The Pacific Northwest (PNW) is a mountain biking hotbed, and Washington is no exception. In 2017, the State of Washington conducted a sweeping study that found mountain bikers on natural-surface trails contributed a whopping $435.7 million to the economy annually.
Most of the trail development across the state is driven by the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, one of the largest MTB trail building and advocacy groups in the nation. However, arguably the most famous mountain bike destination in the state — Bellingham — has its own standalone advocacy group, known as the Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition (WMBC). These two incredible organizations have secured legal MTB access to a never-ending sea of superb singletrack — and the riding just keeps getting better.
In 2024 alone, Evergreen built over 40 new trails, and WMBC opened a slew of new lines as well. The momentum isn’t slowing down, and we’ve already reported on several projects in progress in Washington this year.
With all the new trail development, the best trails in the state are constantly changing. Here are the latest and greatest trails in Washington that you cannot miss!
Blue Ribbon, Galbraith Mountain, Bellingham
Galbraith Mountain is arguably the most famous trail system in Washington. This dense network is home to some 70 miles of trails, and it’s best known for its jump lines.
Blue Ribbon is a true masterpiece of a flow trail and is one of the latest additions to Galbraith’s network. “What we’re aiming for with this trail is to have a trail for everyone to create something that flows and that everyone can enjoy that flow,” said Nico Vink, lead trail builder on the project. “The most important [thing] to me is, like, the sequence and flow […] and intensity of features, so there’s no dead spots.”
This massive undertaking was a partnership between Transition Bikes and the Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition (WMBC), and the trail was constructed by Vink, the WMBC, and Rocket Ramps. All told, this artfully-sculpted one-mile flow trail boasts 45 berms, 47 jumps, and 52 features with multiple options. Everyone who’s ridden the finished product has raved about the build, and it seems that Vink has accomplished his goal of building a flow trail that everyone can enjoy!
Other stand-out jump trails at Galbraith include Unemployment Line and the new Double Vision trail.
Off the Grid, Tiger Mountain State Forest, Issaquah
Evergreen’s work at Tiger Mountain State Forest helped kick-start the trail building boom in Washington, and today, the trails are better than ever! This network offers a backcountry feel less than 30 miles from downtown Seattle.
One of the standout trails on Tiger Mountain is Off the Grid, aka “OTG.” “OTG offers a dynamic mix of terrain that keeps riders engaged from top to bottom,” said David Fleischhauer, Trail Program Director for the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance. “Like the other newer trails on the mountain, OTG blends fast, flowy sections with pockets of tech. Expect roots, short rock gardens, and the occasional off-camber challenge. About a third of the way down, a steep, punchy climb breaks up the descent and adds an aerobic twist. The trail finishes at the top of Fully Rigid. Note: the rock gardens, especially the off-camber one, can get slick and tricky when wet.”
Ape Canyon/Plains of Abraham, Cougar
The Ape Canyon and Plains of Abraham trails run along the flanks of Mt. Saint Helens, traversing one of the most surreal landscapes on earth. “Where else in the world can you ride through the blast zone of a dormant volcano and see life slowly crawling back in a high alpine ecosystem? Truly a unique experience and a wonderful, rideable, and fun trail too,” said Singletracks reader blp99x. The lunar landscape of the volcanic blast zone and lava flow makes this a go-to backcountry destination for riders from across the country.
The IMBA Epic route consists of pedaling these two trails as an out-and-back for a 20-mile ride with 3,600 feet of climbing. But if you add in the Smith Creek Trail, you can turn this into a loop and complete the “Smith Creek Epic.” The loop version totals 23 miles with over 4,300 feet of climbing (and descending).
The first section of the Orogensis Trail, known as the Loowit Tier, traverses these incredible backcountry trails.
Reverence, Raging River State Forest, Snoqualmie
Raging River State Forest is one of the newest trail networks that Evergreen has developed near Seattle. The third phase just opened in 2024, and the fourth phase of development is currently in progress.
I lovingly refer to the PNW as “the land of berms in every corner,” but new trail builds like Reverence remind me that there’s more to riding in Washington than just railing flow trails. Reverence was mostly built by hand, and it “delivers a raw, natural ride with a heavy dose of roots, rocks, and classic Pacific Northwest gnar,” according to Vivika Stamolis, Communications Director for Evergreen. “A short machine-built flow section offers a brief change of pace before dropping back into the rough stuff. While it is on the mellower end of Raging’s black diamond offerings, the intent is to let it roughen up over time—aiming to land somewhere between CCDH and Upper Physical Therapy in difficulty.”
Reverence was completed in 2024.
Stalingrab, Beacon Hill, Spokane
The Beacon Hill trail system is expansive, covering a small mountain just northwest of downtown Spokane. With over 40 miles of singletrack, there’s no end of choices, but Stalingrab is one of the locals’ favorites.
“Stalingrab is a super-fun, beginner-friendly flow trail,” said Justin Covey, Stalingrab’s current trail builder. “Lots of tabletops and berms to play on. The recent rebuild has made all the jumps wider, the gaps filled in, and [the] lengths more consistent. You’ll find all ages and skill levels riding, even lapping this trail.”
“It’s a trail I recommend to anyone coming to visit as a way of showing off what Spokane has to offer for mountain biking and also to guarantee a good time!” said Emma Wooldridge, head of marketing for the Evergreen East chapter.
Runners-up
- Double Vision, Galbraith Mountain, Bellingham
- Unemployment Line, Galbraith Mountain, Bellingham
- Voodoo Child, Duthie Hill, Issaquah
- Ranger, Port Gamble
- Double Black Diamond to Double Down, Chuckanut Mountain, Bellingham
Honorable mention, best climbing trail: Stairway to Heaven, Number Two Canyon, Wenatchee
What’s your favorite mountain bike trail in Washington? Sound off in the comments below. 👇
8 Comments
Apr 23, 2015
Apr 23, 2015
http://www.singletracks.com/add.php?type=i&c=1
Topo maps are based off GPS data collected by members and the background tiles (I believe the dashed lines you're referring to) are licensed from Neotreks.
Apr 27, 2015
Apr 23, 2015
Personally, I'd have put St. Helens at the top of the list for WA. Not because it's THAT awesome of a ride, but because it's pretty good, with post eruption scenery like no other place I know of. Next would be Orcas Island, again because of how unique it is to take a ferrry to an island, where a state a park has smooth, swoopy, singletrack dating to the CCC days, and also, views from the top of the mountain. Also, the Kettle Crest area in NE WA, somewhat reminiscent of Sun Valley, but with much, much less use. It needs more use, as it's threatened with Wilderness. Duthie, Tiger and Galby are great local rides, but not destination worthy IMO.
Apr 24, 2015
If you aren't into a full day ride with a 12-mile fire road climb, you can cut the ride in half and access the Sand Creek Trail from a camp ground roughly 5 miles up FR 1902. From there, the trail takes you on a steep climb for about a mile of nice switchbacks that wind through old growth forest. Once you reach the top, you're in for around 5 miles of fast singletrack with some very technical and rocky sections that make full-suspension a definite plus! There are a couple short climbs in this last section, but they are only challenging because of the amount of climbing you've already done by this time.
Of course, if you're pressed for time and just want to ride the trail, you can cheat and do like a group of us used to and shuttle to the top of Raven's Roost, park the trucks at the radio tower, and drop in from there. However, in reality, it really isn't much of a time saver, as driving to the top will take around a half hour and then the round trip to get the cars after the ride will take another hour. So, if you're in good shape, you could probably ride the 12 miles up in about 2 hours or less.
Unfortunately, these trails are also open to motorcycles, so there are times when you have to share the trails and watch for uphill traffic. However, in all the years I have ridden this trail and those in the surrounding area, there have been very few times when it has actually been an inconvenience.
This trail is much less manicured than other trail systems that I've ridden, simply because it's also open to motorcycles. However, especially when the soil is still on the damp side, it is an epic ride if you enjoy technical section that test your skill.
Apr 23, 2015
Apr 24, 2015
1 hour ago