders can detour on the Parkway. We do not know exactly where the north and south ends of the closure will be, so right now cannot recommend where to exit to the Parkway and later return to the trail. Keep in mind property owners adjacent to the trail are jealous of their private roads and driveways.
In the event the Parkway is entirely closed, riders will have to climb and descend Louis Thompson and Inglewood Hill Rds along with detoured car traffic. In this case, routes not using the ELST will be more attractive.
Text by Scott Stroming as told to shiggy, photos by Scott Stroming.
112K, 4000′ of climbing.
A beautiful spring ride that exceeded my expectations, south to Douglas Creek all the way north to the ancient glacial moraine, magnificent views west and north, lots of single lane double track—and I thought I already knew the Waterville Plateau!
Its a great course running through the upper part of the Douglas Creek canyon into the sage steppe and wheat fields to the Withrow Marine at the north end and back. Ever changing surfaces and vistas. Plus the wildflowers are popping, the canola in bloom (yellow fields) and the wheat is knee high.
There are three types of gravel and I want people to know that I feel like this isn’t a fast course. I think the course needs to be ridden with wide tires and attention:
There is the gravel for the wide roads which has pretty high rolling resistance.
Then there is dirt, which is a lot of fun.
The third is the silt, almost sand. It has been packed down by rain, but you can’t easily tell when it’s going to get really deep and soft.
Be cautious when going into dips and the steeper descents which can have rocks and ruts with sand at the bottom so you really can’t let it rip.
I wish I had tires with a bit more tread and width for traction.
The forecast is good of Saturday with mild temperatures, light winds and the possibility of scattered thundershowers.
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Update 5/2/26: The closure east of Hyak is still in place.
Update 5/1/26: The closure east of Hyak has been lifted.
For us on the west side of the Cascades, riding season on the Palouse to Casades Trail traditionally starts with the Snoqualmie Tunnel opening on May 1. But randonneuring season the trail will be delayed this year. The P2C trail suffered impassable damage in several places during the ’25-’26 winter. Initially the outlook was dismal; significant repairs were not expected to be possible this year. Fortunately major work is underway. The full trail should be rideable later in summer.
Rattlesnake Lake to Snoqualmie Tunnel
A widely-reported landslide in December 2025 severed the trail between Rattlesnake Lake and the Mt Washington trailhead in Olallie State Park. Initially repair was not anticipated this year. But thanks to Washington State Parks, the Washington State Parks Foundation, Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, and King County a temporary bypass is being constructed. The bypass is anticipated to open after June 15.
Additional damage farther up the trail caused a second closure beginning near Carter Creek Campground and extending to the tunnel. Repairs to this section are paused because crews and equipment were diverted for higher-priority repair of severe damage near Lake Easton. A reopening date for the Carter Creek closure is unknown presently.
Until these repairs are finished, riding any permanents that use the trail between Rattlesnake Lake and the tunnel is either impossible or requires unattractive detours on I-90.
04882 – Snoqualmie Valley, Middle Fork, Snoqualmie Tunnel is unrideable because the control at the tunnel cannot be reached.
All other routes on the trail can bypass the closures by riding on I-90. Why a person would want to trade quiet forest and easy railroad grades for miles of proximity to roaring freeway traffic with steep climbing eludes me, but here are considerations if you want to do this: Bypassing the Olallie closure on the freeway shortens routes about 7.5 miles each way. Riders would have to free-route another 15 miles on the out-and-back routes to ride the required distances. National Forest Roads below the freeway bypass the damaged area near Carter Creek. However, a portion of the detour would be on Road 58 which is one-way uphill only. Riding westbound you would have to descend on I-90.
Prior to learning about the second closure and the damage east of the tunnel, two routes starting at Olallie State Park were created, but are moot until all repairs are finished:
05790 – Homestead Valley-Easton on the Iron Horse Trail
05789 – The Shortened Real Northern Exposure
Information about the current condition of this part of the trail is available at the WA State Parks P2C West page.
East of Snoqualmie Tunnel
Update 5/3/26: The P2C Central page has been updated to state the trail is still closed from Monahan Rd to Stampede Pass Rd. This is a shorter section than indicated on the map below, but still means you cannot ride from Hyak to Lake Easton.
Update 5/1/26: The closure between Hyak and Lake Easton has been lifted. The state of the trail surface is unknown. Loose gravel has been reported in the Whittier Tunnel.
04509 Cle Elum-Hyak-Cle Elum should be rideable now.
04162 Hyak-Stampede & Tacoma Passes-Lake Easton will be rideable once the high country melts out
The section below is now out of date still relevant.
A landslide on March 23, 2026, east of Hyak damaged the trail, the railroad, and power lines west of Lake Easton. The trail is closed at the west from the Whittier Tunnel (aka Tunnel 49), to the east at Monahan Rd. The only detour is 7 miles on I-90, including a construction zone with skinny shoulders. Repairs in this area are anticipated to be complete around the beginning of June. Recent reports are that the construction zone is rideable, but you should check with the P2C Central office whether the trail is open during work hours.
High river flow during the storms in December 2025 scoured and destabilized the embankment that carries the Cedar River Trail about three miles from the trail’s eastern end at Landsburg. The embankment and trail surface have eroded significantly in the last month. The trail will likely collapse soon. Crossing the closed section of the trail is far too dangerous, despite local residents continuing to walk and bike across it.
Most people were probably unaware the trail was so close to the river here.
Google Street View
King County has furnished no information about repairs. Given that the embankment is not a levee protecting a flood zone, repairing the trail probably has low priority. Fortunately the damaged section can be bypassed on residential streets:
RWGPS Cycle map
Four permanents have been rerouted. The routes are slightly shorter and lost some gravel credit, but gained a 15% surprise.
0401 Leschi-Auburn-Leschi
0848 Mercer Island-Selleck
1076 Southern Exposure
5709 Cedar River Wilderness Run
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The last mile or so of the Snoqualmie Valley Trail is closed to bicycles and pedestrians very close to Rattlesnake Lake. The trail is being used for vehicle access to residences on Edgewick Rd while Edgewick is being repaired. Edgewick is not a detour option. The SVT should reopen in early April according to King County.
Detour options are not good. The route beginning with 136th Ave SE at I-90 is strongly discouraged due to extreme grades, poor sightlines, and fast drivers. A safer option is to follow permanent 4078 Snakebit backwards from North Bend. This is a substantially more difficult route than the SVT’s nice railroad grade. The best option is probably to choose other routes while the SVT is closed.
Note that permanents continuing up the Palouse to Cascades Trail (Iron Horse) past Rattlesnake Lake are deactivated due to the serious washout that occurred in December. The rideability of most of those routes is moot anyway while the Snoqualmie Tunnel is closed for winter.
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This ride celebrates Seattle’s extraordinary natural setting and urban culture, so there are plenty of distractions and urban trails combined with a fair bit of climbing: no time for much dawdling, but please don’t rush either; enjoy our amazing city, and be especially careful on the pathways we’re sharing with pedestrians.
From Magnuson Park Beach, we head east to the Burke-Gilman, then south to UW and Montlake Bridge. At 7.4km, slow down for the narrow easy-to-miss turn off the Burke-Gilman up to Rainier Vista. At 7.9km, the Montlake Bridge has narrow clearances – slow down for oncoming pedestrians and cyclists. After winding over the new 520 pedestrian/bike overpass to Lake Washington Blvd, you take a nice jaunt through the Olmsted-designed Washington Park Arboretum along tree-lined Arboretum Drive East (closed to traffic) and the Arboretum Loop Trail.
Arboretum Drive
As you’re leaving Arboretum Trail, take care at km 11.3 rejoining Lake Washington Blvd. If the intersection is busy, dismount and use the crosswalks, then head south on Lake Washington Boulevard.
(Did you know, from Olmsted Parks.Org: “The longest and most significant boulevard in Seattle’s Olmsted park system, Lake Washington Boulevard links nine of the Olmsted parks, extending six miles from Montlake Boulevard at the north end, through Washington Park Arboretum and along the lake to Seward Park at the south end…. first proposed in the Olmsted Brothers’ 1903 report, their recommendation included routing the boulevard beyond the city limits at that time so that it might extend all the way to Seward Park (then known as Bailey Peninsula)”. President Taft described the Lake Washington string of parks soon after completion in 1909 as follows: “One of the most magnificent combinations of modern city and medieval forest, of formal gardening and Nature’s handiwork with the most beautiful views of lake, sea and snow-capped mountain peak, that has ever delighted the eye of man in this or any other country.”)
At km 21.8, we enter Seward Park and Shore Loop Road, closed to traffic – and one of the key stretches we need to ride slowly and give pedestrians and other cyclists ample room – take your time and enjoy the filtered views of Mt Baker (visible on a clear day from Control 2 at Seward Park North Beach km 23.5), and Mt Rainier from Seward Park’s south beach.
Mt Rainier from Seward Park
Leaving Seward Park, we climb Seward Park Ave and head west through Othello, then navigate the north end of Boeing Field and South Park. At km 31.4, coming down South Albro Place, take care shifting to the left lane to move over to the new bike lane after Ruby Chow Park. This newly completed bike lane from km 31.9 to 33.5 along the south side of Albro Place and east side of East Marginal Way is a great recent addition to our bike infrastructure, avoiding the need to ride along thse busy roads. At km 33.5, use the crosswalk to cross East Marginal to the 16 th Ave S Bridge over the Duwamish, then weave your way through South Park’s quiet back streets to the Duwamish Trail, passing Control 3 Gears at km 35.4. At km 39.2, you’ll ride through a nice grove of madrones with filtered views of Harbor Island and downtown Seattle. At km 41.0, take care crossing West Marginal Way to a recently finished bike path which avoids the climb up and under the W Seattle Bridge. If traffic is busy here, use the pedestrian button at the crosswalk to stop traffic. The curb cut to the bike path is narrow so take it easy here. At km 42.3, we turn north to continue on the Alki Trail, then shifting to Harbor Avenue SW. There are plenty of public restrooms and eateries along Alki Beach, but don’t linger as there are plenty more distractions and climbs ahead! After Alki Point Lighthouse, Control 4 at 48.6, continue south to Lincoln Park. At km 53.7, you enter a relatively narrow gravel path along the beach which can sometimes be crowded with pedestrians and kids riding bikes: another key stretch to be ridden very slowly when passing pedestrians. Take time to compliment that cute dog or little kid riding her bike.
Lincoln Park Beach Path looking SouthBruun Idun – The Way of the Bird King
After a visit with Bruun Idun – the Way of the Bird King, we return north, enjoying views west to the Olympics.
View from Lincoln Park Beach
Leaving Lincoln Park, you climb up via Erskine Avenue to downtown West Seattle, passing Bakery Nouveau on California Ave at km 58, then continuing east and north along SW Alaska St and SW Avalon Way. Take care along SW Avalon Way’s protected bike lane which is relatively narrow. At km 60.3, be cautious crossing SW Spokane St to rejoin the Alki Trail, and continue around Harbor Island and north to Seattle on the newly completed Portside Trail to downtown. At km 66.1, shift to the Waterfront Bike Trail through the downtown waterfront: take your time and obey the stop signals at the many pedestrian crossings.
A short climb around the new Aquarium takes you to the finally complete Alaskan Way Cycletrack leading to the Olympic Sculpture Park. Be careful entering the park at km 86.6, passing the Bourgeois Fountain to Elliott Bay Trail. In Myrtle Edwards Park, at km 70.2, a portion of the separated pedestrian path is closed, so we again share the road with walkers. Continuing north along the railyards, you then turn south for a gentle climb up Thorndyke Avenue and Magnolia Boulevard West, past Magnolia Viewpoint, with views to downtown and Mt Rainier.
At km 78.6, you enter Discovery Park (formerly Fort Lawton Army Base), crossing open fields, with views to the Olympics to your left and officer quarters / FAA Radar Site to your fight. You then head east for a nice downhill forested stretch on Discovery Park Boulevard to Gilman Avenue West: at km 81.4, slow down to shift over to the Cycletrack at 29 th Ave West. At the traffic light – km 82.3, be careful at the turning left onto the West Emerson Place Cycletrack. After a brief downhill, akm 82.5, slow down to shift over via a tight curbcut onto the ‘Ship Canal Trail’: the next stretch of sidewalk has some root heave issues, and there are some tight turns at km 83.2. After passing under the bridge at km 85.6, miss the immediate turn slight right up the trail to the path adjoining Westlake Ave, then turn north over Freemont Bridge and up another short climb to visit the Freemont Troll (synopsis from Wikipedia: “built in 1990 by artist/architect Steve Badanes, inspired by Norwegian folklore, the 18 feet tall Troll constructed with 13,000 lbs of concrete, is clutching an actual Volkswagen Beetle, as if it had just swiped it from the Aurora Bridge above. Originally, the car held a time capsule, including a plaster bust of Elvis Presley, which was stolen when the sculpture was vandalized.”)
Freemont Troll
A short steep few blocks down Troll Avenue takes you to the Burke Gilman Trail, where you head west to Ballard. At km 91.0, take care navigating the intersection at 24 th Ave NW and Market Street: the intersection is likely to be crowded. Dismount and cross the crosswalk at the light to the bike path. Two blocks west of here, you pass the National Nordic Museum and a visit with Frankie Feetsplinter
Frankie Feetsplinter @ Nordic Heritage Museum
Proceeding north on the last stretch of the Burke Gilman, be careful navigating the end of the trail and entry to Golden Gardens at km 94.6 – lots of cars and pedestrians headed to the beach. The Golden Gardens Bathhouse and Kite Café at km 95.1 offers a good spot to catch your breath and gear up for the big climb of the ride.
Returning south briefly to the park entry gate, you turn left for a winding climb up Seaview Place Northwest – be careful as there is very little shoulder and a fair bit of traffic, but drivers are typically respectful. Moving east and north through relatively quiet residential streets, you arrive at the Interurban Trail at km 103.4, then north to Echo Lake, and east to Perkins Lane at km 112.9. After a brief climb to the crest, you’re on a delightful winding descent through the woods to Lake Forest Park. After crossing Lake City Way to the Burke Gilman, you head south – keep an eye out for the turn left at km 124.1 to Inverness Drive NE, then be careful on the short run on Sand Point Way with no shoulders. At km 124.8, you turn left for an easy-to-miss turn off Sand Point Way over gravel to a break in the hedge: watch out for the quick left on the gravel path, and take it slow as the path twists down to Magnuson Café and Brewery, where much deserved refreshments await.
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