I figure I now have 3 go-to conditioning hikes. The best one, because it is in the forest (but requires a longish freeway drive) is the Section Line on Tiger Mountain.
The 2nd one was the Tolt Pipeline Trail in Woodinville. Not a freeway drive, but maybe 12 miles to the next town.
As of today I have a third one, the Tolt Pipeline Trail and Sammamish River Trail starting from Blyth Park in Bothell, only about a 6 mile drive, if that.
I tried to do a thru-hike via the long, steep hill just outside Blyth Park (I now know it is called Norway Hill) but when I got near the 405 freeway I was confused how to get back to the Tolt Pipeline Trail so I turned around and studied the online map more closely.
This part of the hike is a bit obnoxious, crossing a very busy highway (there is a light so it isn’t dangerous, just ugly with all the cars and their exhaust), two freeway ramps, and then a right turn on an obscure little street.
But after that it is fine the rest of the way. I hooked back up to Tolt, walked on an easy sidewalk/trail in Woodinville, which took me quickly to the Sammamish River Trail, which I walked back to Blyth Park.
I noticed a kayaker as I neared Blyth, having walked just under 9 miles, and he caught my eye because Derek and I had been talking about trying to get out more often on kayaks next summer. It sounds like a nice plan to me.
Anyway, this is a keeper.
