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Interurban map/route going north?

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Started 3 months ago by teigyr
Latest reply from teigyr

teigyr

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VB or somebody knowledgeable, is there a website or physical map of the Interurban north? I'm mostly curious about north of 205th. I've figured out to (thanks to this site) get back to the trail right near Costco, I would have never figured that one out. I've gone about 2 miles-ish north of there before turning around to come home. Right around where the trail picks back up after 205th, it looks like there is a trail going to the west, am kind of curious about that. Mostly though I want to know how far north it goes miles-wise, say north of 205th. Since this is for running, it would also be nice to know if there are sketchy areas or places better avoided :) I know a map wouldn't say that. What's the furthest north people have gone and IS there a complete map of the north area somewhere either online or in print? It looks like the online maps go city to city and when I'm on the trail I have no idea what city I'm in half the time.

Posted 3 months ago #
VeganBiker

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teigyr - Here are links to the Snohomish bike maps and the King County Bike Maps:
http://www.snohomish.org/index.php?page_id=499
http://www.kingcounty.gov/transportation/kcdot/Roads/Bicycling.aspx

Click on the Interurban Trail Map for the Snohomish side of that trail.
The trail goes all the way up to almost Everett.
Head up to 205th at the back of Aurora Village then you would have to go East to Meridian then North across the county line onto 76th and then continue until you see a sign at about 240th to turn right and get on the trail, then it is pretty much trail all the way up

Posted 3 months ago #
VeganBiker

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teigyr - and every time I ride up there I seldom see anyone on the trail, well bikers that is, but runners, dog walkers and one summer evening I came around a corner coming home to Ballard and there was a group of young teens smoking dope, sitting on the middle of the trail, we were all surprised!
However there was a body found in the Mill Creek area on the trail last week, foul play not suspected, so watch out for things on the trail!

Posted 3 months ago #
dguy

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This isn't a bad map: http://www.commtrans.org/faqs/Images/bikemaps/Interurban2010.pdf
And there is this: http://www.co.snohomish.wa.us/documents/Departments/Parks/Maps/InterurbanTrail.pdf

Note that they show slightly different routes around Lake Ballinger. The route on the second map that goes up 76th is the more correct route at present. The other route that goes closer to the lake make be passable on foot, but last time I was up there did not seem to be officially open yet.

If you take the interurban all the way from Ballard to Everett, it is around 25 miles one direction. If you are running, you'll probably just want to do sections. I think starting where the trail picks back up (back off the street) just north of Lake Ballinger is a nice starting place.

I don't run, but if you wanted to scout the trail on a bike to get a better sense of it, I'm sure we could put together a group.

Posted 3 months ago #
dguy

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I see vegan beat me too it while I was typing. Not a surprise!

Posted 3 months ago #
teigyr

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Interesting, thank you. What I've been on has been really well marked, which is nice. There are some isolated areas, at least they feel isolated. Right now I only need to go 4 miles past the south side of Costco so it definitely looks like there's enough trail.

Posted 3 months ago #
teigyr

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I think the Lake Ballinger part is passable now. There's a progression of trail to residential road to trail again but it's decent. It might be fun to scout it out by bike - though it's been a long time since I've been on a bike. That climb between the north side of Costco and the south must be gross on a bike! I'm talking about that trail that is alongside Meridian. It's a short hill but is (imo) substantial. I just have to remind myself "it's only .3, it's only .3, it's only .3".

Yikes re the body. I only went up as far as the north side of Costco last weekend, fortunately.

I start at 110th, is 5.25 miles from my start point to where the trail "ends" and you go to Meridian to pick it back up again.

Posted 3 months ago #
VeganBiker

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dguy - ha, sorry, I was actually wondering if you or someone would beat me to it. :)

teigyr - yea that little hill coming back South after you cross the county line is a kicker! I have not been up there since last year, don't know if I can do it right now. Next week I have an event for Cascade Bike Club up at Echo Lake Elementary School at their Science Night, we are giving a demo of our Bike Blender and I am planning to ride up if it is not pouring down with rain. I did it last year and it is a good ride in the dark from Ballard and back, event is 6:30-8:30 PM and it took me over an hour to ride there. I got a flat in the rain! So much fun, but the kids enthusiasm making smoothies on the bike blender made up for it all.

Posted 3 months ago #
dguy

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My least favorite part of the whole route to Everett is the hill just north of Costco. A short steep hill is always worse than a long gradual hill. North of Lake Ballinger, however, is a particularly nice section.

Posted 3 months ago #
teigyr

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dguy, do you mean going out there or coming back? I'm trying to think of a long gradual hill unless you stay on the road longer than I do? I turn to the right about .3ish after the light, there's some kind of station sign. I don't recall a gradual incline but maybe I don't notice it? I'm not faster at the turnaround though so if there's a gradual decline, I don't notice that either.

Going back is nice except for a few patches of suckiness. The climb back to the light right before the trail by Meridian, the trail alongside Meridian, the climb back from Costco up to the nursery, then that gradual incline between 155th & 145th. The rest of it seems to be flat/gradual downhill.

VB, I've seen one of those blenders! There's a good chance we have friends in common.

Posted 3 months ago #
dguy

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I wasn't very clear, was I? The short steep hill I hate is south bound on Meridian from 205th to 200th. I think that is the same hill Vegan was referring to at the county line.

A much nicer, longer, more gradual hill is going north on Meridian (actually north of 205th it is called 76th) from about 205th to around 234th.

Understand that the bike route stays on 76th up to 228th, then goes right a few blocks to connect up with the trail.

Posted 3 months ago #
teigyr

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Ah, ok. Do you stay on the street? Would make sense, the bit of trail that winds through the trees is narrow and has some tree roots that make it a bit bumpy. I don't see many bikes on that little stretch. It isn't as steep as the road because it's a bit longer but it's still gross. It's all the more evil because it's right after that climb to the light.

I need to pay attention to the roads. It's hard to know what road I'm on (unless I'm on the trail) and even if I look, I don't remember. While on the trail north of Costco, I have NO idea what city I'm in. It's nice to know it goes so far north though, I doubt if I'll ever need to do a 50ish mile round trip (less for me because I start in hillbillyland) but it's nice to have a long and almost relatively flat out and and back. By flat I mean the alternative would be down 85th through Golden Gardens then on the bike trail to Stone and back up Stone. THAT is a bad climb.

Posted 3 months ago #
Mondoman

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When biking up there, I always take that curvy paved trail through the forest between 200th and 205th. Depending on direction, it's a good brake check or a good low-gear check! It does seem pretty isolated and spooky, though. I ride it in the dark with my mega-lumen light, but I don't think I'd be comfortable there on foot. The longer stretch of that forest trail, south of N 200th St and over to 1st Ave NE, is quite pleasant in the summer daylight and I've seen many people on that the few times I rode it last summer.

Posted 3 months ago #
shanana

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Regarding physical copies, you used to find the Seattle bike map at most library branches, but I don't think that's the case anymore. There's surely someplace in City Hall where you could pick one up in person (or maybe the WA Bike Alliance offices in Pioneer Square), but ordering online might be the easiest option. (If you want I'd gladly give up one of my old maps—I've got '03, '09, '10, and '11—but the 2012 map was redesigned to be pocket-sized, and it's most up-to-date, so it's probably your best bet.)

You can get a King County map at the Map Room in King Street Center at 2nd & Jackson, but call first to see if they have 'em in stock. That might even have been where I picked up my Pierce County bike map, though I'm not sure.

Regarding Snohomish County, I went ahead and called Community Transit to ask if there was any place to pick up a physical copy of their map, and they offered to mail one out to me. So call 425-353-RIDE if you want one of those.

In general, if you happen to be riding near a library, I recommend stopping in and checking if they have any maps—they're usually with the bus schedules and other random stuff—think the foyer of the Ballard Branch. SPL might not have many maps these days, but I think I've picked up a few at KCLS branches recently. Plus you can use the bathroom and refill the water bottle :)

Posted 3 months ago #
VeganBiker

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shanana - FYI - King County is not printing any more bike maps, they made that decision last year when the put their current mobile map on line at:
http://www5.kingcounty.gov/mobile/bikemapMobile/
That map is the most detailed map for bicycle riders in King County.
The current Seattle Bike map that was printed last year and has "twenty twelve" on the cover is available in a large size and a small "pocket" size. I work for Cascade Bicycle Club and most Sundays, if it is not raining, I have a table at the Ballard Farmers Market near the Noble Fir restaurant where I give out free bicycle maps and bicycling information. I have a selection of maps from King County and also the Snohomish and Pierce county maps.

Posted 3 months ago #
teigyr

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VB, I forgot about that. Now that football season is over, we'll probably head to the market more often.

shanana, thank you! Since the Snohomish part is what I'm curious about, I might call them.

Mondo, that is such a short stretch of trail but yeah, it's kind of spooky. I learned if it's anywhere near dusk, that part gets DARK. It's short and the condos/apartments are right there but still it seems so isolated.

Posted 3 months ago #
VeganBiker

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teigyr - I have a few Snohomish maps and if it doesn't rain I will be at the Ballard Farmers Market around noon on Sunday if you want one.

Posted 3 months ago #
teigyr

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VB if we make it out and around at a civilized time, we'll head down. Today I went up far - past where it jogs around the tennis court/playground area. My general mantra, besides "it's only .3" is "don't get lost". It was pretty well marked, actually. Up by the race car/miniature golf place (I think that's what it is? there is an underpass right near it) there were kids gracing the underpass with graffiti. I braved crossing traffic so I didn't have to deal with telling off kids that may or may not have had weapons. Next week I'll go a mile further than I did this week so new adventures are in store!!! I looked at my downloads, I think if I wasn't in Everett I was darned close to it.

Posted 3 months ago #
Mondoman

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T - doesn't the interurban trail hook up with the Centennial trail south of Marysville? There was a recent article in the paper about a "missing link" in the Centennial Trail having been filled in recently, up by Arlington IIRC. I think that's the land of tribal tax-free smokes and gas, so you might need a hand cart to lug stuff back home.

Posted 3 months ago #
dguy

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I am not aware of the interurban connecting to the centennial, though such a connection would be great. The centennial did recently add a section north of Arlington taking the trail up to the Skagit border.

Posted 3 months ago #
VeganBiker

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teigyr - I was down at the Farmers Market until 1 PM but didn't see you :( and I had a Snohomish Bicycle Map for you.
Mondoman - no the Snohomish Interurban and the Snohomish Centennial trails do not connect or meet ant any point. And as dguy pointed out the Centennial trail was recently extended to the North county line and it is a really nice trail to ride.

Posted 3 months ago #
teigyr

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VB, we were lazy, sorry! It was a beautiful day, too.

Posted 3 months ago #

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Interurban map/route going north?

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