BRIDLE TRAILS STATE PARK
Bridle Trails State Park, a 489-acre day-use park, is well-known for its horse trails and equestrian shows. The forested park is on the northeast edge of the Seattle metropolitan area. Sometimes called the wilderness in the city, this park is a popular getaway destination for Seattle residents. The park is known for its riding trails and summer weekend horse shows.
There are 28 miles of well-maintained trails suitable for recreational horseback riding, walking, jogging, nature observing and general spiritual renewal.
The park is a lowland forest, typical of the vegetation which once covered Puget Sound. The woods abound in Douglas-fir and western hemlock, with some western red cedar, big-leaf maple, and alder mixed in.
The park has been under state ownership since the 1880s. By the 1930s, the area was popular as a place for horseback riding, and a trail system had been developed by community riding enthusiasts. Concerned about protecting the land, citizens petitioned the state legislature to make Bridle Trails a state park. The petition was granted, and today local groups, especially those with equestrian interests, work hard to maintain and improve the facility.
The park's two largest horse shows are "C" rated hunter-jumper shows, one the third weekend in May and the other the fourth weekend in June.
A Discover Pass is required for vehicle access to Washington state parks for day use. For more information about the Discover Pass and exemptions, please visit the
Discover Pass web page.
While a few of the trails are gravelled, many are not and a barefoot hike through the forest is delightful. It is often quite muddy, so there is a faucet by the entrance for cleaning up muddy feet.
the trails get a bit muddy in rain season and bring your old running shoes because of the horse manure. But this gem is so close to my office in Redmond, I run here about 8 months a year, when the days are long enough to run before 730 and after 530. 
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