1971
Hike-In
The Burke-Gilman Trail envisioned by a group of neighbors that lived near the BN railroad line in the Matthew’s Beach neighborhood. Some of them received notification of the rail being abandoned. They formed a committee to get the right of way donated to the city and developed into one of the first rail to trails conversions in the USA.
A Hike-In on September 12, 1971 got the community involved and informed. Over 1,000 people walked on the abandoned railroad. They gathered at Matthews Beach to hear about the plans and show their support.
We are going to commemorate the 55th Anniversary of this key event on Saturday, September 12 , 2026.
MOHAI, Seattle Post-Intelligencer Collection, 1986.5.55062.2, photo by Tom Barlet
1978
Original Trail Opening
The Burke-Gilman Trail was first established in 1978, transforming old rail lines into a community greenway after 7 years of community effort.
2001
Missing Link Project
A crucial extension that has been delayed by lawsuits for over 20 years.
2019
Fix the Burke-Gilman
Ongoing efforts involve bicyclists in reporting maintenance issues and advocating for their resolution.
2020
Ballard Corridor Initiative
An innovative project enhancing multimodal connections and improving trail user experience.
Trail Origins
Learn about the establishment of the Burke-Gilman Trail and its initial impact on Seattle.
Hall of Fame
Seattle’s Burke-Gilman Trail was Trail of the Month: November 2024. This is a very informative page about the history of the trail.
Expansion Projects
Discover the Missing Link initiative and efforts to extend the trail network.
VIDEO “From Rail to Trail: Looking Back on the Burke-Gilman Trail”
An informative 6 minute video covering some of the history of the Burke-Gilman Trail Park.
Ballard Multimodal Corridor
Understand how the trail supports multimodal transportation and local connectivity.
VIDEO “From Rail to Trail: Looking Back on the Burke-Gilman Trail”
A 51 minute more in-depth video covering the history of the formation of the Burke-Gilman Park.
https://www.burkegilman50.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/BG-video-edited-2.07-computer-def.mp4