Loam, Jumps, and Gnar: Best MTB Trails in Seattle

Explore lush PNW rainforests on endless loamy singletrack with this list of Seattle's best mountain bike trails.

Greg Heil

Images

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by Jean-Pierre Chamberland

Creative Commons: No Derivatives
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by Jean-Pierre Chamberland

Creative Commons: No Derivatives
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by Jean-Pierre Chamberland

Creative Commons: No Derivatives
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by King County Parks

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Duthie Hill Jump

by Shutterstock

Description

It’s tough to find a major metropolitan area with better access to mountain bike trails than Seattle. Sandwiched between Puget Sound to the west and the Cascade Mountain Range to the east, the landscape and natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest forests surrounding Seattle provide a sublime setting for suburban mountain biking.

Riding in the PNW is renowned for its gnarly freeride lines, massive dirt jumps, and steep downhill trails. You’ll find all that and more within a short drive from downtown Seattle! In addition to sending big gaps, slashing brown pow, and sliding down slick root webs, you’ll also discover flowy cross country singletrack to pedal, beginner skills parks, and progression lines that help riders of all levels improve their bike handling expertise.

The superb quality of Seattle’s mountain biking is due in large part to the tireless efforts of the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, “the nation's largest statewide mountain bike association.” The "organization was originally formed in response to trail closures and a lack of riding opportunities around Seattle,” and my, how times have changed! Evergreen’s work has paid off, and Seattle is now one of the best cities in the nation to live in as a mountain biker!

Sources:
https://sacredrides.com/blog/seattle-mountain-bike-trails
https://www.evergreenmtb.org/about

Adventures

Raging River

The newest bike-specific trail system in the Seattle area.

Grand Ridge Park

A point-to-point multi-use trail connecting Duthie Hill and West Tiger