Connecting regional trails

Courtesy of King County Parks

Connected trail networks throughout Washington state help people get to the places they want to go — whether that’s commuting to work, taking a weekend ride with friends, or on an extended tour to explore a new place. Regional trails connect people to neighborhoods and nature, and are safe for users of all ages abilities because they are separated from vehicle traffic. 

Cascade is advocating for new and expanded trail networks in several parts of Washington state. By working with county and city trail planners and elected officials; partnering with community leaders and advocacy groups; and organizing neighbors, businesses and local advocates, Cascade works to make sure that people all over the state can get outside on a bike to exercise and explore. In addition, the Cascade policy team creates visionary campaigns and partnerships. One example is the Eastside Greenway Alliance, which unifies public, private and nonprofit entities around support for expedited development of the Eastrail, a new regional trail that will connect some of East King County’s largest and fastest growing cities. 

Our current trail-focused advocacy priorities include the Burke-Gilman Trail, the Eastrail, the East Lake Sammamish Trail, the Lake to Sound Trail, and Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail, as well as the Leafline Trail Network, where we manage a four-county coalition of partners to advocate for building more trails throughout the Puget Sound. Read about the latest trail news on the Cascade blog.

If you are passionate about regional trails, sign up for our Advocacy Alerts and stay up to date on the latest ways to support the completion or expansion of a regional trail near you.