The Sammamish River Trail runs 10.9 miles along the Sammamish River from Bothell to Marymoor Park in Redmond as part of the “Locks to Lakes Corridor.”
I’d first ridden the Sammamish River Trail unknowingly many years ago. My wife (then girlfriend) and I were living in Columbia City and decided to ride from our house near Seward Park to the Red Hook Brewery one sunny summer afternoon.
We started out along Lake Washington Boulevard, went through the Washington Park Arboretum and met up with the Burke-Gilman Trail, which we took all the way out to Red Hook. Apparently, we also crossed over onto the Sammamish River Trail for a few miles.
But many hardy folk were also out on a cold winter morning. I saw more than 40 people walking, around 16 people on bicycles, and many, many dogs taking their owners for a brisk morning stroll. Along the stretch south of 116th street, I saw quite a few varieties of ducks, one that looked like a male Northern Shoveler, and a Double-Crested Cormorant that dipped into the dark cold waters as I slowed to get a better look.
If you’ve got some time, I’d suggest getting out to this trail over the weekend. This popular trail is sure to be a bit more crowded, but early risers will get the trail mostly to themselves. If you do go later in the day, don’t forget your bell for your bike, or at least give walkers a shout before you pass. I got at least one “thank you” for the courtesy.
