Palouse to Cascades (Iron Horse) Trail

Join us for a self-paced ride from Palouse to Cascades State Park (Parking Lot) on a 42.00 mile route. This state park is also called Iron Horse State Park. This is an out and back on gravel railroad grade. 

We will meet in the parking lot near the bathrooms, ride the packed gravel trail up a ~2% grade, ride through the 2.3-mile long Snoqualmie Tunnel, have a break at the Hyak trailhead, then turn around, and return to the parking lot. 

Let's meet at the parking lot at 10:00 AM for our pre-ride safety briefing, with a departure at 10:15 AM. 

Here are directions from wta.org - "From Seattle, proceed east on I-90. Take exit 32, making a right on 434th Ave, which becomes Cedar Falls Road SE. Pass the Rattlesnake Lake parking area, coming to the entrance and parking area for Iron Horse State Park 3.0 miles from exit 32. The entrance will be on your left. There are 63 parking spots, including 2 for ADA access and 5 for trailers."

Restrooms are available at the start (no water). We will stop at the turn around (Hyak) at mile 21. This stop has toilets and water. However, no guarantee the water is working.

This is a self-paced ride. We will stay together getting out of the winding parking lot. Then, riders can self-pace and naturally team up with riders at their level. Riders are encouraged to ride through the dark tunnel in small groups. It is hard to describe riding pace going uphill on gravel. I ride 14-16 mph on pavement on flat ground. My equivalent for this ride will be ~10 mph average going out (uphill) and ~16+ mph  average (downhill) coming back. With strong gusts of wind, I can drop down to 5 mph. 

Study the weather both for North Bend and Snoqualmie Pass and Hyak. While Monday will be dry, the temperature will be cold, currently indicating in the 40s. Wear layered clothing. 

You are encouraged to pre-register by clicking the red "Register Now" button above. There is no need to unregister if you decide not to ride.

Special needs for this ride:

• A gravel, touring, mountain, cross, or hybrid bike (able to ride on gravel) with wide, low pressure tires. I will be using 32mm puncture proof tires @ 38-40 psi.
• Headlight for the tunnel! The tunnel is dark, wet, and cold. Part of the tunnel is completely dark. 
• At least  2L of water (2 LARGE bottles will be ok).
• Enough snacks to fuel you.
• Appropriate clothing, especially a good jacket. As we will be in the mountains, you need to be prepared for mountain conditions. As we get near Hyak, weather can become blustery. The temperature can drop instead of getting warmer as ride continues.  
• Spare tube and tools to fix a flat, just in case.
• Discover Pass to park in the parking lot.

Note: If weather conditions meet the weather cancellation criterion listed above or if there are unforeseen hazardous riding conditions, the Ride Leader will post a ride-canceled note in the Comments section below at least two hours prior to the start and Ride Leader(s) will not be at the start location.

Here is a link to a description of the trail with some nice pictures: https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/7022864/john-wayne-pioneer-trail-hyak-to-rattlesnake-lake

We hope you can join us!