Centennial Trail Out and Back (Moderate)

Join us for an out and back ride on the Centennial Trail on a 56 mile route at a Moderate Pace of 14-16 MPH! This is a long ride with steady long slight up hills that can zap your energy on a hot day.  It is recommended that riders are in good condition and experienced at riding long distances of over 45 miles in hot weather. This is not an easy ride. Plan to be riding for 5+ hours with breaks.

The Centennial Trail is natural beauty in an enormously popular hiking, biking and equestrian trail. The Centennial Trail currently extends between the City of Snohomish and the Skagit County line. The Centennial Trail mostly rolls past farms and pastures and through forested watersheds. The path crosses creeks and rivers that drain the Cascade Mountains, whose snowy summits are visible in the east.

We will ride an out and back on mostly rolling paved trails with soft trail equestrian trail along side.  There will be short sections of riding through towns to connect the Centennial trail. We will start at Centennial Trail Pilchuck Trailhead and ride to the Nakashima Heritage Barn Trailhead and then ride back to the Centennial Trail Pilchuck Trailhead. We will regroup often and at main intersections.  We will take breaks as needed along the way with a longer break at the Nakashima Heritage Barn Trailhead to fully socialize and relax before the ride back.

Let's meet at the Centennial Trail Pilchuck Trailhead, 5801 S Machias Rd, Snohomish, WA 98290. We will start with a required safety briefing, and roll out when that's done. If you miss the briefing, you will not be able to ride with the group.

We will maintain a 14-16 MPH pace on the flats and ride at our own pace on the slight hills and slight descents.  Our goal is to stay together as much as possible by waiting for others at intersections, the top of hills, and at the bottom of long descents. We'll also limit our speed on any multi-use paths to the legal maximum.

Sanicans should be available at the start. There are Sanicans and Restrooms along the way if needed. Water refill along the way should be available at Machias Trailhead, Haller Park and Legion Park. 

Bring a spare tube and tools to fix a flat, just in case. Bring two water bottles full of water and plan to refill as often as possible. Bring a red tail light and white head light if this is an evening ride.

Note: If weather conditions meet the weather cancellation criterion listed above or if there are unforeseen hazardous riding conditions or other unexpected events, 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.

We hope you can join us!

Points of reference:

1. CT NORTH - Nakashima Barn—32328 SR 9, Arlington (Sanican)

2. BRYANT—SR9 & Stanwood-Bryant Rd (Sanican)

3. ARMAR RD—15333 67th Ave NE, Arlington (Sanican)

4. GETCHELL— 8318 Westlund Rd, Arlington (Sanican)

5. LAKE CASSIDY (Disabled Parking Only) 6216 105th Ave NE, Lake Stevens (Sanican)

6. RHODODENDRON—10911 54th PL NE, Lake Stevens (Sanican)

7. SR 92—3651 127TH Ave NE, Lake Stevens (Sanican)

8. 20th St—13205 20th St NE, Lake Stevens (Sanican)

9. Machias—1624 Virginia St, Snohomish (permanent restroom)

10. Pilchuck—5801 S. Machias Rd, Snohomish (Sanican)

CITY OF ARLINGTON TRAILHEADS

A. Haller Park—1100 West Ave (permanent restroom)

B. Legion Park—114 N. Olympic (permanent restroom

HISTORY 

The trail is built on the old Burlington-Northern railroad line. The Machias trailhead and rest stop is a replica of the railroad depot built in the late 1890s that once served the rail line which today is the Centennial Trail. Development of the trail began in 1989 during the state's centennial. The trailhead and rest stop in the town of Machias is a replica of the Machias Station railroad depot built in the late 1890s which served the rail line which today is the Centennial Trail.