West Duwamish Greenbelt Trails — Attraction in Seattle

This trail system through Seattle's largest contiguous forest extends from Pigeon Point near the West Seattle bridge at the north end, down to Westcrest Park at the south end. The trails can be tricky to navigate, so I suggest using an online or paper trail map. Some trails are no longer maintained in an attempt to protect the more fragile areas. The greenbelt offers a rich variety of dense forest, clearings, urban juxtapositions, and critters. Well maintained routes (paved walkways, a gravel road, raised gravel paths with bridges spanning water, and well established dirt trails) are mixed in with tiny dead-end trails, DIY trail improvements, shortcuts, and trails leading to abandoned encampments. I found no trail markers to help stay on primary paths, but there is signage throughout reminding folks of the importance of staying on the maintained trails and signs with QR codes to download trail maps. Trailheads can be found at South Seattle College (Southeast corner), Riverview Pee Wee fields, and many other residential...

The trail is well-defined, but not particularly pleasant. Plant life is uninteresting visually. There is a portable restroom. Was a bit apprehensive at first. The trail can lead to a residential neighborhood or to parking lot of community college. It looks more like a trail was cut through wood than a forest, like in Schmitz Park. Brought my cat here, but wasn't as accessible for her than it would be for dogs. I was bitten by a lot...

The main trails are wet and muddy six months of the year. The smaller trails are primitive at best and all too often dead end or lead to nowhere useful requiring you to turn around and go back the way you came. Not much for amenities like water or restrooms either. If you are prepared for that it is possibly the biggest slice of wilderness you can find without leaving...