6-Day Washington Cascades Mountain View Bike Tour

Please meet at the Courtyard by Marriott Seattle/Sea-Tac Area at 7:30am. After brief introductions, shuttle to the trailhead and get fitted to your bike. Then you’re off to pedal the entire length of the Centennial Trail, built on the old Burlington-Northern railroad line. Enjoy the miles as you pass through farms, pastures, and forested watersheds. Along the route, learn about the history of the area as told via trailhead signage. At the end of the ride, explore the darling downtown of Snohomish before being shuttled to your hotel in Bothell.

Those wishing for extra miles can cycle all the way to the hotel. Settle in, as you spend two nights at McMenamins Anderson School. Built in 1931, the 5-acre school served as Bothell’s first junior high. The McMenamin family acquired and converted the property to a place that makes you happy to revisit junior high. Relish a happy hour and dinner together with your new pedaling pals.
Accommodation: McMenamins Anderson School
Meals: Dinner

Biking: 31 or 46 miles (49 or 74  kilometres)
Terrain: Easier or Intermediate

After a tasty breakfast at McMenamins, shuttle to downtown Seattle. Pedal along Elliot Bay Trail, with its wondrous views of the Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains, as well as the Burke-Gilman Trail, a popular multi-use recreation trail. Along the way, visit a handful of the city’s iconic tourist spots: the Olympic Sculpture Garden, the Ballard Fish Ladder and Locks, and the Fremont Troll, to name a few. Consider having lunch at the popular Agua Verde and then renting a paddleboard or kayak to explore Portage Bay and its bordering houseboats, made famous in “Sleepless in Seattle.” Additional distance options allow for cycling along the 520 and I-90 floating bridges and a loop around posh Mercer Island.

All cyclists end their ride at McMenamins, where you’re on your own to explore the campus. Go for a swim in the full-size saltwater lagoon swimming pool, roam the property’s gorgeous gardens, or catch a live music event or a movie. You’re on your own for dinner tonight. Dine at one of the many on-property restaurants, or head-off campus to enjoy one of the nearby eateries.
Accommodation: McMenamins Anderson School
Meals: Breakfast

Biking: 25, 32, 47, or 55 miles (40, 51, 75 or 88 kilometres)
Terrain: Easier, Intermediate or Advanced

After breakfast, head out directly from McMenamins on the Sammamish River Trail. Less than five miles into the ride, pass through Woodinville, known for its many wineries. In Redmond, consider taking a lap or two on the velodrome at Marymoor Park. Then, continue on to the East Sammamish Trail, where you encounter not only beautiful lake views, but also your first crushed limestone on the tour. End the ride in Issaquah, or if you’re wishing for more miles, pedal onward to the Hotel America in Snoqualmie, where you spend the night.

In the evening, shuttle to the nearby Snoqualmie Falls, made famous by David Lynch’s 1990s “Twin Peaks” TV series. Afterward, dine together in The Attic in the impressive Salish Lodge next to the Falls.
Accommodation:  The Hotel America
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Biking: 22 or 40 miles (35 or 64 kilometres)
Terrain: Easier or Intermediate

Leaving from the hotel, pick up the Snoqualmie Valley Trail. In North Bend, visit Twede’s Cafe for a slice of their famous Twin Peaks Cherry Pie. Continue on to Rattlesnake Lake, where the group meets at the Watershed Nature Center for a picnic lunch while being serenaded by the every-varying rhythms of the enchanting water drums. Be sure to take a peek across the lake at the sheer rock face up high — you hike up on those ledges in two days! From the lake, begin riding the Palouse to Cascades trail (formerly the Iron Horse/John Wayne Pioneer Trail), on which you travel for the remainder of the tour. The trail follows the historic Milwaukee Railroad that once extended 2,300 miles to Chicago. Though the trail is railroad grade, you are gently working your way up toward Snoqualmie Pass to get onto the other side of the Cascade range. As you cycle past scenic waterfalls and trestles, keep your eyes peeled for rock climbers who frequently scale the trailside granite. Near the end of today’s ride, turn on your lights before entering the 2.3-mile-long tunnel that cuts through the mountainside. Shortly after popping back into daylight, turn off to tonight’s lodging at Hotel America. Dinner is on your own in Snoqualmie tonight.
Accommodation: The Hotel America
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Biking: 36 or 38 miles (58 or 61 kilometres)
Terrain: Intermediate

After breakfast, continue along the Palouse to Cascades Trail. Early in the ride, you are greeted by the sparkly Keechelus Lake, framed by mountain peaks across the water. Meet the group at the next lake, Lake Easton, for a picnic lunch. Continuing along the trail, passing the dramatic waters of the Yakima River before entering Cle Elum. Here, pedal the final miles of the tour into adorable Roslyn. Explore the town, keeping your eyes open for scenes you may recognize from the “Northern Exposure” TV show. Have an early dinner together.
Accommodation: The Hotel America
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Biking: 35 or 39 miles (56 or 62 kilometres)
Terrain: Easier or Intermediate

After breakfast, jump in the van and drive to Rattlesnake Lake, where you had your picnic lunch two days ago. Hike the popular trail to Rattlesnake Ledge, earning yourself views of the Cedar River Watershed and nearby Mount Si and Mount Washington. Celebrate the end of our trip with a group lunch at a brewery in Big Bend. Afterward, shuttle back to our starting point to say our mid-afternoon goodbyes — all of us changed by the sights and experiences of this week-long tour along the Washington Trails.
Accommodation: Not applicable
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Hiking: 4 miles (6.4 kilometres)
Terrain: Intermediate