Mountain and Road Biking in Washington

There are excellent mountain biking opportunities throughout Washington. The most popular trails are found throughout the Cascade Range across the entire state from Bellingham to Vancouver. Thrilling mountain biking can be found in the surrounding Spokane region, and in the old growth forests of the Olympic peninsula. The roads that weave across the San Juan islands also draw tour bikers wishing to experience the charm of these unique island communities.

Destinations to consider are grouped below by region. For detailed information, follow the links to any biking destination that interests you.

WESTERN WASHINGTON

Although most of Olympic National Park is designated as wilderness and thus closed to all wheeled travel, many mountain and road biking opportunities exist across the Olympic peninsula. Most of the roads that meander through the temperate rainforest and along the rugged coast are open to bicycle travel, although traffic can be a little sketchy. A few singletrack trails lead into the mountains, but better biking in this region can be found along the roads and trails that follow the waterways in places like Aberdeen and Long Beach, where the Columbia River empties into the Pacific ocean. The area is very scenic, full of birds and wildlife, and offers just enough hills to make biking a great means of travel in this area.

The story is much the same out of Vancouver and along the Columbia River Gorge. Exploring nearby Mount St. Helens by bicycle is probably the best means experience the devastation and regrowth of the volcano, along trails that link old growth forests, volcanic mudflows, and alpine climbs.

NORTHWEST WASHINGTON

The Cascade mountains, which stretch along the entire eastern edge of this region, are known around the world as a premiere mountain biking destination. Singletrack trails down steep Mt. Rainier gullies and woodland doubletracks less than an hour out of Seattle are just part of the draw. Thanks to the neighbors to the north, North Shore style trails can be found out of Bellingham and around Mount Baker.

Road biking the San Juan Islands is one of the more unforgettable experiences that can be found in Washington. The few roads on each island are very biker-friendly, with little automobile travel. Arriving to an island by ferry, and exploring the unique charms and rolling hills that each island has to offer, from tulip nurseries and historic farms to panoramic views of the Puget Sound, is for many road and mountain bikers alike the trip of a lifetime.

NORTHEAST WASHINGTON

Northeastern Washington is much less populated than western Washington, and that means fewer cars, and more trails. Out of Spokane and north to Kettle Falls are some great on and off-road biking loops, with some very steep hill climbs for Tour hopefuls.

SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON

Yakima and the Tri-Cities area are great examples of why many consider Washington to offer some of the best road biking and touring in the US. There is very little traffic in this area, and bike lanes and wide shoulders can sometimes be found in even the more remote roads west of Pullman. Scenic State Highway 14 follows the Washington side of the Columbia river from Richland to Vancouver, and the gentle downhills along the river make for a memorial ride.