King County Parks opens new trail segment connecting Burien and SeaTac, completing two-thirds of a regional trail that connects Lake Washington to Puget Sound

Thanks to strong partnerships and the King County Parks Levy, we’ve completed two-thirds of the Lake to Sound Trail, connecting cities from Lake Washington to Puget Sound with convenient access to high-capacity transit. We’re making it safer and healthier for people in South King County to bike, walk, and roll to some of the best destinations our dynamic region has to offer. 

Building a trail connecting Lake Washington to Puget Sound has been a vision of South King County leaders since 2008.  The 16-mile Lake to Sound Trail is an investment for families and people of all ages and abilities-- walkers, runners, cyclists, skaters.  The Lake to Sound Trail will enhance the quality of life in South King County. 

The Lake to Sound Trail is not only a gift to our communities, but to all those who visit here from out of state or around the world. Our segment transports you into a wonderland of fern covered logs, small waterfalls, and boulders blanketed with moss. If you visit, keep a look out for an Ewok or a Hobbit! 

We are thrilled to have this exciting multimodal option connecting Burien to our neighbors in South King County. Our communities deserve healthy, safe, and efficient ways to get around and to recreate. 

The Lake to Sound Trail and WSDOT’s Puget Sound Gateway Program both serve to build and enhance connections. This trail project is an ideal example of how local and state governments can work together to align resources and address community priorities by enhancing our active transportation system here in the Puget Sound. 

This segment demonstrates how strategic partnerships and community investment come together to create safe, connected, and inspiring public spaces. With fewer rail corridors available for conversion, these are the kinds of bold trail projects we’ll continue to pursue to serve generations to come. 

We’re thrilled to celebrate the opening of this new segment of the Lake to Sound Trail, which gives people in SeaTac and Des Moines a safer, more connected way to get around -- whether they’re heading to nature, to visit neighbors, or to Link light rail. This project reflects King County’s continued investment in quality of life through the King County Parks Levy -- supporting everything from family bike rides to weekday commutes. We look forward to the full completion of the Lake to Sound Trail, which will stitch together communities across South King County as part of our world-class regional trails network.

The opening of Segment C of the Lake to Sound Trail brings us 2.2 miles closer to realizing our vision of a 900-mile, interconnected regional trail system across central Puget Sound. We’re grateful to King County Parks for their continued commitment to building multi-use trails that close key gaps in our regional network. The Lake to Sound Trail is a vital connector that will ultimately link South King County communities to both Puget Sound and Lake Washington. We are thrilled at the work moving forward to make this shared vision a reality.