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Horseback riding, cycling, hiking, kayaking – you name it. There are numerous outdoor activities to enjoy. Kitsap County is home to many beautiful trails, both on land and in the water.
Kitsap Resources for Various Outdoor Activities
The vast network of trails in the area includes several parks that cater to hikers, bikers, and horseback riders. Others may only allow a combination of two or three. The Great Peninsula Conservancy offers a wonderful interactive map that allows you to filter by activity type.
In addition, this Kitsap Trail Guide includes a quick, at-a-glance summary of many of the different hiking and mountain biking trails in the area.
Multi-use Trails
Newberry Hill Heritage Park in Silverdale hosts over 1,000 acres of trails for biking, hiking, horseback riding, and wildlife viewing. This map of the park clearly delineates etiquette rules for sharing the trail and where to walk or ride.
Want a mix of beach and woods? Head to Point No Point Park. This park in Hansville includes a hiking trail, an expansive sandy beach, and the oldest lighthouse on Puget Sound. The trail is good for kids, and dogs on leashes are allowed. Be advised: there is a steep set of stairs to a viewing platform before heading into the wooded section of the trail. Also, the main parking lot at Point No Point Park is currently closed due to past storm damage. However, you can park at the Washington State Dept. of Fish and Wildlife parking lot on Hansville road. It’s open to the public for the season but you’ll need a Discover Pass.
For a more challenging experience, The Wildcat Trail on Green Mountain is 9.5 miles round-trip and includes a steep, rocky ascent to the peak with a 1,900 ft elevation gain. There are incredible views of Hood Canal and the Olympics, and picnic tables at the top. In addition to hikers and dogs on leashes, this trail is open to motorized vehicles.
Horseback Riding
Kitsap County is horse-friendly and home to many different options for riding, boarding, or exploring trails with horses. Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park is over 3,400 acres and has equestrian trails. Additionally, Battle Point Park Trail System on Bainbridge Island has 1.5 miles of equestrian trail that circles the park’s perimeter. The North Kitsap Heritage Park in Kingston is another great spot to check out. It is one of Kitsap County’s largest parks at over 800 acres.
For horse boarding, Boblet’s Lone Eagle Ranch in Poulsbo comes highly recommended, as does Stormy Acres Ranch in Port Orchard. They offer lessons and are close to miles of trails in the nearby Alpine Forest. Another cool spot to check out is Toni’s Ponies in Kingston. It’s a nonprofit dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, rehoming, and offering a place of sanctuary for horses and other equines. They have wonderful events where kids can learn about and help with the animals. Right now, they have a wonderful recurring summer event called “Pony Play” happening on Thursday mornings. It’s great for preschool and elementary aged children. Little learners get to meet the ponies, enjoy story time, and participate in creative activities. Be sure to sign up in advance since space is limited, and closed toed shoes are needed.
Cycling and Mountain Biking
Do you prefer to zoom through our area on two wheels? Whether it’s mountain biking or road biking, there’s plenty to see in Kitsap County.
Check out this mountain bike trails resource for local rides. In the Port Gamble area, the four-mile Forbidden Forest, Downhell, Ewok Trails Loop Trail is good for beginners. The Hansville Greenway trails run extensively through North Kitsap, while Banner Forest Heritage Park in Port Orchard has 29 miles of trails in over 600 acres of land.
If road biking is more your style, check out this article with an overview of different loops. The Tahuya-Bear Creek Loop winds throughout much of South Kitsap County. Up north, the Kitsap Peninsula-Poulsbo Loop covers much of North Kitsap County. If you’d like to expand your reach, check out the Cascade Bicycle Club. Although the club is based out of Seattle, they host rides throughout the state. They even host the annual Chilly Hill Ride on Bainbridge Island.
Hiking Trails
Kitsap is also home to numerous hiking trails. Notably, there are expansive wooded trails such as those found at Illahee State Park. Based in Bremerton, this park offers an abundance of activities. There has been a rich history of the local community working together to preserve and sustain the area. Also in Bremerton, Ueland Tree Farm is a parcel of private property that is made available to the public for responsible, non-motorized recreation. The most popular trail there is Dickerson Falls. It’s under a mile from the trailhead so it’s great for kids.
Bainbridge Island’s community has also worked to create and sustain a vast network of trails. The Bainbridge Island Parks and Trails Foundation has a map that can be found at local venues throughout the island. It includes features such as color-coded difficulty levels, facilities, and accessibility of the paths for strollers or wheelchairs.
Kayaking
The Kitsap Peninsula National Water Trails is the only natural, saltwater trail in the United States. It was designated in 2014 by the U.S. Department of the Interior to be a part of the National Water Trail. It is the place to go to learn about kayaking over 371 miles of shoreline. Check out their routes page to find locations to launch your kayak. Their new interactive map is also an amazing resource. There are camp spots at some locations along the trail that are only open to campers arriving by human or wind-powered (beachable) watercraft.
Whatever activity you choose, and wherever you choose to go, you won’t have to go far. Kitsap County is an outdoor playground for a wide range of recreational activities.
