Kittitas County offers some of the state’s best cycling. Riders can go out on their own or participate in organized tour rides; either method is full of scenery and exciting, challenging terrain.
For detailed maps and routes visit: centralwashingtonoutdoor.com/travel-maps
cycling experiences n ROAD & EASY TRAIL RIDING Kittitas County features several popular road biking loops of various distances. The Cle Elum Loop goes from Ellensburg to Cle Elum and back along State Routes 10 and 940 with some scenic views and climbs over 61 miles of road. The Double Loop Cemetery Road Ride is about half as long, but takes a figure-8 route from West Ellensburg Park to and through Thorp past the High Valley Cemetery. For great views of countryside with some elevation change, try the Badger Pocket Loop, a 42-mile ride that takes riders into Ellensburg and Kittitas farmland. A similar route, the Look Loop, goes east from Ellensburg, north of Kittitas, and back. North Fork Taneum is technically a trail, but with a minimal grade of no more than 2.2 percent. The wide and well-worn trail meanders through eclectic scenery, from rivers to forest and desert land. Head east on Interstate 90 and take exit 101 (Thorp Highway), turn left. The trailhead is just behind the Thorp Fruit Stand. Considered good for novices or just the laid back ride. The Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail, which follows the old roadbed of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and 50
CENTRAL WASHINGTON | VISITORS GUIDE
Pacific railroads, is another popular mountain biking spot. It stretches 300 miles from the western slopes of the Cascades to the Idaho border, and the 100-mile portion that extends from Cedar Falls to the Columbia River, known as Iron Horse State Park. It has several access points in Kittitas County, including Hyak, Easton, Cle Elum, Thorp, Kittitas and Ellensburg. Included in the western portion of Iron Horse is a trip through the Snoqualmie Tunnel, a 2.3-mile tunnel that goes through Snoqualmie Pass. n MOUNTAIN BIKING The Lower Taneum Ridge near the Teanaway provides a ride along a short stretch of creek, a climb to the top and a drop to the parking area. The trailhead starts at the Taneum Junction campground. The stiff climb and loose/rutted/steep conditions going down make this route unsuitable for beginners. In the Upper County, the near Roslyn and Cle Elum is a four-mile downhill, fast, swoopy trail that’s been growing in popularity. It’s accessible via Cle Elum Flagpole Park and the Coal Mine Trail. Follow the trail until you get to Alliance Road, which crosses the
trail, and turn north, or right. The Cooper River Trail travels for 10.8 miles through the Wenatchee National Forest. It uses about two miles of paved and gravel roads before it heads onto the Cooper River Trail. There are no extended climbs, which makes it great for the beginner to intermediate biker. Access the trail off of I-90 on exit 80, then take Bullfrog Road and head toward Salmon La Sac. For more information about mountain biking in the area, talk to the experts at the ReCycle Shop in Ellensburg or Northwest Bicycle Improvement Co. in Roslyn. The Evergreen Mountain Biking Alliance is another source of information. A mountain bike skills park recently opened in at Rotary Park in Ellensburg.
