| Washington State has some of the best mountain biking in the country and is known for its custom made trails that carve through the trees offering rides from scenic singletrack to downhill runs with jumps and features. There are so many good riding spots that it would take more time than any of us have to hit them all. But if you find yourself there then hopefully it will be in the summertime and hopefully you will have your bike so you can check out some of these trails for yourself. And if you dont, you need to borrow or rent one! |
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One phenomenal ride is the Devil's Gulch trail in Wenatchee. This is an all singletrack ride that offers technical sections as well as fast and flowy areas. For the most bang for your buck it should be done as a shuttle ride even though it will involve some serious miles on dirt roads on both ends to park the cars.
To add some fun and distance to the ride you can start from the Mission Ridge Trail and connect into the Devil's Gulch trail. The Mission Ridge Trail is more rocky and technical so if you are into that kind of riding it will be a fun experience before starting the faster Devil's Gulch Trail. The ride consists of switchbacks that run through open fields as well as through the trees. The distance between turns on the swtichbacks is on the longer side so you don't have to worry about always hitting the brakes getting ready for the next turn. The total ride is 12 miles and will take around 2 hours to ride depending on your speed and how often you stop. You should plan for another 2 hours or so for shuttle time since going up and down those fire roads take some time.
Devil's Gulch Trail Video
Devil's Gulch Trail Review
If you live in or are visiting Washington then you really should do this ride. It's a lot of fun and has some challenging areas but for the most part is one that any intermediate rider can handle just fine. If you wait until the summer to do the ride to assure that the trail is dry and you won't get rained on then keep in mind that Wenatchee can get very hot and even into the triple digits. If you are used to the heat it's not really a big deal since you won't be doing much pedaling assuming you shuttle it.
Mission Ridge is a little slower and has more rocky areas but it's not too difficult and you can still keep a good pace riding down this section. This part of the trail is more open with less tree coverage so if it's hot you will be feeling it. Mission Ridge takes a little more skill to navigate than Devil's Gulch so if you are not very confident on rocky trails you may want to go a little slower.
When you make the turn on to Devil's Gulch then things get a little more exciting. The trail gets much faster and you get some sharp turns here and there as well as some looser dirt. From there its miles of singletrack fun that you can ride as fast as you want. It's not too steep so if you are not a speed demon you don't have to worry about having to wear out your brakes. Although it's not like a downhill run it's still very fun if you are into going downhill fast. The trail itself is not too rough but there will be some areas where you suspension will have to do some work so a full suspension bike is your best bet. As you get closer to the bottom the trail gets faster and for many people will be the best part of the ride. And since the trail takes a little work to get to you will not run into too many people but just keep in mind that you might so watch the blind corners and bring your bell
Devil's Gulch Trail Pictures
Directions to the Devil's Gulch Loop Trail
View Misson Ridge into Devil's Gulch in a larger map
Directions on how to get to the Devil's Gulch trail will vary depending on if you are going to start from the top or the bottom. To get to the top of the trail you need to make your way to Wenatchee and then find Wenatchee Mountain Road. From there take a right on Beehive Rd/NF-9712 which is a dirt road. Then turn left to stay on Beehive Rd/NF-9712. Next you will take the 1st left to stay on Beehive Rd/NF-9712. From there turn left onto Liberty Beehive Rd/NF-9712. Finally make a slight right to stay on Liberty Beehive Rd/NF-9712. The trailhead will be on a bend in the road and there will be a sign right at the starting. Your best bet is to look at our map to get an idea of how to get there.
Directions to the bottom of the trail will vary depending on if the dirt road leading to the trailhead is open from either directions or not so check into it before making your way there.
