Why I hike through cities

By Andrew Bleeker

My urban hiking habit intensified during the pandemic when I realized I could discover magical places near my home with every sojourn, and I didn't have to drive to a trailhead.

Andrew often walks with friends. Here on a dry day at Foster Island, his friend eyes the University of Washington stadium across the water. Photo by Andrew Bleeker. 

• Andrew’s Urban Hike accessories
• __ Book or e-reader (especially if the hike includes transit)
• __ Boox Palma. I use this for calls and transit directions on public Wi-Fi but it lets me leave my phone at home
• __ Portable battery and charging cable
• __ Packable rain shell
• __ Cap with cape for sun protection
• __ 7-Eleven Green Juice. This is cheap, nourishing and easy to find on most routes through populated areas. I’ve made it 15 miles on one!

Most urban centers in Washington provide ample green space and pedestrian infrastructure to support refreshing strolls, invigorating day hikes or epic feats of endurance.

Urban hiking can infuse nature into your day-to-day life between (or instead of) backcountry hikes. It also brings you closer to your community: You may find yourself meeting neighbors, getting involved with community initiatives or even doing volunteer trail maintenance nearby!

Here are some means, motives and opportunities to immerse yourself in a local outdoor space today.

Walk one-way (or both ways)

Are you getting coffee in the morning? Attending a show on Saturday night? Think about walking some or all of the way to your destination. It’s worth making the time to use this cheap and healthy mode of transit. I like to find parks and greenbelts along the route, mixing together local favorites and new places I wouldn’t have otherwise explored.

A trail in Dash Point State Park, taken on a hike from SeaTac to Tacoma. Photo by Andrew Bleeker.

Last year I walked from Burien to a favorite cafe in Rainier Beach via the underrated Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden, the justly popular Kubota Gardens and a peaceful stretch of the Duwamish River that I never would have encountered otherwise.

Google Maps seldom gives ideal walking directions, but adding parks as waypoints in walking directions creates the skeleton of a great urban hike, as well as providing approximate distance and elevation.

Some notes for using urban hikes as transit

• Make sure to add buffer time to your route. Getting lost might be the best part of the hike!
• Catch a ride home if you’re meeting people at the destination or look at transit options. Starting from your nearest park-and-ride will increase your transit options.
• Keep an eye out for local businesses, event posters and cool trees along the way.
• If you’re in Seattle or another hilly area, look out for public stairways! They can feel like teleporting between vastly different parts of the city.

Meet people and strengthen bonds

Once you’ve adopted urban hiking, you’ll likely want to get other people involved. People who aren’t willing or able to join in backcountry hiking might love to share some local nature with you. For me, organizing a group of people to celebrate the opening of the RapidRide G line in Seattle became a perfect opportunity to bring a group of friends through the Washington Park Arboretum.

Resting mid-transit hike at the Washington Park Arboretum stairs. Photo by Barbara Pronsato.

After meeting in downtown Seattle, we took the new bus line to within a few blocks of the arboretum. A few gentle miles took us through the arboretum and over the Montlake Cut to the University of Washington Link station, an 8-minute light rail ride from the starting point.

Urban hiking as a social activity can save driving time, expose more people to the benefits of the outdoors and help everyone pool knowledge about local destinations.

Incorporating people into your urban hike

• Nod and smile at passersby! The slow pace and shared space of urban hiking can alleviate feelings of urban alienation.
• Share the route in advance and solicit feedback. You’ll find urban hikes to fit everyone’s preferences and limitations.
• If you’re on a longer urban hike, invite people to join you for segments. You can meet during a break at a coffee shop and share a leg of a longer journey.

Rhododendrons bloom along another urban hike. Photo by Andrew Bleeker.

Cultivate fitness

Whether you’re preparing for a backpacking trip or just building up your capacity for traveling on foot, urban hikes offer rewarding challenges. A little planning can let you create long-distance hikes in the city.

Trails along rivers or converted rail lines tend to cover long distances near population centers with minimal crosswalks.

These long trails are perfect for out-and-backs, but you can also connect local trails for loop hikes. I like to circumnavigate (or circumambulate) West Seattle, taking in Puget Sound views and thick forest with as much sidetracking as possible. This is how I stumbled across the Seattle Chinese Garden and Dragonfly Pavilion, not to mention the refreshing Northwest Wine Academy tasting room.

Public transit can help you skip the less relaxing urban areas. The Lake to Sound Trail currently ends at the Black River Riparian Forest, but a quick ride on the RapidRide F line takes you past the big box stores of Renton and almost to Cedar River Trail, where another 17 miles await.

Parks (like Fauntleroy, pictured to the right) are often connected by staircases, which can add an aerobic zing to any outing. 

Tips for covering major mileage on urban trails

• Set out with snacks if you like, but local bakeries can be a convenient and delicious way to get the energy you need during any stage of your hike.
• Stay alert for bicyclists on shared-use trails.
• Everyone in Washington is used to seeing technical gear everywhere they go. There’s no need to be self-conscious if you’re fully decked out!

Respond to stressful circumstances

Urban hiking doesn’t need to involve any planning or coordination. It’s a great way to respond to stressful situations at the spur of the moment — see WTA's article about local trails and mental health. With an urban hike, you can enjoy the stress reduction benefits of nature without needing to plan a day out of town.

Arbor Lake in Burien provides a nice mental respite on a sunny day. Photo by Andrew Bleeker.

Try a slow stroll in a nearby park. Arbor Lake Park in Burien doesn’t have a WTA listing (yet), but this urban oasis provides a variety of lake views and a noticeable change of pace. Walking can help you process difficult situations, come to decisions, or just remind you that there’s a big world beyond the personal or professional stress of the moment. Head to your nearest park, walk a local trail or even take a spin around the block. Your nervous system will thank you!

Don’t get stuck on WTA trail ratings when picking local trails. I’ve seen a lot of middling ratings when looking up my favorite walking spots for this article. You don’t need mountain vistas or wildflower meadows to enjoy the mental health benefits of getting outside and moving.

Engage in the duality of city life

Urban hiking teaches beauty as well as contradiction and interconnection. Walking along the Green and Duwamish rivers into downtown Seattle took me past warehouses, distribution centers, container ships and a railyard.

A grittier section of a walk in South Seattle. This is West Marginal Place South. Photo by Andrew Bleeker.

It took me along a river rerouted to serve commercial interests over a century ago, and past contemporary habitat restoration projects. It took me past desperate poverty and luxury condos.

Urban hikes will take you through leafy neighborhoods full of well-tended parks as well as along paved expanses, where residents can’t readily enjoy green space. All these places together make up the economy, the culture, the habitat, the infrastructure and the populace among which which we move.

The pace and continuity of walking through these environments attunes you to the rhythms and transitions of your city in a way that faster modes of transit can’t. Getting out on the sidewalk or the greenbelt offers fun and exercise, and sheds more light on every aspect of the city you call home. I encourage you to experience it all. Look for hikes directly from your doorstep or accessible by transit. You’ll bring back something extra with every urban hiking adventure.

Sunset from Waterfront Park in Seattle, taken during a free concert event at Pier 62. Photo by Andrew Bleeker.

Andrew Bleeker is a longtime Washington resident, WTA member and enthusiastic urbanist. He's hiked extensively in the Puget Sound area, including marathon length urban treks. His post-hike recovery routine includes epsom salts, loose-leaf tea and a snuggly cat. He encourages everyone to explore their city on foot or via transit for a more intimate view and better understanding of where they live.