True to its name, the Cross Kirkland Corridor traverses the city for nearly six miles, connecting eight neighborhoods, four major business districts, more than a dozen parks, and several public schools. The trail has the level grade of a typical rail-trail, is well-marked, and has many well-shaded sections.
Google, a major employer in the area, has a campus in the Houghton neighborhood. As the trail traverses the campus, it provides access to Feriton Spur (747 6th Ave. S.), a park which offers a playground, zip line, exercise equipment, basketball and volleyball courts, and a historical caboose.
The rail-trail is part of the developing 42-mile Eastside Rail Corridor network, stretching from Renton to Snohomish. The railroad line was built in 1904 to haul coal and lumber, but later expanded to agricultural and industrial freight. In Kirkland, the rails and ties were removed in 2013.
Parking is available at Crestwoods Park (1818 6th Street) and Terrace Park (10333 NE 67th Street).
This is a wonderful trail. The southern end is a little vague for access. Around Totem Lake, the trail is under construction (2020-2022 or ?) and a bypass is necessary. The northern end of the trail also does not connect well into other trails, ending a couple of miles from the Sammamish River Trail, but the busy & fast NE 124th connects the two with a good bike lane.
The path surface is packed and hard . My friend finished this trail on a trek FX 2015 bike with no issues
Easy bike trail - the part between google building and Bellevue has beautiful views
This trail is super convenient. It’s gravel, but pretty compact, so even with a road bike you should be fine. Just make sure to give yourself an extra few yards of stopping distance. It has a lot of road crossings, but each one has a button that immediately flashes a bunch of annoying yellow lights at the crossing traffic, which is legally required to stop immediately, so no more waiting for long periods of time at stop lights. The greatest part about it is that it used to be a train track, so the entire trail is super level. No matter which way you go, it almost always feels as if you’re riding downhill. Overall I think this trail is great for committing, and fun for leisurely Sunday cruises. Give it a try!
This trail is gravel, so only slower or family biking is better. Many streets to cross, some very busy, some with Z design making tandem crossing tricky. Construction detour areas are not well marked. Walkers don't always pick up after their dogs so watch out. Also, some areas are Environmentally Sensitive, but beautiful, whereas others are the backs of factories & warehouses. On the plus side, it's so new that it is still in very good condition, smooth and relatively clean.
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails conservancy
(a non-profit) and we need your support!