This is the third post in my series of my favorite scenic rides in Seattle. These are rides that aren’t too challenging and would be great to show off our city to someone that hasn’t biked in Seattle before. This one has a couple of hills but they are easily done with gradual grades and is only about 16 miles.
I started at my home on Beacon Hill and rode North down the hill across Jose Rizal bridge. I have taken this photo so many times during my years living on this hill but it is very often an awesome picture.
I continued North rising slowly on 12th until I turned Right on Union street. I climbed up Union to get me to 15th which I took across Capitol Hill. Yes I bypassed the Broadway cycle track and most of the action of Pike/Pine but I really wanted to get up to Volunteer park to get some good pics.
This is the top of the hill so it is now time to ride back down. I go East on Galer Street and then turn left on Interlaken and ride the curvy road through the park.
After Interlaken, the route takes you past Roanoke park and you go down the hill to the University Bridge. More great boat views and you can see the new park in the picture above that was built last year. I then get on the Burke Gilman trail and head West to Gasworks. Where I have taken the same pictures for many years…
After taking a zillion pics I get back on the Burke to continue on to Fremont. I go under the bridges and don’t turn until I see the dinosaur bush sculpture. I head up the slight hill towards the bridge. Sundays they have the Fremont Sunday market so I had to take 35th instead of 34th to go across the fremont bridge. This is my favorite bridge in the city.
Dinosaur- where to turn to go across fremont bridge
After crossing the bridge, I wind around to the right to get down to the Westlake trail and take it along Lake Union to get to the South Lake Union neighborhood. Lots of walking, biking traffic along here.
At the end of the Westlake, I like to head for the 2nd Avenue trail. Either by going through Seattle Center or like on this ride I turned up Bell Street, right after Denny park. 2nd is the main trail through town and can be really busy. Watch for cars coming out of garages and also cars that aren’t paying attention to the stoplights.
I follow the 2nd Avenue trail which ends in the ID. I then head up on King street which is a crazy dangerous sharrow bikeway until I get back to 12th avenue to head back over the bridge to Beacon Hill. Total Distance about 16 miles.
