Bellingham is truly a trail town. We have about 90 miles of trails in the city alone – that’s not counting the county or state parks or the Mt Baker National Forest. Many are gravel or what I call rustic-nature (think dirty/mud, pine needles, leaves, etc). But one of my favorite paved trails (yes I said it!) is the trail around the waterfront, especially when the sun is shining! It’s easy to gear up for a run in the sun with an incredible view of the bay and islands.
This lovely 1-mile loop takes you around the Hotel Bellwether, near all the new office buildings and several restaurants, Squalicum Harbor, and finally to Zuanich Point Park. You’ll get a beautiful view of the bay and get to see all the watercraft up close – from speed boats to yachts, fishing vessels, tugboats and sail boats. If you’re walking through, kids and adults all enjoy the Marine Life Center and a quick stop into the paddle board shop gives me a thrill to fantasize about flying through the water standing up. Don’t forget to take a moment to watch the kites flying at Zuanich – I swear it’s the windiest place in Bellingham.
While I’m generally more of a rustic-nature trail type of gal, I love this paved loop because it’s so open; I have a hard time hiding out in the shade on those rare days the sun is shining. And it’s very friendly to all “walks” of life: roller bladders, stroller-pushers, speed walkers, wanderers and runners.
And it’s easy to add onto this trail when 2 miles (assuming you’re doing a round trip) isn’t quite enough. Head southeast on Roeder Ave to grab the South Bay trail (near the Depot Market Square) for extra mileage and more gorgeous views.