# Help with northern I-90 loop (Seattle)



## Tarekith (Apr 23, 2009)

Hey guys,

Was wondering if anyone could recommend a way for me to ride around the northern end of Lake Washington. I live in Lake City and often take the Burke Gilman to Sammamish River Trail and end up in Marymoor. However I've not had good luck in finding a route that connects me from the 520 trail to I-90 heading back towards Seattle. The King County online maps are sort of helpful, but some real world experience would be nice too. Ideally I'd like to stay to dedicated bike paths as much as possible, but I'm comfortable on the road too.


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## DHOF55 (Dec 2, 2008)

It's a little tricky but once you do it once...easy.
At the end of the 520 trail continue riding on Northrup as if you were going to Kirkland. When you get to the intersection just past Burger Master go straight through. You'll climb a large hill and through a little gap in the road and find yourself in a very nice neighborhood - Clyde Hill. Take a left at the stop sign then take your first right on the other side of the freeway. Follow that down to the stop sign and take a left. Follow that road to the second intersection, go straight through into a neighborhood and take a left at the next stop sign. You'll find yourself riding around Meydenbauer Bay. Continue until you get to "old Bellevue". Take a right on Bellevue Way...carefull...lots of traffic. Ride about a 1/2 mile and veer to the right at the Nursery. This will take you on an awesome road through Buex Arts neighborhood and dump you right at I-90.

Sorry I don't know street numbers.


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## Tarekith (Apr 23, 2009)

Thanks very much!


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## Fordy (Feb 3, 2004)

*Try this*

From Marymoor continue through the park and turn right on East Lake Sammamish Way. Continue around Lake Sammaish until you pass the State Park. Short climb up from the State Park until you reach a round-a-bout. Through the round-a-bout go left and up to Newport Way. Turn right on Newport Way and stay on a traffic light "T" (Newport High School). Turn left, in a block turn right onto Coal Creek Pkwy (Heavy Traffic). Continue straight passing under I-405, the road narrows and veers north towards I-90. Under I-90 turn left onto the MUT. This is the I-90 corridor that will take you across Mercer Is., I-90 floating bridge, and Lake Washington Blvd.


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## Tarekith (Apr 23, 2009)

Great, I love different options! Are you guys just taking Lake Washinton Blvd to get back to the Burke Gilman then?


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## mjschof (Jul 13, 2010)

Yep. Just take it until you get to the switchbacks that pull you off the water, then go through either the arboretum (high traffic area) or follow the signs for the lake washington loop (I've always done the former, so I'm not exactly sure where the signs exactly take you in that area). Then as you get through the arboretum, climb up onto montlake, then over the bridge and back onto the trail.

This track is almost the exact route, except for where I break hard left to go south towards renton, you'd go right instead on that trail, which dumps you out on a low traffic road, which you follow for a mile or less until you see the i90 trail entrance on your left: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/39950590. Also note I don't cross montlake in that track, but that's the most direct route back to the trail.

Alternatively, you can take the 520 trail all the way to the last bus stop on the east side, throw the bike on the bus, then you're in montlake. Here's a track of that: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/31296360.


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## Tarekith (Apr 23, 2009)

Thanks everyone, that helps a lot.


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## Travis (Oct 14, 2005)

how about going Juanita Drive, Market, Lk WA blvd (downtown Kirkland), take a right just before 520, South through Medina (lots of options) to downtown Bellevue, take lake washington signed route from there to I90.
Uses several routes mentioned above but avoids going out to Redmond


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## Travis (Oct 14, 2005)

here's the full lake loop: 

http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/wa/kirkland/1191489393


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## Tarekith (Apr 23, 2009)

So many different ways to do it I'm finding out  Today was my first ride that way, so I kept it simple by going from Merrymoor to W. Lake Sammamish Drive to I-90. Pretty simple, though the I-90 trail does sort of get lost for awhile there in business roads before you get to Mercer. Planning on trying out all the different routes in the coming weeks though, see which one I like the best. Thanks for your help everyone!


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## Tarekith (Apr 23, 2009)

Travis said:


> here's the full lake loop:
> 
> http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/wa/kirkland/1191489393


Thanks, you read my mind. The the official signed Lake Loop?


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## Fordy (Feb 3, 2004)

*EAST Lk Sammamish*

Way more better than West....Don't ever ride West lake Sammamish from South to north....


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## Tarekith (Apr 23, 2009)

Yeah, I noticed that there's no bike lane (or even curb) heading north that way, not to mention it's mostly uphill. East is better then?


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## Fordy (Feb 3, 2004)

*Yes*

East Lake Sammamish has a clean shoulder both directions. Although I always ride loops clock wise (fewer left turns in traffic). It also has an unpaved MUT that is packed hard enough for road tires in an emergency. I got detoured onto the MUT last year and got through just fine on 23C's.


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## Travis (Oct 14, 2005)

W. Lake Samm is a death trap. You can cross over 90 in Issaquah and take a bike lane path on the south side of 90. I don't know street names but it will be on your King Co. map. You can do a nice 2 lake loop by combining the route with the west side of Lake Washington


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