Friday Roundtable: Des Moines Trail

A new trail segment has opened connecting the first two phases of the Lake to Sound Trail in Des Moines and SeaTac, as reported by Mara Mellits in the Seattle Times. The Times article has a map of the trail and its relationship to the Green River Trail, Interurban Trail, and Cedar River Trail. Today's Roundtable looks at the current trail extent, and two future segments that will connect four major trails in south King County.

With the new segment, the trail starts at the Des Moines waterfront, and runs northward through the middle of a large woodland area. it passes a half mile west of Angle Lake station on the 1 Line at S 200th Street. It continues northward in an area west of the airport, then turns east and goes along the northern edge of the airport (S 154th Street), ending at 24th Ave S.

A future extension (shown by a dotted line on the Times map) will continue east to Tukwila International Boulevard station and the Green River Trail.

I walked part of the existing trail a couple years ago. I took the 1 Line to Angle Lake station and walked west on S 200th Street, going down and up a dip in the street. The trail access is a half mile west of the station. I walked south to the middle of the woods and turned around. Next time I'll go all the way to the Des Moines waterfront, which I've never seen.

If you're looking for an easier way to get to the Des Moines waterfront, King County Metro route 635 goes from Angle Lake station to it, running half-hourly daytime Monday-Saturday. The route is funded by the city of Des Moines.

Another future trail segment on the map will connect the Green River Trail and Cedar River Trail.

Emerging Trail Network

When both future trail segments are finished, all four trails will cross around Fort Dent Park in northern Tukwila. You can currently take Metro route 150 to Interurban Blvd S & S Fort Dent Way and get directly to the Green River Trail. It goes south following the meandering river past linear parks and industrial buildings to southern Kent, and north connecting to the Duwamish River Trail to Seattle. Also near the 150 stop, the Interurban Trail goes straight south to Kent and Auburn alongside the railroad track.

In the future, a little bit south of Fort Dent Park at 405, the Lake to Sound Trail will go west to Tukwila International Boulevard station, around the west side of the airport, south near Angle Lake station, and through the Des Moines woods to the waterfront. On the north side of Fort Dent Park, a future Green to Cedar Rivers Trail will connect to the Cedar River Trail in Renton, which follows the Cedar River southeast to Maple Valley.

Currently you can access the trails this way:

• Green River Trail: The 150 stop mentioned above.
• Interurban Trail: Ditto, or access it near Kent Station or Auburn Station.
• Des Moines trail: Angle Lake station on the 1 Line.
• Cedar River Trail: Metro route 101 to the Renton Transit Center. Transfer to route 105 two stops or walk east and cross the river. The Renton Library spans the river, Liberty Park is on the other shore, and the trail starts there.

Happy trail walking this summer. In addition to these four trails in south King County, there's the Soos Creek Trail in eastern Kent, the trails near Marymoor Village and Downtown Redmond stations on the 2 Line and at Redmond City Hall, Trailhead Direct to the Cascade Foothills, ST Express 554 to trails in Issaquah, as well as all the other trails in Seattle and the region.

Reminder: The downtown Link tunnel will be closed Saturday morning until 9am. Westlake-SODO shuttle buses will run every 10-15 minutes. Link beyond that area will run every 15 minutes.

This is an open thread.