Tolt Pipeline Trail is Made for Strolling and Rolling

AS THE NAME implies, the Tolt Pipeline Trail has strictly utilitarian beginnings, born in the early 1960s as part of the right-of-way for the large underground pipe that originates in the Tolt River Watershed and supplies much of the drinking water for the Seattle area.

No matter how or why it was created, the trail today is perfect for the lazy Sunday afternoon stroll -- and more energetic activities for those so inclined. It’s about the only trail around Woodinville that dog-walkers, equestrians, runners, mountain bikers and strolling families can all share with elbow room to spare. It’s not necessarily a trail you’d want to drive a long distance to reach, but for those who live near the trail it can be the perfect quick escape on fall weekends or long summer twilights.

The soft-gravel trail is 100 feet wide and runs 14 mostly dead-straight miles from Bothell to just short of Duvall. Much of that route is lined with trees, cutting through a long stretch of unincorporated Woodinville (along with a shorter stretch within city limits).

While parts of the trail are flat and stroll-worthy, sections can be hilly and challenging, particularly west of Avondale Road. There are short road detours on parts of the trail, including one at NE 145th Street where it crosses the Sammamish River Trail.

The part I know best is the part from Avondale east to what looks like the “end” of the trail, on a slope past 232nd Avenue NE with a sweeping view of the Snoqualmie River Valley and the Cascades. A guard rail marks the end of the wide trail, but with a short road detour (as you face the valley, take the paved road to the right, around the gate) you can actually descend and traverse almost all the way to Duvall. Just remember you have to come back up that big slope to return.

The several miles between Avondale and the Duvall overlook is mostly a wide corridor through tall firs and occasional deciduous trees, with a few equestrian estates and housing developments (such as Trilogy) peeking through along the way. The Tolt does connect to the Redmond Watershed Preserve via a trail that forks to the right just east of 232nd, and it crosses Bear Creek west of Mink Road NE.

It can be quite a busy (though mellow) thoroughfare, but there’s wildlife to be seen. You can spot owls in the trees at twilight, if you’re quiet and careful. My husband once watched a bobcat lounge in the grass near the trail for a good 10 minutes; two dogs that bounded by with their owners never suspected a thing, as the bobcat just watched (warily).

If you’re lucky enough to live within walking distance of the Tolt, just start walking (or riding, or running). If you need to drive to get there, there are parking areas where the trail crosses roads, including Woodinville-Redmond Road, Avondale, Mink, and 216th Avenue NE. The western end of the trail starts near Blyth Park in Bothell. For the section nearest you, just check the map.