From our friends at WABI Burien:
One of Burien’s outdoor gems is the “Indian Trail”.
If you haven’t discovered the Indian Trail yet, this is your chance! This wandering, varied public trail winds high above the shoreline strip of SW 172nd St. – the “Sunrise Trail” – and then, from Three Tree Point northward, parallels Maplewild Ave. SW – the “Sunset Trail”.
It is said to be a remnant of a Trail used long ago by the local Native American tribes in the region as they traveled from the south end of Puget Sound – the Salish Sea – to the north, thus its name of the “Indian Trail”. Some portions of the Trail are heavily-wooded and lush green (shaded!). Other areas are wide open to the sky (hot and sunny). There are three public beach access points along the way.
There are many homes along the length of the Indian Trail, both on the waterside and the hillside. Some homeowners are lucky to be able to drive right up to their homes. For others, they have a garage high up on the hill, and must walk a switchback trail down to the main trail to get home. Just think of buying a new couch or refrigerator and having them delivered. Just think of toting groceries along the trail to home, or hauling your recycling and garbage along the trail to get up to the road. Living along the Indian Trail is a lifestyle question!
”WABI would like to acknowledge that we will be on the traditional land of the first people of Seattle, the Duwamish People past and present, and honor, with gratitude, the land itself and the Duwamish Tribe.”
- Date: Sunday, June 1, 2025. The weather forecast calls for a warm day, so BRING A BOTTLE OF WATER!
- Time: 2:00 meet-up. Walking starts at 2:15 p.m.
- Place: Meet at the corner of SW 167th Place and 31st Ave. SW (NOT at Burien Town Square.)
This is in the Gregory Heights neighborhood above Three Tree Point. - Route & Distance: Our Walk-n-Talk starts cliff-high in Gregory Heights, winds down the Trail to Three Tree Point. At one point along the way, there is a 180 degree view of Normandy Park, Des Moines, Redondo, Mt. Rainier, Tacoma, the islands of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. We then trundle back up another portion of the Trail to Maplewild, at the 16000 block. Upon reaching Maplewild, we turn around, retrace our steps and go back UP, UP, UP the hill to our starting point!The total is about 3 miles, round trip. The elevation change is about 300 feet.
- Parking: There is parking on the street in the Gregory Heights neighborhood, near the starting point. (Public parking along Maplewild is difficult to find.) As always, please be respectful of private property when parking your car.
- NOTE – Trail Terrain: This is a beautiful walk, paved wide in places, a narrow dirt path in others. Please be advised that this trip has quite an elevation change going down the hill and then back up. The path is also quite rugged and irregular in places. Because of these factors, it’s a poor choice for those with health and mobility limitations, and the trail will not accommodate strollers for children.
- Last year, before heading back UP the hill to Gregory Heights, several walkers stopped at the Three Tree Point Store for refreshments.
This is a FREE event and open to all (that can handle the terrain of the trail), including friendly four-legged friends.
As with all of our walks, walkers may choose to do all or just part of the route. And walkers may always walk at whatever pace is most comfortable for them.
Parking Option
If you do not want to walk back up the hill to the starting point, but would rather finish at the Maplewild end, we suggest that you carpool with a friend, leave the first car somewhere along Maplewild (or within walking distance), and then drive the second car to the starting point. At the end of the walk, you can hop into the first car and go back and get the second car.
For further information, please contact Maureen Hoffmann at info@wabiburien.org.
Click on the map below and print a copy to take with you on the walk:
