Anyone ridden the John Wayne Pioneer Trail in WA?

[Saskawhat]

I'm looking for a connecting route from the west end of the Trail of the Coeur D'Alenes in Plummer, ID to the far east end of the John Wayne trail. Tried to Google Map something out but was hoping there was a more direct route from point A to point B than what I was able to piece together. Any suggestions?

[PeteJack]

You should ride the Yakima river canyon road from Ellenburg to Yakima awesome scenery a little hilly but well worth it

+1
Other posters know a lot more about the JWT than me but I can tell you that Ellensburg to Yakima via the Yakima Gorge is superb. Be aware there is no drinking water in the Gorge.

[Wirelizard]

Just to revive this old thread of mine, my brother and I are still batting around ideas for next summer's adventure, and once I realized you could take bikes onto the Victoria Clipper passenger ferry between Victoria and Seattle for an extra $20 USD/bike, the idea of skipping the entire Anacortes-Seattle section and basically starting in downtown Seattle became a thing.

As did turning it into a loop tour starting with the Clipper and ending with the Coho ferry back to Victoria from Port Angeles - with the option of using Amtrak back to Vancouver (BC, not WA...) to shorten the whole thing.

Link to a Google Maps overview of this route - basically it's Seattle-Ellensburg-Yakima-Columbia River Gorge-Portland-Centralia-Tacoma-Bremerton-Port Angeles, 980km nominally. Two-and-a-half to three weeks, including a couple of days drinking beer in Portland.

Ending in Portland and letting Amtrak do most of the work of getting us home takes the bike portion down to 548km nominal.

[Pilotpeat]

That sounds like a fun trip!

I live in Yakima and have ridden most of the roads on your proposed route from Cle Elum to Wapato as well as most of the John Wayne Trail from the west end to Cle Elum.

If you need any place to camp or stay in Yakima let me know.  I live off a bike path about 6 miles west of your route as it passes through.

[adventurepdx]

Link to a Google Maps overview of this route - basically it's Seattle-Ellensburg-Yakima-Columbia River Gorge-Portland-Centralia-Tacoma-Bremerton-Port Angeles, 980km nominally. Two-and-a-half to three weeks, including a couple of days drinking beer in Portland.

Overall, your route looks decent, though I'm not familiar with the North Bend to Biggs section. One change I would recommend is in the Columbia Gorge. I'd get over to the Oregon side at The Dalles. While this means about 10 miles of freeway riding, you'd get the Historic Columbia River Hwy between Hood River and The Dalles. The Rowena Loops are not to be missed!

[Wirelizard]

Overall, your route looks decent, though I'm not familiar with the North Bend to Biggs section. One change I would recommend is in the Columbia Gorge. I'd get over to the Oregon side at The Dalles. While this means about 10 miles of freeway riding, you'd get the Historic Columbia River Hwy between Hood River and The Dalles. The Rowena Loops are not to be missed!

We'd already planned on doing the whole Columbia Gorge on the Oregon side, actually, I just didn't bother to correct that portion of the Google Maps' automatic routefinding.

That sounds like a fun trip!

I live in Yakima and have ridden most of the roads on your proposed route from Cle Elum to Wapato as well as most of the John Wayne Trail from the west end to Cle Elum.

If you need any place to camp or stay in Yakima let me know.  I live off a bike path about 6 miles west of your route as it passes through.

Thanks, we'll keep that in mind as we get properly into planning in the New Year! Lake Easton SP (west of Cle Elum) to Yakima is about 120-130km, a reasonable days' haul, so we might take you up on your offer of hospitality in Yakima for a night.

[HoolieWA]

I rode a section of the trail from Falls City To Easton, fully loaded in September, 2014.  The Forest Service campgrounds are very nice and well cared for.  I have never seen tent sites that were so perfect!!  I rode my 700c Salsa Vaya with Clement MSO tires.  Very plush on this trail.  My advise for this section is; when you reach Fall City, get off the trail and get on Road  #202 (on the North Side of the river). Take 202 till you get into North Bend and then get back on the trail.  Otherwise like me, you will be getting on and off the trail for closures that are not expected.   Believe me it was a pain, and sucked up a bunch of time/energy. 

There is a very good brew pub in the town of Snoqualmie with a really good menu.

When I reached Hyak, I rode "UP" (via road) to Snoqualmie Pass to a pizza place that sold beer also. Was really good!!!
There is also a very good brew pub back in the town of Snoqualmie with a really good menu.

For what it's worth; at Rattlesnake Lake, there isn't camping. But very nice restrooms at the ranger station/visitor center.  Next camping spot is 11 miles further up.  Also of note.  At Hyak there are 2 public use pay showers.  Each shower is a full bathroom and is big enough to bring your loaded bike in with you.  Yes I did!! ;-)    Have quarters ready to be able to pay.

Have fun!!

[Wirelizard]

Thanks for the detail, Julie, much appreciated, especially the location of good brewpubs!

I've just tripped over this really detailed PDF guide to biking the Columbia Gorge, with information on both the Washington & Oregon sides of the river: http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/BIKEPED/docs/ColumbiaGorgeBikeMap.pdf Not sure of the date of publication (can't find a date on the thing anywhere) but it's nice to have stuff from both sides of the river and detail like shoulder width and such.