Burke-Gilman Trail and Sammamish River Trail

Starting point: Golden Gardens Park
Ending point: Wayne Golf course
Total mileage (contiguous): 20.26 Miles
Parks: Golden Gardens Park, Gasworks Park, Burke-Gilman Playground Park, Matthews Beach, Tracy Owen Station

The Burke Gilman Trail follows the right-of-way of the old Burlington Northern railroad through the city of Seattle to Tracy Owen Station in Kenmore. After the railroad applied to abandon the line in 1970, a citizens group was formed to work with the city and Burlington Northern to acquire the newly abandoned right of way. The rails and ties were removed in 1973-74, allowed for limited use of the trail.

The first completed paved section of the trail, Gasworks Park to Tracy Owen Station, was dedicated in 1978. Since then, extensions have extended the line west to 11th Ave NW in Ballard and east to the Sammamish River Trail.

An unconnected section of the trail runs from Golden Gardens Park to the Ballard Locks. The distance between, commonly known as the "Missing Link" is presently tied up in litigation. Seattle DOT's goal is for construction to be completed in 2010.

Starting point: Wayne Golf Course
Ending point: Marymoor Park, Redmond
Total Mileage: 9.93 miles
Parks: Blyth Park, Bothell Landing, Wilmot Gateway Park, Sixty Acres Park, Luke McRedmond Park Marymoor Park

The original section of the Sammamish River Trail between Marymoor Park in Redmond and Blyth Park in Bothell was established in the late 1970s.

Unlike the Burke-Gilman Trail, only a short distance is a former railroad right-of-way. Instead, the trail follows the meandering Sammamish River through Bothell, Woodinville and Redmond. The trail is often curvy and has only a few very small hills.

The Woodinville section of the trail provides access to several wineries and the Red Hook brewery.

The Sammamish River Trail was linked with the Burke-Gilman at Tracy Owens Station in June of 1993.