Running On Bainbridge Island

As we mentioned in our trail article, the interconnected trail system is one of Bainbridge Island’s greatest assets. As a begrudging runner, I am always in search of interesting trail routes to run – especially the main trails like the Grand Forest.

One downside of trail only running on Bainbridge Island is that you’re limited to certain distances and doing laps. That’s why I was so happy to find a tool for calculating run distances on Bainbridge Island – On The Go Map.

Finding a Route and Calculate Your Running Distance on Bainbridge Island

On The Go Map is a Google Map based tool for calculating distances and elevation. Included in the On The Go Maps are trails I’ve never heard of that connect to more traveled trails and neighborhoods. With On The Go Map, you can create a new route each day based on your starting point and distance. I’ve even mapped out the Chilly Hilly route for you cyclists.

Below, you’ll find a list of running routes on Bainbridge Island organized by distance. I’ve either run each of the routes below or hope to in the near future.

5k / 3-Mile Run on Bainbridge Island

• Two-Laps Around Battle Point Park: not an exciting run but great for parents at Battle Point for soccer games or for people who don’t want to run through puddles.
• Rollingbay Loop: always nice to start and end in Rollingbay.
• Forest-To-Sky Grand Forest Loop: exit Battle Point and head to North Tolo.
• Blakely Harbor Loop: this run is challenging. You can start at Blakely Elementary or Blakely Harbor Park.
• I Love Bainbridge Homes Three Miler: aka the Winslow Big-City Stroll.
• Manitou Beach 3-Miler: shorter run with great views from Manitou.

4-Mile Run on Bainbridge Island

• Pritchard Park Loop: you can either head east or west on Eagle Harbor Drive. Great views on Rockaway.
• Winslow Green Curl: chose ‘curl’ because loop was getting old.
• Bainbridge Ale House Pour: so you can begin and end your run at the Ale House.
• I Hate Baker Hill Rounder: a little more than 4.5 miles, this run ends at several places serving drinks, food.

6-Mile Run on Bainbridge Island

• Looks Like Washington State Run: show your state pride and do the Washington State run. You can even call out the border cities as you run by them. Walla Walla! Oroville! Lynden! Vancouver! Spokane!
• Dropped Off My Kids at Sakai/Woodward Run: some road and some trail. You can extend this 6-mile run by exploring the Grand Forest trails. Miller Bay road’s new wider shoulder makes it easier to run on too.
• Lynwood Center to Lynwood Center: complete this run and then treat yourself; you earned it.

8-Mile Run on Bainbridge Island

• Port Madison/Rollingbay Loop: one of my favorites with a nice bonus that you don’t have to run down nothing-to-see Euclid Street.
• That Didn’t Feel Like 8-Miles: start and end at Blakely Harbor with this up and down run that goes through Fort Ward Park.
• I’m a Wilkes Parent 8-Mile Run: show your Wilkes’ Whales pride with this run. Not much shoulder on Sunrise but it’s very straight making you easier to see.

10-Mile Run on Bainbridge Island

• You Earned a Nap 10-mile Run: great loop run that you can start at Lynwood Center, Pritchard Park or Blakely Harbor.
• Port Madison/Rolling Bay Plus 2-Miles: basically the same run as above but with run along Manitou Beach to up the distance to 10-miles.

13-Mile Run on Bainbridge Island

• Yes You Can Run a Half Marathon on Bainbridge Island Run: Start at Pritchard Park, Blakely Harbor/Fort Ward or Lynwood Center for this gem and get a neat tour of south Bainbridge Island.

A feature of all the runs listed is that you can start at any point on the run. I like to hit the uphills first and coast home. To get the elevation information on your run, click on the mountain icon on the bottom left.

What part of Bainbridge Island is more runner friendly? I’ve run just about everywhere on Bainbridge Island and I prefer the south end. There’s no highway bisecting possible running routes and it just seems slower. Which is especially nice because that is how I run!