Summary

Trailhead Direct – a partnership between King County, the City of Seattle, and Amazon – launches next week, offering easy transit-to-trails service through Labor Day to the areas of Mount Si, Mount Teneriffe, and Little Si.

Story

King County’s Trailhead Direct, the weekends and holidays transit-to-trails service, will begin its fifth season on Saturday, May 13, and run through Labor Day, Monday, September 4. Metro and King County Parks, with the support of the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) and Amazon, are working together to provide funding for the 2023 season.

This summer, Trailhead Direct continues to focus the transit-to-trails service on the most popular route with stops at trailheads near Mount Si, Mount Teneriffe, and Little Si. Riders can take the bus, Sound Transit Link light rail, or bike to get to the Sound Transit Capitol Hill Link station, where Trailhead Direct coaches will depart every 30 minutes. The 2023 season will include service on Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day.

"Trailhead Direct is a convenient alternative to driving and parking when you want to explore some of the best hiking King County has to offer," said Executive Constantine. "I am looking forward to the start of this season's transit-to-trails service, and thank the Seattle Department of Transportation and Amazon for their partnership in this low-impact way to connect people to the great outdoors."

“Seattle has world-class outdoor recreation and hiking trails on our doorstep, but for too many community members our beautiful mountains and forests remain out of reach,” said Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell. Thanks to this innovative partnership with King County, Trailhead Direct service is removing barriers to access, promoting healthy communities, and better connecting all residents to our premier natural areas.”

Trailhead Direct launched in 2017 in response to overcrowding at popular trailhead parking lots that frequently exceed their capacity over spring, summer, and holiday weekends. The service has become a popular, eco-friendly way to get out of the city and explore the trails of King County. Since launching, passengers have used Trailhead Direct for more than 67,000 hikes, including 11,500 hikes in 2022.

“Metro is excited to start the fifth season of Trailhead Direct, connecting riders from around King County to some of our most popular trailheads,” said Christina O’Claire, Metro’s Mobility Director. “We are committed to continually providing access for all our communities to our regional trail system.”

“Trailhead Direct demonstrates the value of connecting transit to trails, making outdoor recreation more equitable, cutting greenhouse gas emissions, and reducing the number of cars at popular trailheads,” said Warren Jimenez, King County Parks Director. “We’re grateful for the strong partnership that makes this popular service possible.”

The Seattle Department of Transportation will provide funding generated by the voter-approved Seattle Transit Measure to support Trailhead Direct this summer.

“I’m thrilled that the Trailhead Direct program will continue to build greater access to our beautiful outdoors,” said SDOT Director Greg Spotts. “As a new Seattle resident without a personal car, I know I’ll be taking the Trailhead Direct to get outside and explore the incredible scenery this region has to offer.”

Trailhead Direct will operate with 14- to 32-seat vehicles and will have a rack for either two or three bikes. Passengers can use Metro’s Trip Planner to get more details about transit stops, routes, and schedules. Metro’s standard fares apply, and riders can pay with an ORCA card, Transit Go Mobile ticket, or cash with exact change. Hikers 18 and younger ride Trailhead Direct for free.

Construction this summer will impact the Trailhead Direct stops along Madison Street. Hikers will want to sign up for email or text alerts about King County Metro service to keep track of potential service disruptions.

Passengers are encouraged to check for conditions and updates related to trail accessibility and restrictions before going out and to remember the rules of the trail to ensure a safe trip.

Relevant links

• Trailhead Direct
• Metro Trip Planner
• Metro Trip Alerts 
• Hiking 101: Get Trail Smart

Quotes

Trailhead Direct is a convenient alternative to driving and parking when you want to explore some of the best hiking King County has to offer. I am looking forward to the start of this season's transit-to-trails service, and thank the Seattle Department of Transportation and Amazon for their partnership in this low-impact way to connect people to the great outdoors.

Seattle has world-class outdoor recreation and hiking trails on our doorstep, but for too many community members our beautiful mountains and forests remain out of reach. Thanks to this innovative partnership with King County, Trailhead Direct service is removing barriers to access, promoting healthy communities, and better connecting all residents to our premier natural areas.

Metro is excited to start the fifth season of Trailhead Direct, connecting riders from around King County to some of our most popular trailheads. We are committed to continually providing access for all our communities to our regional trail system.

Trailhead Direct demonstrates the value of connecting transit to trails, making outdoor recreation more equitable, cutting greenhouse gas emissions, and reducing the number of cars at popular trailheads. We’re grateful for the strong partnership that makes this popular service possible.

I’m thrilled that the Trailhead Direct program will continue to build greater access to our beautiful outdoors. As a new Seattle resident without a personal car, I know I’ll be taking the Trailhead Direct to get outside and explore the incredible scenery this region has to offer.

For more information, contact:

Al Sanders, King County Metro, 206-348-7829