KCEHC Trail Guide

King County Executive Horse Council

Bridle Trails State Park

This unique state park dedicated to equestrians contains over 20 miles of horse trails as well as featuring multiple arenas for horse events. The trails are beautiful and heavily forested, a little haven of deep woods in the middle of suburbia.

 From the north end of the parking area a short trail leads to the main arena with its seating stand, as well as two smaller warm-up arenas, restrooms, and a picnic area, while other trails lead off into the woods. Additional trails depart from outside the north end of the main arena, and it’s a short ride through the woods to another small arena at the north edge of the park, which has no parking nearby.

Also, the park owns a small property across 132nd Ave NE which runs along the east edge of the park, where there are some trail-competition-style obstacles to try your horse with. To find it, cross 132nd near its intersection with NE 51st Place and go north a few hundred feet; there are signs designating the area as part of Bridle Trails Park.

The Bridle Crest Trail along NE 60th Street links this park to Marymoor Park and the Sammamish River Trail with some brief road riding as well as a couple of major road crossings, though recently this trail has been disrupted by construction and route changes at the Marymoor Park end.

Current Status Notes

Open

Directions


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Exit 17 from I-405. (If coming from southbound, turn right and cross over highway.) Turn right onto 116th Ave, proceed straight at 4-way stop, then turn left into park entrance at first opening in trees.

Details

Length: 28 miles of trails

Surface: Dirt, gravel

Share with: walkers, joggers

Parking for: 10+ rigs

Amenities: restrooms, arenas, tie rails, water, picnic area

Jurisdiction

Washington State Parks:
http://parks.state.wa.us/481/Bridle-Trails

Map:
http://www.bridletrails.org/about_the_park/trail_map.html

History Notes

Prior to the 1930's the land that is now Bridle Trails Park was owned by the Department of Natural Resources. Residents demanded that the state lease it for parkland rather than risk it being sold, and in the 1960's the state finally purchased it outright for use as an equestrian park.