Fall City to the Cedar River Watershed Education Center at Rattlesnake Lake (Moderate)

Join us for a Moderate (14-16 mph) 38 mile ride from Fall City to Rattlesnake Lake and back on packed gravel. At Rattlesnake Lake, we will get to see the water drums at the Cedar River Education Center.  Let's meet at Fall City Community Park ready to ride by 9 AM. We will start with a required safety briefing, and roll out when that's done.  All riders must attend the safety briefing to participate.

Route:  This ride features quiet woodlands, stunning views from bridges and beautiful sections along the river.  We will follow the Snoqualmie Valley Trail (wide gravel trail) for 10 miles then have a few miles on pavement through the town of Snoqualmie before picking up the gravel again near the Mt. Si golf course.  

Pace: This is mostly an off-road ride. Effort level will be similar to moderate pace, but you may find your average speed a bit slower than on pavement. We will climb and descend hills at our own pace, and but my goal is to stay together so we may adjust our pace and regroup occasionally. The grade for most of the ride is about 1-2% but there is a short 5- 8% climb at the beginning to get up to the trail in Fall City and then again coming back after the traffic circle in Snoqualmie. Most of the elevation gain is in the first half of the route.  The return will be along the same route without stopping at Snoqualmie Falls again.

Restrooms: A porta-potty is available at the start. We will also be stopping at Snoqualmie Falls for a restroom break and sightseeing at mile 7. There are also restrooms and water at the turn around point, Cedar River Watershed Education Center at Rattlesnake Lake (mile 19) and at the Centennial Fields Park (mile 29).  

Food & Water:  Bring 2 full water bottles and pack a lunch and/or snacks.  We will stop for a light lunch at the Cedar River Education Center near Rattlesnake Lake, which has some interesting displays (eg, water drums) and nice views.  There are restrooms and water there but no food for purchase. We can also stop on the way back for a more substantial meal either at Snoqualmie Falls Brewery in Snoqualmie or at Rio Bravo in North Bend.

Weather cancelation:  If weather conditions meet the weather cancellation criterion listed, or if there are unforeseen hazardous riding conditions or other unexpected events, the Ride Leader will send a ride cancelation notice via email at least two hours prior to the start and Ride Leader(s) will not be at the start location. Please check before leaving for the ride location.

E-bikes:  Class 1 & 2 E-bikes are welcome on this ride, but Class 3 E-bikes are prohibited on the Snoqualmie Valley Trail.

Special Considerations for this Ride:

• A gravel, touring, mountain, cross, or hybrid bike (able to ride on packed gravel) is recommended.  We recommend lower pressure tires with tread and width of at least 28 and preferably wider.  This ride is NOT SUITABLE for high pressure smooth road bike tires.
• We will be riding a short distance past the Tokul tunnel and walking our bikes through a short single track trail to access SE Tokul Road via SE 60th St.
• As we will be in a fairly remote area for portions of the ride and may have spotty cell service, be sure your bike is in good working condition. Bring spare tubes and tools to fix a flat, just in case.
• Rattlesnake Lake is in the mountains.  Weather conditions may change and the temperature can drop as we approach the lake.  Bring layered clothing and a rain jacket for varied temperatures and weather conditions as we ascent towards the mountains.
• This is a social ride and we will be stopping to enjoy views at bridges and nature at times. 

We hope you can join us!