Progress Report: North Creek Trail Phase 1

Rick Proctor

A newsletter from February 2021 featured three phases of development of the North Creek Trail N-Crk-Trail-Newsletter-Feb-2021 (snohomishcountywa.gov) between Bothell and Mill Creek.  On Monday, August 22^nd, 2022 I found the Phase 1 project to be nearly complete and the trail was open for riding, so I did a test ride.  This new Phase 1 all asphalt or concrete trail section is only about 1¼ miles long.

A new 12 feet wide paved trail goes west from Bothell’s Centennial Park on the south side of 208^th St SE for nearly ¼ mile then crosses 9^th Ave SE to a corner where the trail turns right to the north to cross 208^th St SE.  9^th Ave SE turns into Filbert Dr as it crosses 208^th St SE.  The Phase 1 trail begins on the west side of Filbert Dr and has a mild upward grade going north.  Filbert Dr and the trail curve gently left, right, left for ¾ mile and at 3^rd Dr SE the trail crosses Filbert drive to continue under power lines with mostly level curviness for another ¼ mile where it crosses Winesap Rd.  The trail turns left on the east and north side of Winesap Rd for about 500 feet to Sprague Dr.  At this point the trail goes down a steep grade along Sprague Dr for about 100 yards where it ends abruptly at a “Trail Ends” sign amidst other signs indicating Private Property, No Trespassing, and Dump No Garbage.  This where the Phase 3 section should begin someday to connect to the Phase 2 section that will end at North Creek County Park.  If you ride down to the Trail Ends sign you get to turn around and try to ride back up the short, but steep, grade – ugh!

It should be noted the new parking along Filbert Drive is signed for 90 minutes max and there are no bike lanes on this part of Filbert Drive.  I found the trail was suitable for biking up the grade to the north, but if I were going the other way, I would take the road with the nice downhill grade.

The existing gravel and boardwalk trail across the wetlands of North Creek County Park is presently better suited for pedestrians than for bicycles.  To get around the wetlands of North Creek, bicyclists will need to take a long and inconvenient detour involving either Bothell-Everett Highway (SR 527) or North Road.  The North Creek Trail could become a valuable commuting route for bicyclists with future improvements.  Let’s look for opportunities to make inputs to local government agencies for bike friendly trail developments.