Where to find great mountain biking trails in every direction from Seattle
With lush forested hillsides, passionate path builders and a temperate weather conducive to calendar year-spherical riding, the Pacific Northwest is one particular of the world’s premier locations for mountain biking.
Our neat, moist spring has held the floor moist to this issue, which means this summer holds promise for the grippy, superior-traction trail area that helps make mountain bikers swoon. Pedaling by way of the woods around roots, rocks and logs is the value of admission for the thrill of whizzing down a path and all-around a banked transform (referred to as a berm), moss-coated trees and sword ferns a blur of eco-friendly that melds into one particular emerald carpet in your field of vision.
Many thanks to the tricky perform of volunteer mountain bike golf equipment in Washington, there are hundreds of miles of trails to attempt out, from mellow cross-region cruisers fantastic for acquiring acquainted with the sport to professionals-only steep trails with soar capabilities that guide to necessary airtime. For the most seamless navigation encounter, down load the Trailforks app and load any of these path networks on to your smartphone.
Position your tire any of the four cardinal directions from Seattle and you are going to come across exclusive path networks worthy of creating the trip. In this article are 4 samplers to get you started out in whichever route you pick. Don a helmet and pads, pack essentials like snacks and water, provide a package to adjust flats, and generate to other path buyers. Satisfied riding.
North: Galbraith Mountain
The mountain that made Bellingham into a entire world-class mountain bicycle mecca. Galbraith sprawls around 3,000 acres on the edge of the Metropolis of Subdued Pleasure. There are 65 miles of singletrack trails to pick out from many thanks to the hard perform of the Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition. For the least difficult accessibility, commence at the brand-new South Parking Ton. (Just down the highway on Samish Way, Changeover Bikes presents demos, a full-company bicycle store and a cafe for pre- or publish-ride eats and beverages.) Glance the two techniques then cross Samish Way and choose up the Pipeline Street to immerse yourself in what can at 1st seem like an intimidatingly dense map of trails. Newbies should really steer toward Missing Giants and Bunny Trails to get their ft damp. For flowy trails with jumps and berms, head for Mullet and Unemployment Line. More superior riders can tackle Irish Loss of life and Das Autobahn. Want to add some are living music to your mountain bicycle après? Go July 8-10 for the 1st-ever Northwest Tune-Up festival.
East: Mountains to Audio Greenway
The corridor in between Seattle and Snoqualmie Move on Interstate 90 is the Evergreen Mountain Bicycle Alliance‘s reward that retains on offering: straightforward accessibility, near to property, limitless variety. Look at these a few starting details.
Heading east from Seattle, your initial cease is the Duthie Hill Mountain Bicycle Park in Issaquah. Packed into 6 miles are each and every type of function you may possibly experience on a mountain bike path — logs to cross, berms to corner, drop-offs to negotiate — laid out in these types of a way that 1st-timers can safely build their expertise even though aspiring Freeride World Tour riders can huck on their own off significant air jumps about and above. The connecting Grand Ridge Trail to the south offers intermediate cross-region using to construct your stamina.
East Tiger Mountain lies south of I-90 along Freeway 18. From the trailhead, grind out the 3.5-mile climb over 1,650 vertical toes on the forest road that winds up to the East Tiger Summit, exactly where Mount Rainier views await on a distinct working day. From the top rated, Off The Grid presents state-of-the-art riding just before mellowing out on to intermediate alternatives like Joy Trip and Inside Passage. For an less complicated journey down, lower ideal on the forest street before the ultimate force to the summit to decide on up newbie trails Brief Website link and Master Backlink. Aspire to tackle the toughest using our area has to give? Eyeball Predator for 2 miles of downhill-only double black diamond depth.
Move Snoqualmie Place Park and you’ll uncover the trailhead for Raging River, a path network that spills around the western conclude of Rattlesnake Ridge. All rides begin with the mild, 1,060-vertical-foot climb on Upward Mobility, 3 miles that make for excellent apply on both equally uphill and downhill method. Lengthen your experience on the Raging Ridge trail, 6 miles of intermediate riding that guide to more durable descents like Poppin’ Strategies, No Company and Invictus (arguably the hardest extend of path in the point out). On the return to the trailhead, try intermediate Circulation Condition, which life up to its name.
South: Capitol Condition Forest
Whilst the South Sound is not the most apparent destination for woods and trails, the 110,000-acre Capitol Point out Forest exterior Olympia is a silent behemoth. Rock Sweet Mountain Trailhead is your entry stage.
Since 2005, Friends of Capitol Forest has reworked this patch of Section of Organic Resources land with around 100 miles of trails — and for the gravel riders among the you, hundreds of gravel streets. With fewer vertical reduction than the Cascade foothills, Capitol Forest is an excellent location for rolling cross-country rides like the 10-mile Poker Operate or the 30-mile Captoberfest route. In current decades, the Good friends have also dug out some goal-built, 1-way mountain bicycle trails like Scoby or Down and Rowdy that are chock-total of freeride attributes. Take note that in addition to Trailforks, the Capitol Forest map can be accessed on the Avenza application.
West: Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park
No matter whether you reside on the Kitsap Peninsula or are just seeking for an justification to get your bike on a ferry, mountain biking awaits just outdoors the quaintly restored mill town of Port Gamble.
This modest, minimal-elevation trail procedure formed up by Evergreen West Audio is poised to make a key debut when it hosts the Evergreen Mountain Bike Pageant for the to start with time from June 18-19. The pageant will be an option to showcase the quickly-to-open Port Gamble Experience Park, which will offer the varieties of devoted freeride characteristics that have made Duthie Hill this sort of a key Puget Sound destination.
Begin from the Stumps Trailhead and warm up on starter Stumps just before finding up intermediate Top secret Squirrel. Cross a forest road and slip down The Hood and Downhell, then climb back again up the forest highway to the trail network’s three downhill selections: Ranger (intermediate), Interesting Runnings (innovative) and Owl Pacino (specialist). The Ewok Climb Trail is your return route to the top rated of the operates.
Port Gamble right is just a mile north of the trailhead. Action back again in time at the Port Gamble Typical Retail outlet & Cafe to refuel. Olympic Outdoor Centre rents bikes (and kayaks, also, if you want to make it a multisport day).