Alki Trail

5.5 miles of scenic trail goodness!
I love discovering new ways to get around the city on my bike — and Alki Trail has got to be one of my favorites AND one of the prettiest trails yet.
You start at the West Seattle bridge down on Spokane Street, and end up pretty much at the Alki Point Lighthouse. The only REAL inclines have to deal with the bridge itself — and i’m only nauseous on those parts due to my bridge phobia — not the physical exertion required to make it up them.
Harbor Island itself is super interesting to look at. Pretty? Eh, maybe in an industrial sense, but still a visually appealing part of the ride. Then you hit the peninsula portion of the trail and you have pretty much the BEST Cityscape view of Seattle at your disposal. Seriously — the view is gorgeous and you have plenty of places to pull off an enjoy it (parks, piers, restaurants!). Then you hit the westward bound curve and you have Alki beach and the Puget Sound in front of you — not to mention deliciously cool breezes off the water while making the experience all the better. At this portion of the trail you hit a LOT of congestion though. I understand it! The beach is nice, the views amazing — everyone wants to enjoy it! Just make sure if you are biking to use a bell or voice while passing, and well just watch for pedestrians of all sorts. Your speed will be cut down considerably, but who really cares with THAT VIEW?
I certainly don’t.
I love the views, the shops on the way, and all in all I love this short little trail!