Bellingham Washington is a trail lovers paradise. Whether you enjoy mountain biking, hiking, running, exercising the dogs or getting out for a casual stroll, Bellingham has the trails for you. You can take a trail from your home to your favorite lake, coffee shop, grocery store, or even to another trail head. Here are 6 trails that are worth your Sunday afternoon excursion and will get 2021 started on the right foot.
The waterfront trail from Downtown Bellingham to Downtown Fairhaven is a beautiful 4 mile out and back. Starting at the Taylor Street Dock in Fairhaven you will walk north along the water toward Boulevard Park. As you walk through the park, check out Woods Coffee. They have drinks, snacks and a warm fire. It is a perfect place to meet friends or warm up after a cold walk. Continue north keeping the water on your left, in about 1.5 miles the trail will end and you can continue on sidewalks another ¼ mile into downtown Bellingham.
Lake Padden park features a 2.6 mile gravel path that circumnavigates the lake. The trail is rolling and has lots of spur trails that can make for fun side adventures. Canoe and Kayak teams practice on the lake year round, and in the summer the lake is busy with swimmers and paddleboarders.
Larrabee State Park is just a quick drive down Chuckanut Drive. The park is home to one of the Pacific Northwest's classic ultramarathons, The Chuckanut 50K. Fragrance Lake trail is a hilly 5.5 mile trail that features a small lake at the top. Check out Washington Trails Association for more information on this great hike!
If Fragrance Lake isn’t enough of a challenge for you venture a little further down Chuckanut drive and check out the steep climb up Oyster Dome. Your quads will get a workout, but on a sunny day, the view from the top is priceless.
Mountain Biking anyone? Bellingham is the home to a number of mountain bike companies as well as having world class mountain bike trails. Galbraith Mountain has over 65 miles of singletrack for every level of rider.
And if you are looking for a bike, tune up, or just some advice, these local companies are sure to have what you need.
There are so many trails throughout Bellingham, there simply isn’t enough detail if all combined on a single map. So if you want a comprehensive list, check out the City of Bellingham Trail Guide or download GAIA or All Trails for maps directly on your phone.
Bellingham has great trails and phenomenal access, but the best part is, you’re just an hour drive from the North Cascades National Park, a world renowned area with 100’s of miles of pristine alpine trails, but that's a hiking list for another day!
