Trailhead Direct is a pilot project co-led by King County Metro and King County Parks. This project seeks to ease vehicle congestion, reduce safety hazards and expand access to hiking destinations along I-90. For the 2022 service, Trailhead Service will be operating to Mt Si. The Trailhead Direct service will run weekends and designated holidays.
- For the 2022 season, designated holidays are Memorial Day (5/30), Independence Day (7/4), and Labor Day (9/5).
- Trailhead stops in Seattle include Capitol Hill, First Hill, and downtown Seattle heading to trailheads at Little Si, Mt. Si, and Mt. Teneriffe.
- One-way fares: Adults (19 and older), off-peak $2.75. Youth (6-18 yrs) $1.50. RRFP cardholders (registered seniors, Medicare, disabled) $1.00. Children thru age 5 – Four may ride free with person paying adult fare.
For more info: Trailhead Direct – Park. Ride. Hike.
Tips: Always bring the essentials! The Day Hiker’s Ten Essentials from The Seattle Mountaineers. Be sure to check the weather before you go and tell someone where you’re going and when you’ll be back.
TOTAGO (Turn Off The App – Go Outside)
TOTAGO (which stands for “Turn Off The App – Go Outside”) is a free mobile and web app that can help anyone have a fantastic experience outside. The app includes detailed recommendations for hiking, nature walks, bicycling, paddling adventures, and more. Use the trip planner to get comprehensive directions for how to get there by transit, car, bicycle or foot. Content is sourced from partnerships with local land stewards and professional content creators to ensure you always have the most up-to-date and highest quality information.
Plan your trip on Trailhead Direct with integrated hiking and transit information, plus offline trail maps with TOTAGO, a free transportation-focused web and mobile application for the outdoors.
Available on iOS and Android. Download the TOTAGO app.
Metro’s online Puget Sound Trip Planner
Metro’s Puget Sound Trip Planner helps you plan trips on scheduled service in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties. Trip Planner provides details about transit stops, routes and schedules. Notre: itineraries do not include unplanned service disruptions and reroutes caused by weather, emergencies, traffic, events or construction. More info: King County Metro – Trip planning
King County Metro ORCA card
We recommend that hikers get an King County Metro ORCA Card, so you can use Metro services without bringing cash or exact change for the bus ride. The new myORCA mobile app and website makes paying for transit rides in the Puget Sound region even faster and easier. Of course, if you use public transportation daily, then you already know about it. But if you don’t, it’s a handy thing to know.
An ORCA card or myORCA mobile app can be filled with a small amount of cash and never expires. (I keep one on hand for trips to the airport, link Light Rail use, snow days, or any other public transportation need that might crop up. It has saved me more than once!)
About Trailhead Direct Program
The project was developed beginning in the summer of 2017, in response to growing vehicle congestion at several popular trailheads, where illegally parked vehicles along busy roads created significant traffic hazards and safety concerns. Trailhead Direct is a pilot project co-led by King County Metro and King County Parks.
Trailhead Direct provides an incredible opportunity for people to access and connect with their public lands. It reduces the number of cars on the roads and at our trailheads, while increasing the number of people who are able to experience some of the greatest trails in the country. Each person who steps off the bus and onto one of our trails has the opportunity to fall in love with the outdoors and become a champion of our public lands, helping ensure we preserve these lands for generations to come. — Hilary Franz, Commissioner of Public Lands
King County agencies had help from a number of partners in developing the pilot program, including Mountains to Sound Greenway, Washington Trails Association, The Mountaineers, Issaquah Alps Trails Club, Outdoors For All Foundation, TOTAGO (Turn Off The App – Go Outside!), REI, The Wilderness Society, Washington Department of Natural Resources, City of Issaquah, Si View Metropolitan Park District and the U.S. Forest Service.
Washington Trails Association is a proud partner of Trailhead Direct. Transit-to-trails services are key to making our region’s wonderful trails accessible to more people. It also helps trailheads meet the growing number of hikers, without adding more cars to already crowded parking lots. We’re excited Trailhead Direct is back for the 2019 hiking season and are working to ensure it’s an ongoing option for King County hikers. — Jill Simmons, Executive Director, WTA
More info: FAQs – Trailhead Direct
King County “Trailhead Direct” is a seasonal service that operates spring through fall and provides hikers access to trailheads in the Cascade Mountain Foothills.
