Cle Elum - Rat Pac & Kachess Ridge Mountain Bike Trail Guide
Washington mountain bikers will love to head over Snoqualmie Pass to discover the awesome mountain bike trails near Cle Elum. These mountain bike trails have some nice variety, from the jumps and buffed out flow on Rat Pac to the singletrack adventure that is Kachess Ridge. These two mountain bike trails are the most popular rides in the area. Rat Pac is well known for its jumps and being fun for riders of all ability levels. Aside from these two most popular trails, there are more options for exploration like Taneum Creek and in the Teanaway Community Forest. These areas share the trails with motorized vehicles, or are in different states of use and repair. They can still be fun to ride around, but make sure to have maps, or a GPS to navigate. Cle Elum is about a 90 minute drive from Seattle, making day trips to these trails totally manageable, too.
| Total Trails | 21+ | Difficulty | Intermediate, Advanced |
| Total Distance | 32+ miles | Style | XC, All-Mountain |
Rat Pac
Advanced | 4 Miles | 1,500' Descent
Rat Pac is an awesome flow trail located just outside of Cle Elum. The four mile trail is fast, buff, and flowy as it weaves its way down through the woods. Intermediate riders will love the flow, while more advanced riders will also love Rat Pac for its fun jumps. The jumps are small in size, but with fun rhythm and a ton of them over the length of the trail. Access Rat Pac by climbing up the forest road from the town of Roslyn.
Kachess Ridge
Advanced| 18 Miles | 3,500' Climb | 3,500' Descent
Kachess Ridge is quintessential Washington mountain bike trail, a grinding forest road ascend followed by miles of great descent all the way to the trailhead. Ride six miles up the mellow Road 4818, then get ready to climb. Road 4824 ascend for 5 miles at an average grade above 10%. One of the many rewards of the Kachess Ridge climb is a gorgeous view of Mt. Rainier. After some weaving and trail changes, a short hike-a-bike section delivers riders to the top of the descent. The descent is fun, with lots of different features from roots to creeks. Some of the creeks can have high flows earlier in the spring, meaning wet feet, but it’s all part of the fun. The Kachess descent is certainly worth the grueling climb. It is possible to shuttle most of the trail, although a high clearance vehicle is a necessity.
Our Favorite Mountain Bike Pads for Cle Elum
To get to Rat Pac, take Exit 84 off of I-90 and into Cle Elum, parking at Flagpole Park. Then head up the Coal Miners Trail to find the ascending road. For Kachess Ridge, take Exit 70 off of I-90 and head north and turning left onto the frontage road. Kachess Dam Road AKA Road 481 is in .6 miles, the trailhead is about half a mile down this road. Groups who are shuttling leave one car here, and head up Road 4818 to Road 4824 with the other.
Our Favorite Mountain Bikes for Cle Elum
Rental and demo bikes are available at evo Seattle, evo Portland, evo Denver, evo Whistler, evo Salt Lake, and evo Snoqualmie Pass. (Note: The cost of up to three bike demos can be applied toward the final cost of purchasing a new or used bike from us.)
Kachess Ridge takes some time to melt out from winter snowfall. The trail is usually rideable by mid to late June through the first snowstorms in October or November. Rat Pac will get some winter snow, but definitely has a longer riding season than Kachess Ridge. The trail drains well, and is probably best ridden after some summer rain when the trail is fast and tacky.
Where to eBike in Cle Elum?
Ebikes are a great way to get out and cover a ton of trail, and are a ton of fun. However, before setting out on a ride, it's important to check the local rules and regulations regarding where to ride ebikes. Mountain bike trails are built on land under many different land managers. Each of these land managers likely has its own e-bike policy. It's important to know and follow these rules to help ensure continued trail access to mountain bikers and other trail users. Learn more about where to ride ebikes, and if you're curious about ebikes, read our guide to ebike classes, features & more.
