The Sammamish River Trail: Eleven Miles of Green

Almost eleven miles long, the Sammammish River Trail runs from Bothell to Marymoor Park in Redmond. The Sammammish River Trail name comes from the river that runs beside it, a small but deep channel that fills with salmon each fall.

The path is popular with bikes, roller skaters, and pedestrians, so visitors will want to stay aware of other traffic and pass on the left. Equestrians can use the unpaved trail that runs parallel to the paved one for most of its length. It’s a pleasant walk, particularly the section that runs through downtown Redmond, where visitors may want to pause to admire the plants or statues along the way. While the trail is usually well-populated, nearby traffic is hidden from sight, and the walk feels green and peaceful as a result, particularly on spring days. While the walker can catch glimpses of the narrow river at intervals, blackberry bushes prevent close view of the river and its inhabitants, which can include great blue herons, kingfishers, and an assortment of ducks.

The river, which is also known as the Sammammish Slough, accommodates several kinds of wildlife. King County is working to preserve the fish habitat along the river, which hosts chinook, coho, and sockeye salmon. Walking along the trail while the salmon is spawning is awe-inspiring: the lividly colored fish surge upstream while bald eagles wait for the weaker ones to wash ashore.

Up in Bothell, the Sammammish River Trail intersects with Seattle’s main trail, the Burke-Gilman Trail. Adding that to the itinerary would stretch the walk to twenty-seven miles. The Woodinville section of the trail allows access to Woodinville’s wineries (most notable are Chateau Ste. Michelle and Columbia ) and the Red Hook Brewery. In Redmond, the trail passes near the Bella Bottega Shopping Center, City Hall and Redmond Town Center before ending up at Marymoor Park.

HelloSeattle Tip: If you make it all the way from one end to the other and don't want to contemplate the long trek back, consider taking one of King County's handy buses.

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