The Gravel Riders Washington
Gravel riding is a state of mind really, the second you leave the concrete behind, everything else goes with it. Full-time gravel riders are a different breed, they are tough, they love to roll dirty, they prefer solo and appreciate getting the shit scared out of them by animals once in a while, and just love seeing what’s around the next corner, what’s over the hill…
Local (Seattle) Cyclocross info
CX Racing: Cross Revolution
CX Racing: MFG Cyclocross
*Sadly, MFG has pulled the plug on 2021
CX Practice: Wednesday Night Worlds
Washington Gran Fondo Info
The crew from Vicious Cycle puts on an extremely popular gravel gran fondo series beginning with stops in Ephrata in late March. Stay tuned here for a signup announcement.
Where am I?
Welcome to Washington’s Cascades & Foothills
That’s where this story takes place only because it’s where we live and ride. We’re interested in expansion, if you are as well, ping us.
Our gravel riding stacks up against any in the world, we have old rail lines that run through the deepest forests and through the most barren deserts and everything in between. We have gravel climbs into the mountains that will make you run home cryin’ to your mama.
If you live here, then you probably already know what’s up but if you are from elsewhere and gravel-curious, take a little trip with us.
Sounds good, how do I get started out there?
There are 2 main rail trails in the area, one is the SnoValley Trail (SVT) which runs about 30 miles from Duvall and Rattlesnake Lake in North Bend. At Rattlesnake Lake, the Palouse to Cascades Trail (formerly the Iron Horse Trail/ John Wayne Trail) runs east across the state.
For a nice easy-access ride, bring your gravel bike, trail bike, hybrid bike or mtb and park in the big gravel lot at King and Railroad in downtown Snoqualmie.
Go across the street to Bindlestick Cafe and get a triple machiato, suck that baby down then jump on the Snoqualmie Valley Trail (SVT) at Mt. Si Golf Course and probably get to see a bunch of elk across from the couse.
Another option is to cross the bridge above Snoqualmie Falls, head behind the millpond to get to the Mainline to enter the tree farm.
If your plans are to hit the tree farm, you’ll need a permit ($10/day or $60/annual). Motorized permits sell out fast, passes on sale in March.
Get Avenza Maps, download this Campbell Global map pdf and add it to the Avenza app and you’ll be set using the gps on your smart phone (Location).
Local services
Beer
Snoqualmie Brewery, Dru Bru, Volition, No Boat
Herb
Coffee
Bindlestick, Huxdotter Coffee,Pioneer Coffee, Trail Youth Cafe
Local cycling friends / businesses
Campbell Global passes, Vicious Cycle,
Evergreen MTB, Compass Outdoor Adventures
Hotels
Farmers Markets
Coming soon
Supermarkets
Issaquah: 2 Safeway, QFC, Trader Joe’s, Costco
Snoqualmie: Safeway
Fall City: Farmhouse Market
North Bend: Safeway, QFC
Local restaurants
North Bend
Iron Duck, North Bend Bar&Grill, Rio Bravo, Il Paesano, Riverbend Cafe, Trapper’s Sushi
Snoqualmie
Ahaar Indian, Thai Eatery, Caadxi Mexican, Ridge Cupbop Ramen, Gianfranco, Finaghty’s, Mount Si Golf Course, The Attic, Snoqualmie Falls Brewery
Issaquah
Sunset Alehouse, Chinoise, Masa, Dough Zone, RAM, Coho Cafe
Fall City
Raging River Cafe, Last Frontier Saloon
Carnation
Ellensburg
Ellensburg Pasta Company, Fidelina’s Taqueria
Cle Elum
MaMa Vallone’s, Mule & Elk Brewing, Portals Restaurant at Suncadia
Roslyn
Roslyn Mexican Grill, The Brick,
Snoqualmie Pass
Snoqualmie area main trail info :: also see our rides page >
Snoqualmie Valley Trail (SVT)
This rail-trail runs 31 miles from Duvall to Rattlesnake Lake passing through Carnation, Fall City, Snoqualmie, North Bend and Mt. Si.
Palouse to Cascades Trail
From Rattlesnake Lake, head east on this rail-trail for 212 miles through a 2+ mile tunnel at Snoqualmie Pass across a vast landscape toward killer bbq in Cle Elum and a hell of a lot of gravel riding in Eastern Washington.
Campbell Global Tree Farm
This is 104,000 acres of glorious gravel exploring currently owned by Campbell Global and available for us to ride in for $60/yr or $10/day – a whole lot cheaper than skiing and whole lot scarier, especially when you’re solo.
Come ride with us
What:
Gravel, gravel riding, offroad riding, adventure seeking. mostly dropbar but not always
When:
Year-round, our gravel ranges from sea-level to more than 5,000 feet so there is almost always some snow-free gravel to ride. Or just take your fat bike.
Where
The lower rail-trails if there's snow, in the summer it's wide open - it's often about peak bagging and tower bagging.
it's just better here
How
Check out some of the stuff on this site, you should be able to glean enough expertly and creatively written directions here.
Who
You, if you want a better life
Why
Because people