Bridle Trails State Park
About 480 acres of forest with horse and hiking trails, just north of Bellevue in Kirkland.
2 photos · swipe to browse
2 photos · click any image to enlarge
Quick facts
At a glance
- Phone
- (425) 455-7010
- Hours
- Day-use only
About
About Bridle Trails State Park
Bridle Trails State Park is a working equestrian forest of about 480 acres in Kirkland, bordering the north edge of Bellevue's Bridle Trails neighborhood. Washington State Parks counts 28 miles of maintained trails shared by riders, hikers and runners, threading through second-growth Douglas fir and hemlock. It is one of the Eastside's quietest forests to walk in.
Highlights
What makes it special
- 28 miles of maintained trails through second-growth forest
- Rare urban equestrian park — horses share the trails
- Cool, shaded routes that stay comfortable in July heat
- Doable short loops for young kids plus long runs for adults
- Discover Pass–only parking keeps trails uncrowded
What you'll experience
The visit, in detail
You'll trade pavement for wide, spongy horse-bark trails that muffle sound and turn every walk into a forest bath. Expect to meet horses — step off-trail on the downhill side and let them pass. The trail network is a spiderweb; short 1–2 mile loops are easy from the main lot, and three signed loops — Raven (1 mile), Trillium (1.7 miles) and Coyote (3.5 miles) — are the easiest way in. Bring a downloaded map.
Nearby
What's around you
Coffee Shops nearby
Browse all coffee shops in Bellevue →
Mercurys Coffee Co. — Bellevue Roastery & Bakery
4.7Bellevue's flagship organic coffee roastery — a 5am-to-8:30pm daily café where Mercurys roasts its beans, bakes its pastries, and hosts the Eastside's most consistent everyday coffee crowd.
Bridle Trails

Third Culture Coffee
4.7A design-forward Downtown Bellevue café where a serious specialty-coffee program meets a signature matcha bar, global pastry case, and a plant-filled room built for slow mornings and long remote-work sessions.
Downtown

Caffe Ladro Bellevue
A downtown Bellevue outpost of the beloved Seattle-based, farm-direct specialty roaster — expertly pulled espresso, honest brewed coffee, and house-baked pastries a block from Bellevue Downtown Park.
Downtown

Dote Coffee Bar
4.6A Downtown Bellevue flagship where a small-batch, direct-trade coffee program meets a handmade chocolate program on the same bar — the signature "coffee meets chocolate" experience in the heart of the Bellevue Collection.
Downtown
Family Activities nearby
Browse all family activities in Bellevue →Highland Community Center Skate Park
Free public skate park near the community center.
Crossroads
Bellevue Family YMCA
Family YMCA with pool, gym, and child watch.
Crossroads
Snowflake Lane
Nightly holiday parade through The Bellevue Collection.
Downtown
Bellevue Aquatic Center
Indoor public pool with lessons and family swim.
Downtown
Local Businesses nearby
Browse all local businesses in Bellevue →
Bel-Red Barbers
4.6Bellevue's longest-running barber shop — walk-ins only, seven days a week, in continuous operation on the Eastside since 1959.
Bridle Trails

Ishii Motor Industries Auto Repair
Independent Bellevue auto repair shop on 116th Ave NE — a locally-owned alternative to dealership service, walking distance from downtown Bellevue.
Wilburton
Nightlife nearby
Browse all nightlife in Bellevue →Bellevue Brewing Company
Family-friendly brewery and restaurant.
JOEY Bellevue
Energetic restaurant-bar with social bar scene.
Downtown
Cypress Lounge & Wine Bar
Refined wine bar inside The Westin Bellevue.
Downtown
Civility & Unrest
Cocktail bar inside W Bellevue with creative drinks.
Downtown
Restaurants nearby
Browse all restaurants in Bellevue →Facing East
4.5Bellevue's Taiwanese landmark since 2006 — hand-crafted beef noodle soup and xiao chi small plates, now served takeout and delivery from Bel-Red Road.

John Howie Steak
4.7The Bravern's flagship steakhouse — a serious dry-aging program, one of the deepest wine lists on the Eastside, and the Downtown Bellevue business-dinner room chef John Howie built.
Downtown
El Gaucho
4.6Pacific Northwest classic steakhouse — tableside service, prime beef, and the tuxedoed room that has defined Bellevue special-occasion dining for a generation.
Downtown
Din Tai Fung
4.6The soup-dumpling landmark of Lincoln Square — hand-folded xiao long bao, an open kitchen you can watch, and the most reliable table in Downtown Bellevue.
Downtown
Hotels nearby
Browse all hotels in Bellevue →
Larkspur Landing Extended Stay Suites Bellevue
All-suite extended-stay hotel with full kitchens in Eastgate.
Eastgate

Hotel 116, A Coast Hotel
Boutique-feel hotel just east of downtown.
Wilburton

Courtyard by Marriott Bellevue Downtown
Modern Courtyard in the heart of downtown.
Downtown

The Westin Bellevue
Wellness-forward luxury hotel above Lincoln Square South — 337 rooms and 26 suites with a heated indoor pool, WestinWORKOUT fitness studio, Cole's Bar & Grill, and a covered walk to The Bellevue Collection.
Downtown
Shopping nearby
Browse all shopping in Bellevue →Uwajimaya Bellevue
Pacific Northwest's premier Asian grocery and gift store.
Wilburton
Bellevue Farmers Market
Seasonal Thursday and Saturday market with local produce, crafts, and food trucks.
Downtown
Whole Foods Market Bellevue
Downtown flagship Whole Foods with hot bar, sushi, and rooftop seating.
Wilburton
The Shops at The Bravern
Bellevue's luxury shopping destination featuring Neiman Marcus, Hermès, and Gucci.
Downtown
Arts & Culture nearby
Browse all arts & culture in Bellevue →
Bellevue Library
Flagship KCLS library with author events and exhibits.
Downtown

Meydenbauer Center Theatre
Meydenbauer Center's 410-seat proscenium theatre in Downtown Bellevue.
Downtown

Bellwether Public Sculpture
Citywide outdoor sculpture biennial.
Downtown

Bellevue Arts Fair
Largest summer arts festival in the Pacific Northwest.
Downtown
Attractions nearby
Browse all attractions in Bellevue →KidsQuest Children's Museum
4.6Downtown Bellevue's hands-on children's museum for ages 0–10 — 25+ STEAM exhibits, a two-story climber, a full water gallery, and daily programming, all a short walk from the light rail station.
Downtown
Bellevue Arts Museum
4.4Bellevue's cultural centerpiece — a non-collecting museum of Art, Craft, and Design in a Steven Holl–designed building across from Bellevue Square, with rotating exhibitions, family programs, and one of the strongest pieces of contemporary architecture in Downtown Bellevue.
Downtown
Lincoln Square
4.5Downtown Bellevue's entertainment, dining, and lifestyle complement to Bellevue Square — cinema, chef-driven restaurants, a public plaza, and the W Bellevue, all under one covered roof.
Downtown
The Bellevue Collection
4.7Downtown Bellevue's three-building shopping, dining, entertainment, and hotel campus — Bellevue Square, Lincoln Square, and Bellevue Place connected by covered skybridges into one walkable destination.
Downtown
Things to Do nearby
Browse all things to do in Bellevue →Meydenbauer Center
4.4Bellevue's premier convention, conference, and performing arts venue — 36,000 square feet of column-free ballroom, a 410-seat theatre, and a full block of meeting space steps from light rail.
Downtown
Lucky Strike Bellevue
4.3Upscale bowling, billiards, and craft cocktails.
Downtown
Parks & Trails nearby
Browse all parks & trails in Bellevue →Wilburton Hill Park
4.6Hilltop park with sports fields, gardens, and city views.
Wilburton
Bellevue Botanical Garden
4.8A free 53-acre public botanical garden in Wilburton with the celebrated Perennial Border, Yao Japanese Garden, Ravine Experience suspension bridge, and the annual Garden d'Lights holiday show.
Wilburton
Meydenbauer Bay Park
4.7Bellevue's downtown waterfront: a swim beach, a pier, and kayak rentals ten minutes below Old Bellevue.
Old Bellevue
Crossroads Park
4.6Neighborhood park with summer concerts and farmers market.
Crossroads
Practical
Know before you go
A Washington State Discover Pass is required to park; one-day and annual passes can be bought at the park's automated pay station or online. Day-use only. Trails are mud country from November through April — waterproof shoes are non-negotiable. Yield to horses at all times: step off-trail, downhill side, quiet voice. Dogs must be on leash. No bikes allowed. Trail signage is limited — download the state park map before you arrive.
Details
Hours & contact
Hours
- Access
- Day-use only
- Summer
- 6:30 a.m.–dusk
- Winter
- 8 a.m.–dusk
Contact
- Address
- 5300 116th Ave NE, Kirkland, WA 98033
- Phone
- (425) 455-7010
More like this
Related parks & trails
Bellevue Botanical Garden
4.8A free 53-acre public botanical garden in Wilburton with the celebrated Perennial Border, Yao Japanese Garden, Ravine Experience suspension bridge, and the annual Garden d'Lights holiday show.
Wilburton
Coal Creek Natural Area
4.7Mining-history trail through a forested ravine.
Newport
Mercer Slough Nature Park
4.7A 320-acre freshwater wetland preserve in the heart of Bellevue with seven miles of trails, boardwalks over open water, a working blueberry farm, and the Environmental Education Center run in partnership with Pacific Science Center.
Newport
Meydenbauer Bay Park
4.7Bellevue's downtown waterfront: a swim beach, a pier, and kayak rentals ten minutes below Old Bellevue.
Old Bellevue
Keep exploring
Continue your visit
Tags
Featured in
This place is featured in these collections
Dog friendly
Dog-Friendly Bellevue
The Bellevue day with your dog: off-leash parks, waterfront trails, dog-welcoming patios, and where to stop for water.
Parks & trails pick
Best Parks & Trails in Bellevue
The full Bellevue outdoors map: Downtown Park, Botanical Garden, Mercer Slough, Bridle Trails, and Coal Creek — sequenced by mood.
Contribute
Have great photos of Bridle Trails State Park?
Share them with BellevueExplorer. Editor-reviewed, no account required — we credit contributors when we publish.