Biking Bellingham, Washington's
Interurban Trail
I was in Bellingham, Washington to board the ferry with my van for a journey to Alaska, and I biked this trail while waiting for the departure time. The trail uses the old right-of-way of the Bellingham to Mt. Vernon Interurban Line which operated from 1912 to 1930, and the trail is a cooperative effort of the city, county, state park, and Puget Power Company. It was dedicated in 1987 and runs over 5 miles, from Bellingham to Larrabee State Park. The trail's route begins to the right of the "N" arrow in this photo, and is the line which makes a modified "S" curve to the state park at the top. I began the ride from the ferry parking lot and found a gravel connector trail which runs behind businesses and crosses all the side streets east of the downtown area and the ferry terminal. A parking area is available along Fairhaven Parkway (I-5 Exit 250). Access to the trail is also available from the state park.
The trail passes through lovely woods and has some serious up-and-downs as it works its way over 2 hills, some steep enough to require many to walk sections. As you get closer to the state park, the trail is on a ledge several stories above the highway below, and briefly shares the right-of-way with vehicles in a residential area.