Foothills Trail

About the Trail


The Foothills National Recreation Trail sits atop a historic railroad bed and snakes through the river valley southeast of Tacoma. This 21-mile-long trail is a popular commuter route and recreational destination for bicyclists, while hikers enjoy shorter, more manageable segments of the trail. One of the most scenic sections for the unobstructed views of nearby Mt. Rainier begins in Orting and follows the Carbon River upstream through farmland and forest.

The Foothills Trail is a 12-foot wide non-motorized asphalt trail / linear park suitable for bicycles, walking, in-line skates, and wheelchairs. It also has a soft shoulder path for equestrians. 

The trail begins in the City of Puyallup at 13810 80th Street and continues through the Puyallup Valley to the City of Orting before beginning a small climb to the Town of South Prairie and the City of Buckley. The trail terminates at the White River in Buckley.  The future plan is to continue the trail to Puyallup where it connects with the Riverwalk Trail then ultimately to Tacoma and Sumner where it will connect with the Interurban Trail that now extends through Kent and Auburn. The trail in Buckley will continue east into King County and Enumclaw. 

alertClosure of section near Orting planned for Summer 2023

Heads up to Foothills Trail users and race event organizers: A section of the Foothills Trail southeast of Orting will be closed July 12-29 due to levee repair work along the Carbon River. The closure is expected to run from the southeast side of Charter Park to west of the Highway 162 and 182nd Street East intersection. For more information, contact John Laughery at [email protected].

East Puyallup Trailhead Parking & Restroom Closures for Summer 2023

The East Puyallup Trailhead Expansion Project construction will begin in the Summer of 2023 and will take 4-5 months to complete. During construction, the trail through the site will remain open, but the parking lot and restroom will be closed. Visit the project website to learn more. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience while we make the trailhead improvements. 

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