King County’s Trailhead Direct, the weekends and holidays transit-to-trails service, will begin its fifth season on Saturday and run through Labor Day, Sept. 4. Metro and King County Parks, with the support of the Seattle Department of Transportation and Amazon, are working together to provide funding for the 2023 season.
This summer, Trailhead Direct continues to focus the transit-to-trails service on the most popular route with stops at trailheads near Mount Si, Mount Teneriffe and Little Si. Riders can take the bus, Sound Transit Link light rail or bike to get to the Sound Transit Capitol Hill Link station, where Trailhead Direct coaches will depart every 30 minutes. The 2023 season will include service on Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day.
Trailhead Direct launched in 2017 in response to overcrowding at popular trailhead parking lots that frequently exceed their capacity over spring, summer and holiday weekends. The service has become a popular, eco-friendly way to get out of the city and explore the trails of King County. Since launching, passengers have used Trailhead Direct for more than 67,000 hikes, including 11,500 hikes in 2022.
The Seattle Department of Transportation will provide funding generated by the voter-approved Seattle Transit Measure to support Trailhead Direct this summer.
Trailhead Direct will operate with 14- to 32-seat vehicles and will have a rack for either two or three bikes. Passengers can use Metro’s Trip Planner to get more details about transit stops, routes and schedules. Metro’s standard fares apply, and riders can pay with an ORCA card, Transit Go Mobile ticket or cash with exact change. Hikers 18 and younger ride Trailhead Direct for free.
Construction this summer will impact the Trailhead Direct stops along Madison Street. Hikers will want to sign up for email or text alerts about King County Metro service to keep track of potential service disruptions.
Passengers are encouraged to check for conditions and updates related to trail accessibility and restrictions before going out and to remember the rules of the trail to ensure a safe trip.