The big December 2025 atmospheric river washed out several sections of the Palouse to Cascades (“PTC”) Trail, and the worst damage came from a major slide that essentially removed the ground under an 85-foot section of the trail near the Mount Washington Trailhead a bit more than five miles east of the trail’s start near Rattlesnake Lake. But with help from Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance and the Washington State Parks Foundation, Washington State Parks opened a 350-foot gravel trail bypass last week, so the storied rail-trail is again available for summer bike adventures. The Snoqualmie Tunnel opened May 5 but has been cut off from the popular Rattlesnake Lake starting (or ending) point until now.
The bypass trail is hillier and skinnier than the rail-trail, but at only 350 feet it should not be a huge impediment. If you have ridden it, please let us know how it went in the comments below. The bypass will likely be in service for a while because parks does not yet have any funding or plans for how to repair the original trail section. Once an area slides once, it becomes very vulnerable to future slides, so it’s probably not the kind of problem they can solve with a truck full of gravel. I wouldn’t be too surprised if they end up needing to build a bridge, though hopefully the hillside can be shored up so that it does not slide any further.
Riding the PTC Trail to the tunnel and back is a fun day trip, but my favorite thing to do is to make it into a relatively easy bike camping trip. I’d say it’s maybe a 4 out of 10 in difficulty. There is a lot of climbing, but all at easy railroad grades. By the time you reach camp with all your gear, your legs are feeling it and you’re ready for a beer. Campsites have pit toilets, gravel tent platforms and picnic tables. You have to pack in everything else, including a way to filter the wonderful cold stream water. Though there is an earlier option, at least hold out for Carter Creek Campground. Or if you have more distance in you, Cold Creek Campground on the shore of Keechelus Lake is even better. Bring some cash to pay for your site, though it doesn’t cost much. Or if you want to go a step further, my spouse Kelli and I once biked to Cold Creek Campsite for a night, then backtracked to the Annette Lake Trail where we ditched our bikes and backpacked up to camp at the lake. Then we woke up early, hiked down to our bikes and then biked all the way back to Seattle. It was awesome.
Put your bike and gear on a Trailhead Direct bus to North Bend and start your adventure on the Snoqualmie Valley Trail, no car or Discover Pass required. The Trailhead Direct now stops at South Bellevue Station on the 2 Line, opening up access to a lot more people. A transit-bike-hike adventure is my preferred type of triathlon.
Thanks to everyone who worked to make this trail bypass happen. Go biking in the forest!
Below is the press release from WA State Parks:
The western portion of the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail is officially reopening this weekend near the Mount Washington Trailhead.
Washington State Parks completed work on a 350-foot long, 36-inche wide bypass trail. The trail will reopen to pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians on June 5.
This project was made possible by the Washington State Parks Foundation, which donated the funding to complete the trail build. Trail construction was completed by Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, whose expertise produced a high-quality trail corridor within an expedited timeframe.
“We were really able to rally everyone together,” Kevin Goodrich, State Parks Northwest Region Manager said. “This was an incredible example of people coming together and getting it done, and we’re grateful to all of our partners and the wide breadth of State Parks staff who made it possible.”
The bypass trail returns through access to the west side of the PTCT and is the last of three trail sections between Ellensburg and North Bend that were closed due to storm impacts to reopen. With the seasonal reopening of the Snoqualmie Tunnel on May 5th, trail users can travel from North Bend to the eastern PTCT.
Much of the western section of the trail has been closed since December 2025. The atmospheric river and severe storms made the areas unstable and impassible for public access. In one section, the storms created a washout that is approximately 85 feet long and between 35-50 feet deep.
Visitors to the trail will still see some safety fencing and light construction along the trail. State Parks asks all trail users to stay on the PTCT and the bypass trail for their safety. Please respect all closures, stay off of damaged trail areas and do not attempt to view any washouts or other trail damage.
Though the bypass trail will restore access, it will still be a temporary trail with more limited capacity than the original PTCT. State Parks staff will work with annual large trail event hosts to find alternatives for their events.
State Parks is continuing to look at funding and implementation options for a long-term permanent fix that would repair the washout and restore the PTCT in its former location. This would include restoring the trail’s width, surfacing and full trail capacity. Project updates will be made available online.
This bypass trail is temporary, but it could be in place for several years until a long-term fix is funded and constructed.