{"id":13676,"date":"2015-06-22T09:25:51","date_gmt":"2015-06-22T16:25:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wabikes.org\/?p=13676"},"modified":"2015-07-26T12:31:45","modified_gmt":"2015-07-26T19:31:45","slug":"stampede-tacoma-pass-loop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/2015\/06\/22\/stampede-tacoma-pass-loop\/","title":{"rendered":"Stampede and Tacoma Pass Loop"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stampede and Tacoma Pass Loop is a perfect way to take advantage of forest service gravel roads. It features challenging climbs, beautiful mountain vistas, an awesome sense of adventure, and 100-percent gravel and dirt roads and trail from start to finish. Find more bicycle adventures on the Where to Ride page<\/a>.<\/h3>\n

\"Mt<\/p>\n

Miles<\/strong>: 48
\nElevation<\/strong>: 4,421
\nLevel<\/strong>: Intermediate
\nHighlights<\/strong>: All dirt and gravel roads, challenging climbs, great views, fun adventure
\nNotes<\/strong>: No water or services on route. Navigation skills required.<\/p>\n

Washington\u2019s modern history is inextricably tied to the logging. Timber was, for a time, the state\u2019s economic driver and the immense trees that once covered the land west of the Cascades helped give rise to Seattle. Decades later, timber\u2019s predominance has diminished, but for adventurous cyclists one critical legacy lives on: forest roads. There are tens of thousands of miles of gravel roads crisscrossing mountains and valleys just waiting to be explored.<\/p>\n

Just an hour drive from Seattle, the Stampede-Tacoma Pass Loop is a perfect way to take advantage of those gravel roads. It features challenging climbs, beautiful mountain vistas, an awesome sense of adventure, and 100-percent gravel and dirt roads and trail from start to finish. The ride is doable on a road bike with at least 32c tires. Some people might enjoy the grip of cyclocross knobbies on the steeper climbs. A mountain bike would be overkill.<\/p>\n

Park your car in the Iron Horse Trailhead lot in Hyak (Discover Pass required). There are bathrooms in the trailhead lot, but no water. In fact, there are no services along the route, so you either need to pack enough food and water to make it through the whole ride or bring a water filter to refill and purify water from the Green River. While we\u2019re on the subject, navigation can be tricky and the roads aren\u2019t super well marked. You\u2019ll need a good GPS device or a good map (Green Trails maps #207 and #239 cover the route).<\/p>\n