Iron Horse Gravel Ride

Event Description

Cascade’s newest gravel ride, the Iron Horse Gravel, takes riders on a stunning journey through the historic Palouse to Cascades Trail, offering a mix of easy climbs, gorgeous descents, and a through a legendary 2-mile tunnel at Snoqualmie Summit. If you are new to gravel, this is a great ride for you. 

You’ve heard about the old railroad tunnel through Snoqualmie Pass, and you really want to go check it out… and maybe kick back for a night in Cle Elum. Well, this summer is your chance to go exploring with other gravel-minded fellow cyclists!

For those who believe that gravel rides are all uphill, this one is for the first half of each day, but then all downhill for the rest. The highlight (actually, the high dark – bring a good light or three) is a 2-mile tunnel that cuts through the ridge at the Snoqualmie Summit. Inside could be refreshingly dank and cool after climbing in the sunshine, and that downhill cruise afterward will raise your spirits as you drop elevation.

Escape through the woods Monday and Tuesday, August 11 - 12 on the smoothest off-road route along the old Milwaukee Road corridor of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, and the Pacific Railroad that connected Seattle to Ellensburg. We’re headed into the protected wilderness area from Snoqualmie to Cle Elum along the historic Palouse to Cascade trail, also known as the Iron Horse Trail.

Learn more about the Mountains to Sound Greenway National Heritage Area that you’ll enjoy on this trip.

Registration

Registration opens Tuesday, April 8 and closes in mid-July or as soon as we reach our 200-rider max (which happens surprisingly quickly – don’t wait too long!).

Packet Pickup

Your packet is available at the start line.

Route

Shortly after departing the start line, riders pedal onto the Snoqualmie Valley Trail – hard-pack with some light gravel – which will carry through North Bend. Crossing the highway and under the freeway at the east end, the trail turns to mostly dirt with some rockiness and more serious uphill climbing.

Cedar Falls Trailhead at Rattlesnake Lake turns us onto the Palouse to Cascade Trail (Iron Horse) old railroad bed to climb gently to the summit. Just before the top, around mile 28.6, the ‘Milwaukee Road’ tunnels into the ridge for a couple of miles, then comes out the other side of the summit at mile 31. It’s an old, dark, can’t-quite-see-one-end-from-the-other hard dirt (occasionally muddy, sometimes gravel-filled holes) mostly flat-ish tunnel. 

The tunnel is mandatory! There is NO way around it. If you are claustrophobic or afraid of the dark, we recommend you do NOT do this ride. Prepare for the spooky things you find in tunnels – dampness and uneven surfaces  Be sure to have plenty of lights on your bike so you can see and others see you.

There’s a lot of history around the Snoqualmie Tunnel and the old Palouse to Cascades Trail that you might want to check out before you ride there!

After lunch at Hyak Summit, the Palouse to Cascades Trail continues, but with a much dirtier, rockier, and wilder downhill past a couple of lakes to reach South Cle Elum and the first-day finish at Whispering Pines RV Park. Thankfully, you will find blessedly smooth pavement to get there from the trailhead.

Day 2 takes a slightly different route to get back onto the Palouse to Cascades Trail — gently up the Coal Mines Trail from downtown Cle Elum, then around-a-bout to pass Suncadia and on to the main Trail at Bullfrog Trailhead.  It’s only about a 500’ climb for the next 25 miles to crest the Hyak Summit again.  

Once more through the tunnel and then it’s all downhill on a relatively smooth dirt track back to Rattlesnake, then North Bend, and on to the finish in Snoqualmie.  

The section from North Bend to Bullfrog Road (Exit 80 on I-90, west of Cle Elum) features mixed surface conditions typical of the Iron Horse/Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail. Riders should anticipate variable gravel quality, particularly in and around the Snoqualmie Tunnel.

Gravel Surface Notes:

• East of the Tunnel: Recently improved; firm and generally smooth, though occasional gravel traps (loose aggregate or RR ballast) exist near gates—use caution.
• West of the Tunnel: Slightly more worn with mild surface degradation. Descents may feel rougher, particularly at higher speeds (~19–20 mph).

Click through to see the full map on Ride With GPS.

Event Schedule

Parking

There are 84 Spots at Snoqualmie Elementary School. Purchase this as an add-on item at registration for $10 for two days. Unsecure overnight parking.  Must be paid for in advance. Space is limited.

Luggage Transportation

Included with registration. A truck hauls your bags from Snoqualmie to Cle Elum so you don't have to. Fill out an ID tag and attach it to your bag. 50% of riders will bring a black bag. Make yours distinguishable with colored tape or ribbon. Avoid packing breakables or extreme valuables.

On the dry side of the mountains, there are two options for your luggage to be dropped off (and picked up again on day two):

• Whispering Pines RV Park (official day-endpoint location)
• Suncadia Resort.  

Where To Stay

Camping available at Whispering Pines RV Park (Official mid-point) - $20

Includes a tent space (likely to set multiple tents within RV spaces), access to showers, bathrooms, and other park amenities.

Motels nearest to mid-point campground

Timber Lodge Inn — 301 W 1st St (0.7 miles away)

Aster Inn — 521 E 1st St (1.2 miles away)

Alpine Lakes Chalet Motel — 800 E 1st St (1.4 miles away)

Quality Inn Cle Elum — 906 E 1st St (2 miles away)

Cle Elum Traveler’s Inn — 1001 E 1st St (2 miles away)  

Explore more options in Suncadia as well. We will also arrange a bag drop station there.

Food & Breaks

Breakfast - Make sure you’re well-fueled before you reach the start line at Snoqualmie Valley Elementary on day one. There may be light pastries and coffee available there. Day two, we’ll start you off with a warm grab-n-go option – likely a breakfast burrito or egg sammie.

Lunch - Lunch will be set up from 10 a.m. to shortly after noon each day at the Hyak SnoPark at the top of the Summit, east end of the big tunnel.  Sandwiches (veggie, vegan, gluten-free, carnivorous, and of course peanut-butter and jelly), chips, fruit, cookies, and perhaps a little special something will replenish those depleted reserves from the climb, but not weigh you down for the big downhill ahead.

Dinner -  Dinner on Day One will be grilled when you arrive at Whispering Pines in Cle Elum.  Most likely, we’ll serve various burger patties (meat, veggie) with all the condiments to dress your own bun, plus salads and a few other snacks. Cold drinks and beer will be available. You must show ID for beer.

Snack Rest Stops - A rest stop on the way up and one coming down will keep you hydrated and have plenty of classic biker bars (no, not that kind…) to nibble and chew and stash in a pocket to keep rolling.

Inclusion

Everyone is welcome at Cascade events. We are committed to celebrating and promoting diversity in the bicycling community. We aim to provide safe spaces at start lines, finish lines, and official rest stops. Read our commitment to anti-racism and our participant code of conduct and grievance policy.

We would like to acknowledge that our rides take place on Native land. Our offices are located on the traditional land of the first people of Seattle, the Duwamish People past and present.

Support During the Ride

Volunteers and support crew will be at each of three rest stops along the way. Several Outriders will be scattered throughout the group to aid and encourage enroute. Vehicles will not be out along the trail, so until an Outrider or fellow cyclist can stop to check on you, plan on dealing with minor mechanical issues and bumps and scrapes if you can’t stay on your bike. We recommend checking out our Basic Bike Maintenance classes and Fix-a-Flat classes to help you prepare!

From rest stop stations, SAG services may be available whenever a free vehicle can get there. Serious bike malfunctions may be referred to the Ride Roslyn bike shop near the ride’s end.

Rider Requirements:

• This is a (mostly) self-supported ride. The Palouse to Cascades trail has long sections that do not have access to any roads and are considered backcountry riding. All participants must be equipped to handle:
  • Mechanical issues (e.g., flat repair, chain drops, minor adjustments).
  • Adequate hydration and nutrition. There will be rest stops along the way, however, you are responsible for bringing enough water to keep you hydrated throughout the ride.
  • Lighting for tunnel transit (front and rear lights required).
     

Weather

August is likely to be warm and dry, but prepare for unexpected coolness or showers on the Pacific side of the Summit. You may need layers to start the day, but all-uphill starts means a quick warm-up.  

The Snoqualmie Tunnel remains cold (around 45°F) year-round, regardless of outside temperature. Be sure to bring a jacket or warm layer even on hot summer days - you will need it in the tunnel! 

There’s always a chance of thunderstorms on the eastern side of the Cascades. Plus, there could be significant winds blowing down from the mountains – a great tailwind for the first day, but Tuesday’s return could be building headwinds through the morning.  

E-Bikes

Washington State Parks allows Class 1 and 3 e-bikes on off-road routes and trails, but don’t count on your battery being able to carry you to the top without a lot of help from your legs.  You’ll definitely need to re-charge overnight before the return journey. Most campsites have electrical outlets, as do the motel rooms in Cle Elum.

Training

If you haven’t been on a long uphill gravel ride before, try a few runs on the Centennial Trail from Tolt/Carnation to Snoqualmie Falls. That’s all old railroad grade, too, and almost as scenic as the Palouse to Cascades. Distance riding on paved roads (particularly with long inclines) will help build up your endurance, and numerous stretches of unpaved sections of Eastrail will toughen up the parts of you that need acclimatization.

Did you survive three days of Winthrop Gravel Tour and come out smiling? You’ll love Iron Horse!