mudmouse

Hi Seattle riders

I'm looking for recommendations on best routes in downtown Seattle. I'm in the Seattle area for a while and like to get a ride in when I can. I have google maps and SDOTs bicycle map on my phone, but just wondered if locals have better suggestions for their favorite (read least scary) routes.

One loop we want to do is along the waterfront out to Ballard locks, Burke-Gilman, etc. I have a route worked out except for the downtown area. We're considering going down to Seattle center then on to the waterfront trail, or (per maps) just going down Stewart to the waterfront. I've walked along Stewart and it looks a little intimidating to this small town girl.

Also looking for any recommendations for the Capitol Hill area, perhaps heading south towards the I-90 trail/area

Thanks!

Seattle Forrest

How long and hilly are you looking for?

The waterfront has a lot of construction going on right now, but it's not too bad. From somewhere around Yestler, go down to Alaskan Way, which is going to be the last road before the salt water. Follow it about a mile across downtown, up to Myrtle Edwards Park, and from there you're on your way to the B'locks. Speaking of Ballard, please don't take Shilshole, it's an awful place to ride. (There's a "missing link" to the Burke Gilman Trail, a section where you're left to fend for yourself, and most people ride Shilshole through this part.) I'd recommend going a block north of Market Street, to 56th Street I think, taking 8th Ave back down (south) to Leary, and then getting back on the Burke in Fremont, where it starts getting nice and scenic.

Interlaken Park on the back side of Cap Hill is pretty nice. If you have time, ride down Madison to Lake Washington Boulevard, and follow that south to I-90 or farther, to Seward Park. From Seward you can go up Orcas (monster hill) and find your way to the Chief Sealth Trail, which brings you most of the way back to downtown. Some variation on this is probably my favorite ride in the city.

A loop around Lake Union makes for a shorter ride, but still a great one.

cwar

Although I cannot provide specifics for some of the areas you are asking about I can share a few routes I take and you could use these to augment yours. I think you will need a Strava account to view the Strava links, otherwise it will only show you part of the route.

https://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/337700811
https://app.strava.com/activities/58384119
https://app.strava.com/activities/54962762
https://app.strava.com/activities/87985889

Seattle Forest is right. There is a lot of construction near the waterfront. I just ride the road along Alaskan Way.

Catgrrl70

Where are you coming from? The Stewart routing is quite a bit different from the Waterfront routing...as you likely know, accessing downtown routes depends a lot on both arriving and leaving directions due to traffic patterns, one way streets, construction, trolley tracks, etc...

mudmouse

Most of my rides are under 20 miles due to time constrants. Hills are fine. Too late on the Shilshole warning. I rode out to Ballard the other day. Fortunately traffic wasn't too bad, but yeah, a little nerve racking and confusing. I'll try your route next time I'm in that area.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Can't wait to check some of them out. Lake Washington Blvd/Seward Park sounds really nice. My best local ride so far has been to take Dexter Ave. over to Fremont(?), Burke Gilman Trail around Lake Union and back through Eastlake. It's shorter than I'd like, but I usually run out of daylight anyway.

mudmouse

Awesome! Thanks for the links. I'm something of a map/route *****. I'll look them over tonight.
I drove down along the waterfront a few weeks ago and it was a mess. Typical of my wanderings, I made wrong turns, got lost, ended up who knows where, tucked tail between my legs and somehow found my way home. To be fair I find driving in the city more nerve racking than cycling, so I'm kind of ready to make the attempt again, on bicycle.

mudmouse

I'm staying in the same area as REI (Cascades, S Lake Union?). Starting from this area I'm looking for interesting routes to explore the city. I've walked to the Space Needle down Denny Way. Most of the riders I see on Denny use the sidewalk. My thought for one ride was to head down either Stewart to the Waterfront, or go down either Denny or Mercer on the sidewalk to the Seattle Center and try to find a route to the waterfront. From there we'd ride over toward Ballard Locks.

percy kittens

When you get tired of Ballard head on over to West Seattle. From REI to the Lighthouse is 18 miles round trip. The detoured waterfront path is a bit skewy but you'll find your way around. It's quite purty. For this north-westerner, I need to see a pretty watery non-urban view especially during wintery Winter McWinterson.

Amaruk

West of Fairview is SLU, East is Cascade. REI is in Cascade.

The Dexter & Aurora interchanges on Denny are not for the faint of heart. West of Aurora it's not bad, depending on how comfortable one is in traffic. From Denny there are two options: turn left onto Bell St which takes you to Bell Harbor via the skybridge, or turn left onto Broad St (by Pacific Science Center) which will take you down to the entrance of Myrtle Edwards Park. You will need to use the far (West) crosswalk to cross Denny, left turn onto Broad is not allowed.

Stewart ends at Pike Place near the Market - it doesn't go through to the waterfront. If you want to check out the view of the Sound from Victor Steinbrueck Park it's one block North (right) on Pike Place. (where it joins with Western Ave) To get to the waterfront continue North on Western and turn left onto either Lenora or Bell.

If you do decide to take the Westmost route to the Locks (W Goverment Way/32nd Ave W) please be aware that the turn just before the railroad overpass is every bit as sharp as it appears on the map...

mudmouse

Thanks, I didn't know there was a lighthouse out there. Great destination for a ride. I love being near the water.

mudmouse

Thanks, lots of great options to string some rides together and access the water. I didn't know about the skybridge down Bell. We'll probably head toward Seattle Center first, and save Pikes Market/area for another trip - perhaps even on foot. We've been there, but it's been years.

Comfort in traffic is the issue. I've done plenty of riding in small towns/rural settings, ridden parts of the Oregon Coast, but urban riding is a whole different animal. I'm trying to take it on in small increments. Eastlake Ave. scared the crap out of me the first time I rode it. Now it doesn't bother me. Not that I've been on the street during rush hour.

Per the route to Ballard, I was looking at 20th to Gilman - Government way, then looks like a path drops down towards the locks. Is it a better route along 32nd?

eschlwc

my suggestions

- stay on the bike route per google maps.
- if taking the fremont bridge, use dexter.
- if taking the ballard bridge, use the waterfront trail (myrtle edwards through the train yard).
- i always take fifth ave (under the monorail) when heading south, downtown.
- heading north, i take third.
- forrest's seward park suggestion is a dandy one.
- that west seattle lighthouse is hard to get to. the better one is in discovery park. but that's one helluva hill climbing back up.
- carkeek and golden gardens parks are fun trips.
- or take the bg trail up to the top of lake washington.
- stop in chinatown and get a vietnamese sandwich for the road!

sunday should be like today -- beautiful!

Seattle Forrest

Hi, Percy!

This is great advice. There's a "second" / "lower" West Seattle Bridge with a sidewalk for bikes, very easy and relaxed. You can take a right immediately and follow the waterfront opposite of downtown, go through a park where you're likely to see scuba divers, cruise Alki, see lots of tidewater and far-off land, have a great view of the Olympics.

I haven't done that ride in a couple years. Thanks for the reminder! It's really lovely and I should go enjoy it.

mudmouse

Thanks for the route suggestions and destinations. It's going to hard to choose where to ride first!

eschlwc

unfortunately, i think the rain is here for the next week.

percy kittens

I know! I feel the same way when I set out for a joyride. My bike commute goes from Shoreline to downtown so there has to be a good reason for me to want to head south for a joyride. West Seattle is one of those good reasons. It is just so easy -- nice clear paths, bike-friendly, great vistas the whole way. Kind of romantic in that scuzzy industrial way. The truck smog can be a little grotty but it seems much lighter recently. I think the viaduct construction has re-routed some of the big rigs. Veer over to Georgetown if your Hipness levels are getting low. Check out the Trailer Park Mall, sit and enjoy a Pall Mall if you are so inclined. Do so with pink foam rollers in your hair you'll fit right in:
https://www.georgetowntrailerpark.com/

Heres me photobombin the seattle skyline in autumn entering Alki area:


and here is this cat photobombin the menu at firefly cafe in the Junction district. Head up that way on your way back from Alki via Lincoln Park:

percy kittens

Hi Forrest!
What I love about WSEA is its year-round appeal. But -- I was raised on the beach in California so it may just be my home-strings pulling at me. Aside from being a purty place to ride, there are many hills IF one wishes to include a good huff'n'puff into their excursion. I rode around there several times around Xmas -- boy those folks in Admiral district take the Neighborhood Xmas Soul award -- for sheer number of houses lit up in lights. :-)

Catgrrl70

It can be a bit tricky to get to West Seattle if you haven't done it before. There's some ok wayfinding signage, but if you want the water route along Alki (flatter) once you get over the low bridge, take a right a the "Y" downhill. You'll then be at the intimidating 5-way intersection of which you need to traverse all the way across and to the left to continue on the trail. Either take the inside lane at the light or use the crossing signals. If you don't wait for the light and run a red (please don't!) be very wary as traffic comes from unexpected directions.

Then just follow the trail along Spokane to Avalon/Harbor Ave, and take a right. Watch out at this corner, it's a 90-degree blind turn with oncoming cyclists and pedestrians. You can follow this route even past the lighthouse all the way into and through Lincoln Park.

There's lots of hills to climb if you want to go to Admiral/Alaska/Morgan Junction too.
West Seattle Bike Connections can be contacted for specific information too.
https://westseattlebikeconnections.org/
And they are on Facebook.

I work in South Lake Union and do the WS commute all the time.
From where you are coming from it would be fastest to just head straight down Stewart to 1st, south on 1st then west on Columbia or just before to join with the waterfront road. It's always changing down there and there's no clear "bike routes" any longer nor do they use "bike route detour" signs. You have to look for the "detour T-xxx" sign indicating to drivers where to access the Port entry, which is where the (moving) entrance to the bike route south of Alaskan to E. Marginal is. Stewart is not too bad and a direct route, so is 1st. I have very rarely had any issues with drivers at all going that way.

Alternatively, you could make your way to Bell, follow Bell (sidewalks only due to what looks like soon to open reconfigured streets construction) to 1st then west on Lenora, hook up with Western down the hill, west on Union to the waterfront street.

mudmouse

Scuzzy Industrial sounds great. I love industrial areas. The scuzzier the better. Love the cat!

Okay, West Seattle is looking more and more intriguing all the time. I'll be pouring over my maps tonight. We walked a portion of Alki Trail last summer, so I'm somewhat familiar with it. Be fun to follow it all the way around.

Is the Duwamish trail a nice ride? Spotted on Google and just wondered if it's worth a look.

percy kittens

Heres a low tech map of my favorite base route. I call it base as I do a lot of veering.

Point C is the lighthouse. EZ to get to. Cold and windy. Bring a lover.

C to Point D is Beach Drive and the worst road you ever bumped on. Prepare to be sterilized. But the charm is outstanding, the houses and the general vibe of people.

At the end of Beach drive you can cruise the semi-dirt road to Lincoln Park or head left up a hill so steep you will fall backwards but before doing either, be sure and gaze at the rubber ducky house there at the end, by the little park, where you will find environmental activism at its finest.

Between D and E is good meandering territory. I like California Ave meself. Traffic on Fauntleroy is for my high testosterone moments. Yes, wimmin have testosterone too, just not as many power tools, though I do have a nifty drill set.

Important: *Do not miss the opportunity to FLY down Admiral Way (E to F)*

Puts you back on Alki trail where you can double back to home.

Total: 16 miles (plus any veering)

percy kittens

I have had the worst luck trying to pick that trail up at its good spot, cos I always seem to bump down some wretched dystopian strip of road between the WS bridge and that Duwamish path, which is indeed a nice trail. I have taken it to SeaTac in better weather days.

This map here tells me I have been doing it all wrong:

https://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path...en-River-trail

I have been eyeing the Green River trail myself lately. If you get down that way in the next couple of weeks, how about a ride report? :-D

mudmouse

Hi Catgrrl,
Yeah, I think we'd like to go out along Alki. We've done part of it on foot and I really like it along the water. I wondered if a ride to Lincoln Park was doable. It looks like the trail ends, but good roads continue on. Depends too on how far my other half wants to go. He's had even less time on the bikes than me.

Stewart would be the ideal route down through town for us. I know we're capable of riding it, it's just getting past that mental block that the traffic is scary and we're going to die! I'm already getting a little used to riding up here on busier streets and so far drivers have been very good when passing, etc.

LOL - moving entrance ... now there's a challenge!

mudmouse

Veering is good. I call it exploring and it occurs on bikes and in kayaks. All roads and waterways must be checked out. Dh just follows along.

Bumpy roads? Steep hills? In Seattle? Say it ain't so. I kind of like bumpy roads. It feeds my fantasy of gravel-grinding adventures. Actually by your description Beach Road and the dirt road following sounds like a must do. We'll see if we can make it up the hill. My hill climbing legs are long gone these days. Last hill I did I was passed by a jogger ... and it wasn't a steep hill. Home is the Willamette Valley in Oregon. We have lots of flat farmland, some long climbs and/or rolling hills in the foot hills, but not that many steep hills of the likes you have here.

Thanks it sounds like a great loop.

mudmouse

OMG If a local can't find the trail I haven't got a chance! If we get a chance to ride anywhere I'll try to post up. I always have a camera and feel the need to torture folks with my pics

percy kittens

Oh it's just that I never prepare and when I do I write some directions on my arm. It's hard to get lost in the city, so I have to try a little harder :-)