The Elliott Bay Trail From Interbay: Route, Access and Closures

TL;DR: The Elliott Bay Trail is the paved waterfront path that starts in Interbay, loops around Terminal 91, passes the Pier 86 grain elevators and runs through Centennial and Myrtle Edwards parks to the Olympic Sculpture Park. From Contour, the nearest access point is about a 15-minute walk, and the ride to the Sculpture Park is about 3 miles. The recent closures are over: the Port finished its Terminal 91 trail work in October 2025, and both waterfront parks reopened on June 4, 2026.

Where the Elliott Bay Trail Goes

The Port of Seattle describes its section as part of the main waterfront trail route along Puget Sound. In practice it is a car-free line from the Interbay rail yards to the edge of downtown, and it is the most direct way to reach the water from this side of Queen Anne hill.

It comes in three pieces, each with its own character.

Terminal 91 and the Interbay Section

The northern piece is the Port’s Terminal 91 Trail. It crosses the industrial edge of the BNSF Railway yard and runs around Terminal 91, home port to the Alaska fishing fleet and site of the Smith Cove Cruise Terminal. Piers 90 and 91, built in 1921, were once called the longest concrete piers in the world.

Pier 86, Centennial Park and Myrtle Edwards Park

South of the terminal you pass the tall grain elevators at Pier 86, then enter Centennial Park, which the Port runs, and Myrtle Edwards Park, which the City runs. Together the two parks hold more than a mile of shoreline and 16 acres of open space. Myrtle Edwards has a walking path and a separate bike trail, two beach coves and views of the Olympic Mountains and Mount Rainier.

Past the Olympic Sculpture Park

The trail ends at the Olympic Sculpture Park. Since April 21, 2026, a new greenway along Alaskan Way has linked the Sculpture Park to Waterfront Park at Pier 62, so you can keep going toward the central waterfront.

Section	Run by	What to expect
Terminal 91 Trail	Port of Seattle	Paved, rail yard and fishing fleet views, rebuilt at ground level in 2025
Pinch point south of the old bridge	Port of Seattle	About five feet wide between fences, so slow down and take turns
Pier 86 to Centennial Park	Port of Seattle	Grain elevators, the new haʔłali building with restrooms and Café Hagen
Myrtle Edwards Park	Seattle Parks and Recreation	Separate walking path and bike trail, two beach coves, open 24 hours

Joining the Trail From Interbay

The Port lists three access points for its section. The north one sits near 21st Ave W, and from the building’s front door it is about 0.75 mile on foot, or roughly 15 minutes. Walk west through Interbay on flat streets, and you are on the path.

• On foot: about 15 minutes to the north access point, and about 35 minutes to Smith Cove Park if you follow the trail south around the terminal.
• By bike: about 5 minutes to the trail, and about 3 miles, or 20 to 25 minutes, to the Olympic Sculpture Park.
• From the south: the Port’s southeast and southwest access points sit farther south, by the Magnolia Bridge and by Smith Cove, useful if you want to start partway down.

These are mapped routes from 3036 16th Ave W, rounded. For more on how the neighborhood’s flat valley floor shapes daily trips, see our guide to where Interbay sits and why.

The trail is the reason Interbay feels close to the water. Fifteen minutes on foot and the rail yard gives way to the Sound.

What Changed: the Bridge, the Pinch Point and the Parks

If you last used the trail a year ago, three things are different.

The Terminal 91 Bridge Is Gone

The Port closed its section from September 2 to October 2, 2025, removed the old bike bridge, widened narrow areas and repaved about 900 feet of trail. The path now runs at ground level, with room for two-way traffic.

One Narrow Stretch Remains

Just south of where the bridge stood, a fenced section signed “The Path Narrows” is still about five feet wide, fence to fence. Seattle Bike Blog reported that the Port could not reach an easement agreement with BNSF in time to widen it, and that a building to the west is slated to come down in the next couple of years, which could make room later. For now, slow down and take turns.

The Waterfront Parks Reopened

Myrtle Edwards and Centennial parks reopened on June 4, 2026, after the privately funded Elliott Bay Connections project. The changes include a renovated, repaved bike trail with lighting, bike racks and repair stations, two expanded beach coves, a children’s exploration area near the W Thomas St overpass, and the haʔłali building with restrooms and food concessions.

The last closures we found ended with that reopening. Check the Port’s trail page and the Myrtle Edwards Park page for new notices before you go.

Riding or Running to Downtown

For a bike commute, the trail does the hard part. The Port pitches it as a way to avoid busy intersections and city streets between Interbay and downtown, and you arrive at the Sculpture Park about 3 miles later. From there the Alaskan Way greenway carries you toward Pier 62.

• Lights matter in winter. Lighting came with the Myrtle Edwards renovation, but bring your own for the rest of the route.
• Plan for the pinch point. At commute hours, the five-foot stretch is where you will wait.
• Use the bus as a backup. On a stormy morning, the D Line from 15th Ave W and W Dravus St reaches 3rd Ave and Pike St in about 20 minutes on its schedule.

Runners get a flat out-and-back with water alongside. A run from the north access point to the Sculpture Park and back is about 5 miles.

Rules, Dogs and Trail Manners

The path is shared by people walking, running, rolling and riding.

• Keep dogs leashed. Seattle requires leashes in all parks outside designated off-leash areas.
• Keep dogs off the beaches. City code bars dogs from beaches, organized athletic fields and children’s play areas, which includes the new Myrtle Edwards coves.
• Use the right lane. In Myrtle Edwards, walkers take the pedestrian path and riders take the bike trail.
• Dismount where signed. The Port’s signs ask riders to walk bikes on narrow sections.

Our guide to Seattle with a dog covers the off-leash areas closest to Interbay, for days when a leashed walk is not enough.

Living Next to the Trail

Living this close turns a walk to the water into a weeknight habit. Contour is set up for that. The building has bike storage and a repair station, so a flat tire does not end the day, and full-size in-unit laundry handles wet gear after a rainy ride. The rooftop deck looks out toward the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound, the same water the trail follows. See the full amenities list and our neighborhood page for what else is within reach.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does the Elliott Bay Trail start and end?

It starts in Interbay at the Port of Seattle’s Terminal 91 Trail and runs south past the Pier 86 grain elevators, through Centennial Park and Myrtle Edwards Park, to the Olympic Sculpture Park. A greenway along Alaskan Way, opened in April 2026, continues from the Sculpture Park to Waterfront Park at Pier 62.

Is the Elliott Bay Trail open now?

Yes. The Terminal 91 section reopened on October 2, 2025, after the old bridge was removed, and Myrtle Edwards and Centennial parks reopened on June 4, 2026. The last closures we found ended with that reopening, but check Port of Seattle and Seattle Parks notices before you go, since overnight work can close sections.

What happened to the bridge on the trail in Interbay?

The Port of Seattle removed the narrow bike bridge on its Terminal 91 section in September 2025 and widened and repaved about 900 feet of trail. The path now runs at ground level. A separate fenced pinch point just south of the old bridge site is still about five feet wide.

Can I bring my dog on the trail?

Yes, on a leash. Seattle requires dogs to be leashed in all parks except designated off-leash areas, and city code keeps dogs off beaches, organized athletic fields and children’s play areas. That means dogs can use the paths through Myrtle Edwards Park but not its two beach coves.

How long is the ride from Interbay to downtown on the trail?

From 3036 16th Ave W, the route to the Olympic Sculpture Park is about 3 miles and takes roughly 20 to 25 minutes by bike, including the short ride to the trail’s north access point. From the Sculpture Park, the Alaskan Way greenway continues south toward Pier 62.

Are there restrooms on the trail?

Yes. The new haʔłali building in Centennial Park, which opened with the June 2026 reopening, has restrooms and food concessions, including Café Hagen. It sits near the midpoint between Interbay and the Olympic Sculpture Park, which makes it a natural stop on a longer walk or ride.

The Waterfront, Fifteen Minutes Away

The trail is flat, mostly car free and newly rebuilt at its southern end, with one narrow stretch left to work around. From the building, you can be on it in about 15 minutes on foot and at the Sculpture Park in about 25 by bike.

The best way to judge the walk is to do it. Stop by the Open House every Thursday from 3PM to 5PM, browse available apartments, or call the leasing team at (206) 650-7565.

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