55 years ago, Seattleites organized a ‘hike-in’ to support building the Burke-Gilman Trail + Party Saturday invites all to celebrate

From the event organizers.

Stand in the hiking boots prints of history Saturday to celebrate the 55th Anniversary of the community-led hike-in that helped create the Burke-Gilman Trail. The day of music, kids activities, food and games starts at 9 a.m. and goes until 3 at Matthews Beach Park. There is also a mini hike-in" for kids with prizes. Speakers, including original organizers Merrill Hille and Sandy Wood, will address attendees at noon.

Peter Breyfogle has been the major force behind the hike-in celebration as part of the Fix the Burke-Gilman effort. The group is calling for more significant fixes to the trail, especially as it approaches its 50th birthday in 2028. Some sections are beyond what simple asphalt patches can fix. I think it is safe to say that we got our money's worth out of this old pavement over the past half century.

Building the Burke-Gilman Trail may seem like an obvious win to people living here today, but 55 years ago it was a new idea that initially met resistance from neighbors. It's difficult now to imagine people protesting the idea of turning a defunct railroad into the gem of a trail it is today, but the Burke-Gilman was Seattle's first rails-to-trail project and one of the first in the whole nation. There were no other comparable trail projects that supporters could point to as examples. Instead, they had to sell the idea to their neighbors one-by-one and build a base of support large enough to overpower project opponents.

On September 12, 1971, their efforts culminated in a large hike-in that was part celebration and part direct action to demonstrate to decision-makers that their vision for a trail had popular support. Two large group hikes, one from UW in the south and Kenmore in the north, carefully dodged railroad ties on their way to a meeting point and rally at Matthews Beach. As documented in my book Biking Uphill in the Rain, the hike from the north was led by Tom Hornbein, a local mountaineering hero famous for being part of the American team that climbed the extremely challenging west ridge of Everest in 1963 (his book about the feat is great).

The September 12, 1971, hike-in. From the Seattle P-I photo archive at MOHAI.Seattle City Councilmember Tim Hill speaks at the rally at Matthews Beach Park. From the Seattle P-I photo archive at MOHAI (I took this snapshot for my own reference, so sorry for the glare).

There were some protesters at the rally, though they were greatly outnumbered. Signs from the day include one that said, Welcome Hell's Angles" (sic), and one that said, Yield to private property owners. We don't walk in your neighborhood. Save our privacy." There were fears that the trail would bring crime or would be an all-hours party. The members of the Burke-Gilman Trail Park Committee learned that it is much easier to build a community movement against a change than it is to build a movement in favor of something new. But they kept pushing and spreading the word until they had convened all these supporters as well as bipartisan political support at the city, county, state and federal levels.

So did they win? You'll have to bike the Burke-Gilman Trail to the event Saturday to find out! Cascade is hosting several free group rides to the event:

• Log Boom Park to Matthews Beach Park (five miles, steady pace)
• Gas Works Park to Matthews Beach Park (seven miles, leisurely pace)
• Gas Works Park to Matthews Beach Park (seven miles, steady pace)
• Rainier Beach to Matthews Beach Park (16 miles, steady pace)
• Blyth Park to Matthews Beach Park (eight miles, moderate pace)

From an early brochure by the Burke-Gilman Trail Park Committee to spread the word about their vision for the defunct rail line. (Seattle Municipal Archives)