Burke-Gilman Trail

The Burke Gilman is an iconic trail through the Cityscape of Seattle and beyond. What used to be a railway corridor is now the premier option for non-motorized transport across the city. The entire way is paved and can be travelled in its entirety or sampled here and there for a quick neighborhood stroll or connection to one of the many parks that sit along its edge.

There is one short section in Ballard, referred to as “the missing link,” where the route takes travelers on city sidewalks before returning to the trail--otherwise the trail is set apart from car traffic.

The western end of the trail is located at Golden Gardens Park in the Seattle neighborhood of Ballard. From here the trail extends east along the ship canal before following the western edge of Lake Washington toward the town of Lake Forest Park. Here the trail turns east and curves around the lake through Kenmore before ending in Blyth Park in Bothell. This is the official end of the Burke Gilman; however, the path continues on uninterrupted as the Sammamish River Trail. 

Along the way this trail provides access to Gas Works Park, Magnuson Park, and Log Boom Park, as well as others. There are also great trail connections with the Cheshiahud Loop, the Elliot Bay trail and the Sammamish River Trail.