r/seattlebike • u/wafflesperkilo • 1d ago
Road Biking to Rainier & Olympic
Hello! Would love some suggestions on planning a route from Seattle to Rainier and back and Seattle to Olympic and back. Have found some routes online, but unclear how safe they are for bikes around cars, and suggestions for places to stay along the way etc.
If you have done this before, and have thoughts on scenic and safe-ish from cars routes, would love your input!
(I am used to riding hills and would consider myself an amateur intermediate cyclist, not very fast but by can climb hills and do long distances.)
5
u/backlikeclap 1d ago
Seattle - Orting - Eatonville - Elbe - Ashford - NF-52 - Packwood worked for me for Rainier.
For the Olympics I would just take a ferry To Port Townsend or Port Angeles.
3
u/mojomonday 1d ago
Have planned it before but haven’t executed it yet. Paradise or Sunrise?
Either way I think it’s best to plan your timing so that you hit Enumclaw (if Sunrise) or Ashford (if Paradise) at late evening or the wee hours of the morning where traffic is coming out of the park and ride up during those hours. Because once morning hits at 8-10am, it is imo not safe nor pleasant. It’s narrow one lane roads with virtually zero shoulder past that point and you’ll have a steady line of never ending cars going into the park.
1
2
u/Mr_Rabbit 1d ago
Maybe https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41978882 would do you? As I recall it is based on a couple of Randonneur routes, so the route choice should be pretty solid.
1
u/wafflesperkilo 18h ago
Thank you!! This is great, I did see this one but didn’t have much idea for if it was a good route or not.c thanks for the input
2
u/Consistent_Clue8718 1d ago
Have you heard about Ride the Hurricane? It’s a sea to summit hill climb from Port Angeles harbor to the summit of Hurricane Ridge. And the park closes the road to all motor vehicles, so it’s a car-free ride into the national park. It’s not nearly as long as the routes you mentioned but you say you’re used to riding hills. And there are tacos and beer on the pier after. I think there are still spots available (park caps it at 800) but it will sell out soon. Based on your post it sounds like something you might really enjoy.
1
u/wafflesperkilo 18h ago
Woah this really does sound fun, I have hiked st hurricane ridge before and the road up there was just the most beautiful although it was hella windy haha. I will look this up thanks a LOT!
2
u/boxofducks 6h ago
Seattle - Bainbridge ferry
Take the Chilly Hilly route from the Bainbridge ferry to the north side of the island, right on 305.
305 across the Agate Pass bridge to Totten Rd, left on Totten, follow the water into Poulsbo to the north end of Liberty Bay, right on Bond, left on Big Valley Rd, right on SR3. Go past the Hood Canal Bridge into Port Gamble, get food at Butcher and Baker, go back and cross the Hood Canal Bridge.
Right at the roundabout onto Paradise Bay Rd, follow the water, right on Oak Bay Rd into Port Ludlow and north to Port Hadlock.
Left on SR19, right on Anderson Bay Rd, left on SR20 and you're on the Olympic Discovery Trail, follow the ODT route to Port Angeles for Hurricane Ridge, or farther west for other parts of the park.
Sketchiest parts for cars are the Agate Pass bridge and the section of the ODT that is on SR20 going around Discovery Bay.
1
u/clarec424 1d ago
Do you have Ride With GPS? There are several routes on the Olympic side, also how compatible are you with possible gravel?
1
u/wafflesperkilo 18h ago
Yes, I did see a bunch of routes on ride with gps but had no clue on which roads get really busy on weekdays / weekends witb what kind of traffic (trucks, tourists etc) based in California so not well aware of the roads.. but I do see a comment below with a route so I will check that out!
1
u/CPetersky 1d ago
Riding up to Sunrise after its been closed to motor vehicles is more than worth the effort. I did it one year when wildfire smoke made just about anything else unbreatheable. Rainier peeked up and over the smoke to block it, and the one clear place was that SE side of the mountain.
1
u/m_science 2h ago
Seattle>Auburn via Greenriver trail>Green Valley Road>Enumclaw-Black Diamond Road>410 to Sunrise.
If you are a climber, skip all of the above, it's long shitty industrial miles except green valley road. It will take you a whole day to get there and back and its just dog shit Radonerd vibes.
Instead:
Drive to Enumclaw, poop at Starbucks, drive and park at the base of Crystal.
The real route is : Hit Sunrise ranger station when it opens at 730 so you don't need to buy a pass later when it's hot out. roll to the front of the line, skip the cars. Ride up to sunrise, descend, right on 410, hit Cayuse pace yourself up and make the left up to Chinook, hit Chinook hard, plenty of recovery in just a bit. Ignore the first toilets, roll to the top at the lookout, pee there, drink water and descend to Packwood, don't hit an elk. It's pretty much 45 minutes of happiness.
Gas station, refreshers, pee. Skate Creek to the Nisqually Entrance. Climb up Paradise like you mean it. Don't fuck around. Get salties and water at the top, descend via stevens canyon. Make sure you have water. It's been a long day and you need to hit the backside of Cayuse. Negative self talk goes a long way here. Positive affirmations will demoralize you.
When you summit Cayuse, harden the fuck up and climb Chinook again. You gonna miss out on one of the best descents in Washington because you are afraid of another 15 minutes of lactic acid? Fuck no you won't. Tell yourself that you are a little bitch and deserve it for crying on Cayuse, and do it again. Turn around at the top and finish your water. Eat a bar. Have a cry. Get on your bike and tuck-in. Have a beer and a nap in the car.
10
u/SammyDavidJuniorJr 1d ago
Join the GETMAD race for Rainier
https://www.redmondcycling.club/news/getmad