Routing assistance request: Enumclaw to Seattle

John Knez said:

I'll be coming from out of town to do this year's STP. I'll be
returning to Seattle by bike, taking a longer, hillier, and more scenic
route via Mount Hood and Mount Rainier. The only part of the route I'm
uncertain of is getting from Enumclaw to Matthews Beach in Seattle.
Would one one of you folks familiar with the Seattle area be able to
recommend a good route? Thanks.

---
John Knez

John Knez-

From the center of Enumclaw, the direct route:
North on Porter
becomes 264th
becomes Enumclaw/Black Diamond Road
becomes Maple Valley/Black Diamond Road
becomes Renton/Maple Valley Road
as it passes under Hwy 18, veer right thru small gravel lot onto Cedar
River Trail.
Trail ends under Freeway I-405.
Continue straight off trail
Right at the "T" & stop sign, R again onto Mill Street.
Left on 2nd
R on Rainier
R on Seward Park Avenue @ Stop Light
R on Seward Park Ave. going downhill
R on Juneau Street- Seward Park, Rest Rooms
R from park onto Lake Wash Blvd
Becomes Lakeside at Coleman Park
becomes Lake Wash Blvd at Leschi
Cross 39th/McGilvra and continue uphill on Lk Wash Blvd on switchbacks.
Follow signs to Arboretum
Cross E Madison
R on 24th Ave E
Straight thru cuts in curb, R on Hamlin, becomes E Shelby
R on Montlake, across bridge on sidewalk
Across front of stadium on sidewalk, past Hec Ed pavilion
R onto ramp for foot bridge across Montlake
R onto Burke Gilman Trail.
Continue N on trail to Lake Forest Park.

--
John Calnan
http://www.calnan-web.com/weblog

John Calnan said:

John Knez said:

I'll be coming from out of town to do this year's STP. I'll be
returning to Seattle by bike, taking a longer, hillier, and more
scenic route via Mount Hood and Mount Rainier. The only part of the
route I'm uncertain of is getting from Enumclaw to Matthews Beach in
Seattle. Would one one of you folks familiar with the Seattle area be
able to recommend a good route? Thanks.

---
John Knez

John Knez-

From the center of Enumclaw, the direct route:
North on Porter
becomes 264th
becomes Enumclaw/Black Diamond Road
becomes Maple Valley/Black Diamond Road
becomes Renton/Maple Valley Road
as it passes under Hwy 18, veer right thru small gravel lot onto Cedar
River Trail.
Trail ends under Freeway I-405.
Continue straight off trail
Right at the "T" & stop sign, R again onto Mill Street.
Left on 2nd
R on Rainier
R on Seward Park Avenue @ Stop Light
R on Seward Park Ave. going downhill
R on Juneau Street- Seward Park, Rest Rooms
R from park onto Lake Wash Blvd
Becomes Lakeside at Coleman Park
becomes Lake Wash Blvd at Leschi
Cross 39th/McGilvra and continue uphill on Lk Wash Blvd on switchbacks.
Follow signs to Arboretum
Cross E Madison
R on 24th Ave E
Straight thru cuts in curb, R on Hamlin, becomes E Shelby
R on Montlake, across bridge on sidewalk
Across front of stadium on sidewalk, past Hec Ed pavilion
R onto ramp for foot bridge across Montlake
R onto Burke Gilman Trail.
Continue N on trail to Lake Forest Park.

John Calnan,
Thank you, this is very much appreciated.

---
John Knez

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention:
Just outside of Enumclaw, if you turn right on Enumclaw-Franklin Road it
will take you on a side-loop to the bridge across the Green River Gorge,
then once you cross the bridge the road will intersect the other route
in Black Diamond. A worthwhile sightseeing side trip if you have an
extra 45 - 60 minutes.

--
John Calnan
http://www.calnan-web.com/weblog

John Calnan said:

John Knez said:

I'll be coming from out of town to do this year's STP. I'll be
returning to Seattle by bike, taking a longer, hillier, and more scenic
route via Mount Hood and Mount Rainier. The only part of the route I'm
uncertain of is getting from Enumclaw to Matthews Beach in Seattle.
Would one one of you folks familiar with the Seattle area be able to
recommend a good route? Thanks.

---
John Knez

John Knez-

From the center of Enumclaw, the direct route:
North on Porter
becomes 264th
becomes Enumclaw/Black Diamond Road
becomes Maple Valley/Black Diamond Road
becomes Renton/Maple Valley Road
as it passes under Hwy 18, veer right thru small gravel lot onto Cedar
River Trail.

The first portion of this recommendation is SR 169 which is a busy
highway. It's doable, and has shoulders much of the way, but it does
have bad spots and a lot of traffic. I would recommend a different
route to Renton.

In Enumclaw, starting from the King County Fairgrounds which is about 1
mile east of the center of town on SR 410, start North on 284th Ave SE.
Becomes Veazie-Cumberland Rd.
Becomes Cumberland-Kanasket Road.
Turn Left at T on SE Retreat-Kanasket Rd (~10.5 mi).
Bear L at Kent-Kangely Rd (~13.5 mi).
Turn R on Landsburg Rd SE at Ravensdale Store (~15 mi).
Turn L on Cedar River Trail at the bottom of the hill where the road
crosses the Cedar River (~16 mi).
Follow this to where the original directions say to get on the Cedar
River Trail. (~22 mi).
NOTE that the first 5.5 miles of the Cedar River Trail is gravel, but it
is smooth gravel and will be no problem on a road bike. It is much
nicer (IMHO) than the alternative given below.
If you absolutely don't want to ride this, continue north on
Landsburg Road which becomes 276th Ave SE.
Turn left on SE 216th St (~18.5 mi)
At the bottom of the hill you'll come to SR 169 and the Cedar River
trail (~22 mi).