Bike Highways
Bike Highways - Washington
Length: 700 Miles
Climbing: 50,000 Feet
Trail surfaces: Singletrack, dirt roads, rail trails, and pavement
Length: 250 miles
Location: North Bend to the Columbia River near Vantage then to Idaho
Trail surfaces: Gravel
Trail category: Rail-Trail
Longest trail in the United States
Bring bike lights or headlamps and warm clothing for the 2.3 mile Snoqualmie Tunnel
Snoqualmie Tunnel to North Bend
Two trail length options:
21 miles from Hyak to Rattlesnake Lake
29 miles from Hyak to North Bend
Option two allows you to stop in North Bend and have Burgers and Ice-cream. The last two miles of this route can be a butt kicker since it is flat and you will have to start peddling.
Park at either North Bend or Rattlesnake Lake, consolidated people and bikes and take minimum vehicles needed to Hyak. From Hyak when travel west via Snoqualmie Tunnel and Palouse to Cascades Trail. Lunch at end of route and send adults back up hill to get rest of vehicles. Plan for 1 hour turn around time to get vehicles. If parking at Rattlesnake Lake, plan for the lot to fill up early in the summer.
Highlights:
2.3-mile tunnel!
Wonderful scenic trail
Almost entirely downhill
Easiest 20-30 miles on a bike that scouts will ever do
This is a FANTASTIC experience!
Important Points:
The tunnel ride is incredible and without lights - obviously everyone will need a headlight and/or headlamp
Basic economy headlamps aren’t great but will work - scouts will need to travel snow enough to see the handful of mud puddles in the tunnel
Scouts on kid bikes can’t coast downhill and will need to peddle most of the way – this is exhausting
26” gravel type tires minimum
Street bikes with skinny tires won’t last on the gravel road
This trail is NOT for scouts new to bicycling or those who just give up - quitting in the middle of a 20 mile ride without road access is rough on everyone
The rangers just open up the tunnel around June - call first. Tunnel is closed in the winter due to risk of falling ice form the ceiling. It is also really cold inside the tunnel.
Renting an electric bike is an option if you have special needs
Length: 31.7 miles
Location: Duvall to Rattlesnake Lake (near Riverbend) - Connects to Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail
Trail surfaces: Gravel (includes sections of Road)
Trail category: Rail-Trail
flattest portion of the trail extends about 9 miles from Duvall to Carnation
Length: 30.5 miles
Location: Snohomish to Arlington
Trail surfaces: Asphalt
Trail category: Rail-Trail
snohomishcountywa.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/Centennial-Trail-33
Some elevation and industrial zone pass-throughs
Crosses the Whitehorse Trail
Ends at the Nakashima Barn Trailhead
Length: 27 miles
Location: Darrington to Arlington - Connects to Snohomish County Centennial Trail
Trail surfaces: Ballast, Gravel
Trail category: Rail-Trail
snohomishcountywa.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/Whitehorse-Trail-105
Mostly gravel with some muddy portions
Not as busy as many other trails
Length: 24 miles
Location: Everett to Seattle
Trail surfaces: Asphalt
Trail category: Rail-Trail
Numerous gaps exist -- and occasional closures
Length: 11 miles
Location: Bothell to Redmond
Trail surfaces: Asphalt
Trail category: Rail-Trail
Length: 18.8 miles
Location: Ballard to Bothell - connects to Sammamish River Trail
Trail surfaces: Asphalt
Trail category: Rail-Trail
Mostly flat asphalt route from Ballard to Bothell/Woodinville
Note:
"the Missing Link" - 1.4 miles along Shilshole Ave NW
Many busy street crossings
Length: 11 miles
Location: Bothell to Redmond
Trail surfaces: Asphalt
Trail category: Rail-Trail
Starts at Burke-Gilman Train and ends at Marymoor Park, the start of East Lake Sammamish Trail
Length: 11 Miles
Location: Redmond to Issaquah
Trail surfaces: Being paved
Starts at Marymoor Park and follows Lake Sammamish Trail
Length: 56 Miles
Location: Chehalis to South Bend
Trail surfaces: Starts Paved, then gravel then unimproved
5.5 miles of paved asphalt from Chehalis to Adna
compacted gravel until it reaches mile 27
Length: 22.5 miles
Location: Sedro-Woolley to Concrete
Trail surfaces: Crushed Stone, Gravel
Trail category: Rail-Trail
Bike camping is a fun option with nearby Rasar State Park
Henry Thompson Bridge - the longest single span cement bridge in US when it was constructed
Length: 19.6 miles
Location: Tukwila to Kent
Trail surfaces: Asphalt
Trail category: Greenway/Non-RT
Watch out for detours and signage signaling trail stops and starts
alltrails.com/trail/us/washington/lower-green-river-trail-kent-to-tukwila
alltrails.com/trail/us/washington/green-river-trail-tukwila-section
Length: 15.7 miles
Location: I-405 Renton to Hobart
Trail surfaces: Asphalt, Gravel
Trail category: Rail-Trail
Follows the rolling Cedar River
12 miles of paved trail from Renton to Maple Valley
5 miles of gravel from Maple Valley to Landsburg
Sockeye Salmon spawn in river
alltrails.com/trail/us/washington/cedar-river-trail-and-may-valley
Length: 19.1 miles
Location: Green River Trail in Tukwila to Fife
Trail surfaces: Asphalt
Trail category: Rail-Trail
straight and flat for almost 16 miles before it hits two unattached segments
alltrails.com/trail/us/washington/king-county-interurban-trail
Length: 31.3 miles
Location: Puyallup to Enumclaw
Trail surfaces: Asphalt, Dirt, Gravel
Trail category: Rail-Trail
gorgeous views of Mt. Tahoma/Rainier
easiest route is 15 miles of paved asphalt between Puyallup and South Prairie
at the Cascade Junction -cross creeks, ravines and may flood
alltrails.com/trail/us/washington/foothills-trail-from-puyallup-to-south-prairie
alltrails.com/trail/us/washington/foothills-trail-from-south-prairie-to-puyallup
alltrails.com/trail/us/washington/foothills-trail-orting-to-buckley
lltrails.com/trail/us/washington/foothills-trail-fairfax-bridge-to-carbonado
alltrails.com/trail/us/washington/melmont-ghost-town-via-foothills-trail
Length: 21.2 miles
Location: Olympia to Rainier
Trail surfaces: Asphalt
Trail category: Rail-Trail
connects to the Yelm-Tenino Trail on the southend
Blackberries in August at North end of trail
Location: North Olympic Peninsula
Trail surfaces: Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt
Trail category: Rail-Trail
Length: 130 miles
Location: Cheney to Pasco (E Washington)
Trail surfaces: Asphalt, Ballast, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass, Gravel
Trail category: Rail-Trail
Length: 8.3 miles
Location: Long Beach to Ilwaco
Trail surfaces: Asphalt
Trail category: Greenway/Non-RT
Good if camping at Camp Disappointment
Length: 25 miles
Location: Danville to Republic (N Washington)
Trail surfaces: Ballast, Crushed Stone
Trail category: Rail-Trail
alltrails.com/trail/us/washington/ferry-county-rail-trail-kiwanis-road-to-curlew
alltrails.com/trail/us/washington/ferry-county-rail-trail-herron-creek-road-to-kiwanis-road
alltrails.com/trail/us/washington/ferry-county-rail-trail-curlew-to-danville