Eastside Seattle Walks: 20+ routes to explore nature, history, and public art in Seattle's eastern suburbs

By Janice M King

From a country path in Carnation to a riverside walk in Redmond...a nearby mountain lake in North Bend to an art-filled urban park in downtown Bellevue...the cities and towns in the eastern suburbs of Seattle offer a terrific variety of interesting walks. Eastside Seattle Walks will help you explore routes that showcase nature, local history, an

• Language: English
• Publisher: Creabunda Books
• Release date: Jun 15, 2020
• ISBN: 9780976639633

Janice M King

As an author, fiber artist, walker, and longtime resident of Seattle's Eastside, Janice King enjoys sharing ideas and inspiration for connecting with place. Her art projects also focus on living from a spirit of creative abundance every day. Keep up-to-date with the latest information about these walks and Janice's work at www.eastsideseattlewalks.com

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Eastside

Seattle Walks

20+ routes to explore nature, history, and public art in Seattle’s eastern suburbs

Janice M. King

EASTSIDE SEATTLE WALKS: 20+ routes to explore nature, history, and public art in Seattle’s eastern suburbs

All text and photographs Copyright©2020 Janice M. King

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in, or introduced into a retrieval system, or utilized, translated, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published in the United States by Creabunda™ Books, an imprint of WriteSpark Press. Creabunda™ is a trademark of Janice M. King DBA Creabunda (www.creabunda.com). All other trademarks and service marks that appear in this book are the property of their respective owners.

First Edition, 2020

Cover and interior design by TeaBerry Creative

PUBLISHER’S CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA

provided by Five Rainbows Cataloging Services

Names: King, Janice M., author.

Title: Eastside Seattle walks : 20+ routes to explore nature, history, and public art in Seattle’s eastern suburbs / Janice M. King.

Identifiers: ISBN (paperback): 978-0-9766396-2-6 |

ISBN (e-book): 978-0-9766396-3-3

Description: Issaquah, WA : Creabunda Books, 2020. | Includes index.

Subjects: LCSH: Walking—Washington (State)—Seattle—Guidebooks. | Walking—Washington (State)—Guidebooks. | Seattle (Wash.)—Tours. | Seattle Region (Wash.)—Guidebooks. | Travel—Guidebooks. | BISAC: TRAVEL / United States / West / Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) | TRAVEL / Special Interest / Hikes & Walks. | TRAVEL / Museums, Tours, Points of Interest.

Classification: LCC F899.S43 K56 2020 (print) |

LCC F899.S43 (ebook) | DDC 917.97/77204—dc23.

DISCLAIMER: This book offers information of a general nature and it is not intended to be a substitute for personal judgment, awareness, and caution.

Each walk description includes a summary of what you can expect for surfaces, conditions and features that may affect your walk. However, the author does not guarantee that you will encounter any aspects of any routes as they are described in this book. Names, conditions, natural and man-made features, and all other route elements are subject to change, closure, or removal at any time. Additionally, at any time on any route you may encounter conditions and hazards that are different from what are described here. You are responsible for the safety of yourself and of your party at all times when walking on any of the routes described in this book. You are also responsible for verifying the availability of the route and its suitability for your needs and abilities of yourself and other people in your party. The author does not make any claim of safety or suitability of any route for any purpose or any person, and disclaims all liability for any injury, death, loss of or damage to property, or any other experience, circumstance, or condition encountered or incurred by any person using this book or accessing or following the routes described here, for any changes or differences in any aspect of those routes from what is described here, and for any errors or omissions that may be present in this book.

For everyone who enjoys

experiencing and connecting with a place

through walking

Introduction

Welcome to a New Walking Adventure!

The eastern suburbs of Seattle, commonly referred to as the Eastside, offer a wealth of choices for both casual and dedicated walkers. Forested trails, urban sidewalks, country roads, and parkland pathways—all invite exploration.

But with so many possibilities, how can you find the most interesting routes?

That’s the purpose of this book: To showcase great walks for discovering and connecting with the many and varied treasures in the cities and towns of the Eastside. Most walks are short, easy or moderately easy, and feature elements that will interest both adults and kids.

For each community, I’ve chosen a walk that encompasses at least two of these interests: Nature, history, and public art. Some walks include other interests as well, such as gardens, farms, and vintage neighborhoods. And I suggest ideas for additional walks, museums, and other attractions you might enjoy in each area.

How to Use This Guide

Read this section first so you will understand how to use the route descriptions and other information provided in this book when you’re considering and following the walk routes described here.

Route descriptions and finding your way. Each walk description includes a general overview of the route. Waypoints and street intersections are provided for the starting location and other distinct points along the walk.

When following the routes in this book, stop to read the next direction and orient yourself. You may want to supplement this information with a printed map or a mapping app on a smartphone to confirm your location and provide a visual orientation to the surrounding area.

You’ll enjoy the walking experience more if you are prepared and adhere to basic precautions. Always walk with safety in mind, watching and listening for hazards and using crosswalks, pedestrian lights, and flags wherever available.

Difficulty rating and surfaces description. I have rated all walks in this book as easy or moderately easy, defined as follows:

Easy: Flat or only very slight uphill or downhill grades along some portions of the walk.

Moderately Easy: Mostly flat, but multiple segments involve slight to moderate uphill or downhill grades.

A few walks have segments with steeper uphill or downhill grades; these segments are noted in the route description, along with a bypass if available.

Note: I have not made a judgment about whether any of these routes are considered accessible or ADA compliant, or if they can be navigated by a wheelchair, stroller, or other wheeled device. Read the full route description before starting each walk to determine if it will be suitable for yourself and others in your party.

Parking and transit availability. Each walk includes information on the availability of parking near the starting point. Always check signs for restrictions, time limits, and any required payment. For transit options, the walk description lists the agency that provides nearby service if available, however some walks in this book are not easily accessible by public transit. For details on transit routes, stops, and schedules, check these resources:

King County Metro trip planner: https://tripplanner.kingcounty.gov/ (also available as a mobile app)

Snoqualmie Valley Transportation: http://svtbus.org/

Exploration ideas. The exploration questions and activities are designed to spark curiosity and make the walk more interesting for yourself and your walking companions, especially children.

Nature information. Seattle’s Eastside is an area full of natural beauty, with much to enjoy year-round. In winter, we can look for white snow berries and purple beauty berries among the trees and shrubs that remain evergreen. When there’s a break in the clouds, we can look both east and west for a glimpse of snow-covered mountains.

In spring, we see