Is there any outdoor recreation project that’s as cool as a rail-to-trail transition, a broad car free path that connects towns and cities, passes through green spaces and invites users to explore an environment by padding or pedaling along?  There’s a magical feeling when you step or ride upon one of these paths, knowing municipalities and businesses have worked together to craft a “secret passage” that offers us a healthy collective sigh.

What is the Eastrail?

Eastrail presents a prime example of just how extraordinary a rail-to-trail project can be. The planned 42-mile corridor will convey users over historic trestle bridges, into urban centers and beside vineyards, farmers’ fields and forests. 

“Eastrail is a great way to explore the Eastside without having to drive or bike long distances, as there two light rail stations directly on the trail,” says Katherine Hollis, executive director of Eastrail Partners, the non-profit organization that oversees the Eastrail development and maintenance. “It also connects to hundreds of miles of other regional trails, making it possible to enjoy many miles of traffic-free movement.”

Why Start Your Eastrail Adventure in Bellevue?

Bellevue offers an ideal launching point to explore the Woodinville wine country, explore Kirkland’s Lake Washington waterfront or connect to other regional trail systems and parks. Whether you’re a long-distance cyclist looking to knock out a 100-mile “century” ride or a family seeking a casual stroll to the beautiful Bellevue Botanical Garden and elsewhere, Eastrail provides your path to discovery.

Bellevue’s Wilburton and Spring District Light Rail Stations also connect directly to Eastrail, further making the Eastside’s largest city an easy conduit for adventures all over the Puget Sound area.

“Eastrail gives visitors to Bellevue a unique way to explore the city and surrounding communities while enjoying beautiful scenery and getting around without a car,” Hollis says. “It connects visitors to regional trails, parks, businesses, transit, and other amenities, while providing a place to walk, bike, or run right in the heart of the Eastside.”

What Should You Know Before Biking or Walking Eastrail?

Eastrail is composed of paved and gravel sections, the latter best on gravel bikes, mountain bikes and road bikes with tires wider than 28 cm. E-bikes are also permitted on the multi-use trail that requires all cyclists to yield to pedestrians. The interactive Eastrail map provides details about various trail sections and closures, adjacent parks and connections to other trail systems, among other details. The Eastrail Partners website also provides regular updates about trail conditions, closures and new segments.

When Will the Wilburton Trestle Open?

Everyone is especially excited to see the Wilburton Trestle come online, including Eastrail Partners’ executive director.

“The Wilburton Trestle is a historic railroad trestle that is more than 100 years old and is being transformed into a critical piece of Eastrail,” Hollis says. “When it opens in summer 2027, it will create a continuous trail connection from Mercer Slough through Bellevue and all the way to Woodinville, allowing trail users to bypass some of Bellevue’s busier roads and steeper climbs.

The trestle will also become a destination, offering incredible views of the Bellevue skyline, Lake Washington, and the surrounding region. It’s going to be a truly special part of the Eastrail experience.”

The Wilburton Trestle is adjacent to the resplendent Bellevue Botanical Garden, among the finest display gardens on the West Coast. Once the bridge is completed, stowing one’s bike or pausing one’s walk to explore the gardens before crossing the trestle will quickly become a “must-do” travel experience for Bellevue visitors and residents.

How Do You Bike from Bellevue to Woodinville Wine Country?

Bellevue visitors are often surprised to learn that well over one hundred wineries and tasting rooms are located about eleven miles away via Eastrail. Sailing to your wine flights featuring premier Washington vintages and excellent bites is half of the fun.

“For visitors who want to bike, you can bring your own bike or rent one in Bellevue from The Line Experience, a short walk from the Wilburton Light Rail Station,” Hollis says. “Once you’re on the trail, you can go as far as you like. One of the most popular stretches runs from Central Bellevue to Woodinville Wine Country, with parks, shopping centers, breweries, wineries, and other destinations along the way. Visitors can find a detailed trail map and information about access points at Eastrail.org.”

Where Can You Stop Along Eastrail?

Terrace Park and Crestwoods Park in Kirkland provide grassy respites directly off Eastrail. The Totem Lake Connector spans above a busy intersection to ease the passage through Totem Lake by eliminating vehicle encounters. Farm fields appear over the next couple of miles before coming to the Sammamish River Trail junction, conveniently located at Chateau Ste. Michelle, Washington’s oldest winery and among the premier tasting rooms in the Pacific Northwest. The Chateau is also renowned for its summer concert series. Elvis Costello, Brandi Carlisle and many other A-List musicians regularly perform in this Tuscan setting.

One doesn’t have to travel to Woodinville to enjoy excellent amenities in a gorgeous setting. The Kirkland waterfront, easily reached via the Cross Kirkland Corridor, invites one to dismount and stroll among boutiques and cafés or relax on the lakefront in Marina and Heritage parks. 

“A personal favorite of mine is the stretch from Wilburton Station in Bellevue to Feriton Spur Park in Kirkland,” Hollis says. “It offers great scenery and access to some fantastic amenities along the way. On a sunny afternoon, biking from the light rail station to Chainline Station at Feriton Spur Park is one of my favorite outings. Chainline Station is a brewery housed in an old train caboose, and Feriton Spur Park also features pickleball courts, a playground, a seasonal splash pad, and an amphitheater where Eastrail Partners hosts free concerts during the summer.”

A right turn along the Redmond Central Connector reveals another Eastside urban gem filled with patios, 47 parks and shops ranging from books and fashion to curios and keepsakes. Redmond’s Marymoor Park draws visitors from throughout the Puget Sound region to watch music, play sports and enjoy the 640-acre all-ages play area. Avid riders can access the East Lake Sammamish Trail, an 11-mile asphalt path that shadows Lake Sammamish to Issaquah.  

What Other Trails Connect to Eastrail?

Regional trails spread out like autumn’s aster flowers from Eastrail, offering opportunities to pedal in every direction for as long as one wish to ride. The East Lake Sammamish Trail is one of several routes that connect with the Burke-Gilman Trail, a 20-mile track that runs around the north shore of Lake Washington all the way to the University of Washington and Seattle’s northern neighborhoods.

You can pause among the independent clothing shops in funky Fremont and in Ballard, explore the former fishing hamlet that is home today to dozens of breweries, music venues and the architecturally distinctive National Nordic Museum.

Eastrail also offers plenty of scenic and cultural surprises, says Hollis, like the segment from Renton’s Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park to Factoria, one of her personal favorites.

“This stretch runs close to Lake Washington and offers incredible views of the water, the Olympic Mountains, and the Seattle skyline. Along the way, there are several beautiful waterfront parks with seasonal swimming, and it’s just a short connection to the diverse restaurants and businesses of downtown Renton.”

Where Can You Find Nature Along Eastrail?

Cyclists and pedestrians can also enter immersive natural environments directly from Eastrail. The Coal Creek Natural Area gets wild quickly with creekside forests shrouding dirt paths and boardwalks. The Red Town Trail leads the ambitious hiker to miles of ascents on Cougar Mountain. If time is an issue, consider a visit to Mercer Slough, a 329-acre wetland due south of downtown Bellevue.

“With about 20 miles currently open to anyone who wants to walk, bike, or roll,” says Hollis. “Eastrail has a little bit of everything: lush green trees and parks, views of Lake Washington and Mount Rainier, access to breweries, wineries, and restaurants, and connections to other attractions, transit, hotels, and more.”

You see more of everything and each other when you cycle or walk. Bellevue provides the perfect ramp to hop on Eastrail and discover where your path leads you.