Hiking & Biking for Free: A Guide
By Tracey Kenney
Have you been wondering where you can hike or bike for free but unsure where to go, or where to begin your search? This guide is for you! I’ll cover free resources for planning a beautiful day outing, and let in you in on some of my favorite hikes and recreational trails, all of them free.
City Parks
Parks within city or county boundaries are free, free, free. An easy way to find trails is to check the website of the city closest to where you live. Go to the city homepage, and search for the Parks Department. Most city websites will list parks inside city limits. The trick to finding a park with a good trail system is to check out each park listing, searching for information on any trails in the park. If your city is too small to operate a Parks department, or doesn’t operate any parks with a trail system, check out your County website, and search there.
Sometimes using a generic search term in your internet search engine can yield terrific results. I entered the term “Wenatchee City Trails” in my engine, and discovered a whole network of public trails administered by a Trust. Check it out! The Sage Hill trails are excellent for early spring wildflowers: https://www.cdlandtrust.org/trails-cess/trails/wenatchee-foothills-trails#:~:text=%20The%20Wenatchee%20Foothills%20Trails%20%201%20Sage,Castle%20Rock%20Trails%206%20Jacobson%20Trails%20More%20
The City of Seattle offers many opportunities for miles-long hiking and biking. Some of my favorite trail systems are at Discovery Park, Seward Park, Carkeek Park, and Alki Point; they all feature nice views. This website lists all the features of different parks: http://www.seattle.gov/parks/find/hiking-and-trails. For biking, the Gilman Trail is a Seattle classic.
In Everett, check out https://everettwa.gov/1586/Trails This website does a great job highlighting hiking AND biking trails. The Centennial Trail and Interurban Trails offer miles of paved trail for walkers, bikers, and wheelchair users. A lot of these trails are usable virtually year round. One of my favorite hikes in this area is Langus Waterfront/Spencer Island, best for walkers, and for the first mile or so stroller-friendly.
In Tacoma, Point Defiance park https://www.metroparkstacoma.org/place/point-defiance-park/ has beautiful woods and Puget Sound views. On weekends, the paved 5 mile drive is closed to vehicles, so walking and biking are allowed.[MA1] There is also a fantastic paved trail along the waterfront at Ruston Way, popular with walkers, joggers, and bikers. The trail connects several pocket parks along the way. Here’s a good starting point: https://www.metroparkstacoma.org/place/ruston-way-waterwalk/
Regional Trails and County Parks.
Regional trails cut across city and county properties. Regional trails can be paved, and open for walkers and bikers, or for hikers only. Regional trails are often miles-long, and feature multiple access points. Often, public restrooms are available. Many of these trails, particularly the paved, multi-use ones, are rail to trail conversions. This means the trail was at one time a railroad track. These trails are typically flat, and although there may be some elevation gain, it is so gradual you may not even notice it, so they are great for beginning hikers, joggers, and bikers.
King County Regional Parks offer a backcountry feel to your day hike. They operate a huge network of trails, often in the foothills of the Cascades. In the summer, a hiker shuttle is available sponsored by METRO. For now, consider checking out any of these regional parks for a less urban, more forest experience. These two links offer excellent information and include maps you can download: https://kingcounty.gov/services/parks-recreation/parks/trails/regional-trails. https://kingcounty.gov/services/parks-recreation/parks/trails/regional-trails.aspx . I’ve hiked all of the King County regional parks and enjoyed every one, for different reasons, although Cougar Mountain is my favorite. Speaking of the Eastside, The Snoqualmie [MA2] Valley Trail is a rail-to-trail conversion gem, open for hikers and bikers. Starting (or ending!) in Redmond at Marymoor Park, the Sammamish Slough trail eventually connects to the Burke-Gilman trail, and is popular with walkers, joggers, and bikers.
In Pierce County, the Foothills National Recreation trail offers 21 miles of paved multi-recreational use trail stretching from Puyallup to Buckley. Virtually year round recreation, find out more at https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/foothills-trail. Chambers Bay Regional park offers drop-dead territorial Puget Sound Views and is not to be missed. https://www.piercecountywa.gov/1363/Chambers-Creek-Regional-Park
Snohomish County offers a number of great multipurpose trails and single-use (hiking) trails, again all free. https://snohomishcountywa.gov/1182/Trails
Fee Free Days
Throughout the year, our National Parks, U.S. Forest Service, and State Parks offer fee-free days to try out their splendor. There are two upcoming fee free days: November 11 will offer free admittance to National Parks, U.S. Forest Service lands, and Washington State Parks. On November 27, Washington State Parks day use will also be free.
There are so many outdoor opportunities available for all, I hope you’ve found some inspiration! Go get it.
About the Author:
Tracey is an ambassador for PNWOW and has dedicated herself to sharing her passions and skills to help other folks get outdoors safely. She resides in Redmond, and has hiked, camped, and backpacked since the 1980’s.