Work to begin on East Lake Sammamish Trail

SAMMAMISH, Wash. – After years of lawsuits and debate, King County has finally received the necessary permits for constructing the East Lake Sammamish Trail — a critical link in establishing a series of connected trails that run the length of the state.

The 7-mile stretch of former railroad bed, which could open by January, will connect two segments in Issaquah and Redmond that have been open for a year.

When it opens, trekkers can start on an existing trail near Shilshole Bay in Seattle and connect to the Burke-Gilman Trail. The route then stretches past the University of Washington, curls north around Lake Washington and connects with the Sammamish River Trail in Kenmore, passing parks in Bothell and a winery in Woodinville before extending south past Redmond.

The new link will take people along Lake Sammamish toward the quaint storefronts of downtown Issaquah and lead the most ambitious hikers and cyclists into Snoqualmie Pass, where they can hook up with other trails that follow Interstate 90.

The Sammamish section was held up by litigation brought by lakefront property owners whose lands are crossed by the trail. The property owners dropped their case in March after an adverse ruling from the U.S. District Court in Seattle.