Oregon, Washington, USA

Mt. Rainier to Mt. Hood Bike Tour

DURATION

7 Days

PRICE

$3,878

LEVEL

Advanced

DAILY DISTANCE

50-80 Miles

INCLUDED ACTIVITIES

Cycling (bikes included), hiking & Bigfoot museum.

INCLUDED MEALS

All except one lunch and one dinner

Discover and explore what we ultimately strive for in a cycling vacation–which is to simply “Pedal Happy”.

One waterfall-filled gorge. Two bicycle wheels. Three volcanoes. Four stunning summits. Seven days. A million memories. This is truly an exclusive tour: Mt. Rainier National Park limits both the number of tours we can operate (two) and the number of cyclists per tour (ten), so reserve early to be one of the 20 lucky cyclists per year who get to take this tour! Crafted for solid cyclists, our route is not for the faint of heart, but it’s infinitely rewarding. If you like mountain cycling, our Glacier Banff Jasper itinerary is the only tour that even comes close to accessing this type of amazing scenery on paved roads. You’ll immerse yourself in the ultimate Cascade Mountains bicycle experience, riding amid ancient forests, along sparkling rivers, over snow-crowned summits, past wildflower-strewn meadows, beneath tumbling falls, and through volcanic moonscapes – some of the Pacific Northwest’s most diverse and dramatic terrain!

National Parks on This Tour: Mt. Rainier National Park | Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument | Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area

This tour is operated under special use permit/s with the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Columbia Gorge NSA, Mt Rainier National Park, Mt St Helens National Volcanic Monument and Mt. Hood National Forest. Bicycle Adventures is an equal opportunity provider.

Day 01

Ride to Sunrise on Mt. Rainier.

Meals

– Lunch
– Dinner

Lodging

Quicksilver Lodge

Distance

63 miles (or less)

Elevation

+7,563 ft / -4,838 ft (or less)

We will be riding in the National Park before noon! Our first ride takes us first along the White River and then high up onto the north side of Mt. Rainier to the Sunrise Visitors Center at 6400 feet. Pedal up through dense forests to the tree line. Once on the ridge, pedal past alpine meadows while admiring the views that extend northward almost to Canada, and southward to the Tatoosh Range, Mt. Adams and beyond. Do your best to stay on the road! The mountain is so close you can feel the cooling breezes from the glaciers. After lunch at Sunrise, cycle back down and then up to Crystal Mountain ski resort where we spend the night at Quicksilver Lodge.

Day 02

Pedal Mt. Rainier National Park to Paradise via Chinook Pass.

Meals

– Breakfast
– Lunch
– Dinner

Lodging

Paradise Inn

Distance

57 miles

Elevation

+7,348 ft / -6,270 ft

Again, virtually all the cycling today is within Mt. Rainier National Park. Once we’ve descended from the ski area, we climb to Chinook Pass and Tipsoo Lake – arguably the prettiest pass in the Cascade mountains. After the pass, we coast downhill for 15 miles, losing 3500 feet of elevation. Have lunch beneath – and take a short walk through – the oldest grove of trees in the park before starting the climb to Paradise on a spectacular road that wends its way up the mountain from the southeast. Ancient trees tower overhead, waterfalls plunge over cliffs, streams cut through gorges and lakes reflect stunning mountain views. Traffic is less here, too, as most vehicles approach from the west. End the day at historic Paradise Inn on Mt. Rainier, which has hosted the likes of skater Sonja Henie and President Harry Truman. The accommodations at this classic National Park Inn have been beautifully redone in recent years – come see the improvements!

Day 03

Spend the day in Paradise!

Meals

– Breakfast

Lodging

Paradise Inn

Paradise defies all superlatives and is simply too amazing to miss. The revered naturalist and National Parks advocate, John Muir, described Paradise as “… the most luxuriant and the most extravagantly beautiful of all the alpine gardens I ever beheld in all my mountain-top wanderings.” Local natives referred to these gardens as Sahalee Illahee, “land of peace”. We find it hard to come up with any higher recommendations. Hiking trails abound at Paradise. Marmots, black bear, mountain goats and black-tailed deer abound as well. Go for a walk or hike on your own. Spend some time at the Visitors Center. Or just relax, read a book and soak up the views from the Inn. Lunch and dinner are on your own today.

Day 04

Pedal Gifford Pinchot National Forest to Windy Ridge at Mt. St. Helens.

Meals

– Breakfast
– Lunch
– Dinner

Lodging

Skamania Lodge

Distance

AM: 20-25 mi descent.

PM: 18.6 miles (one way), or 37.6 mi (out and back)

Elevation

AM: descend about 3500 ft.

PM: +3,279 ft / -1,795 ft (one way), or +5,102 ft / -5,117 ft (out and back)

Ride alongside a river through the Gifford Pinchot National Forest along a little-used country road heading toward Mt. St. Helens. Approach from the northeast, cycling straight into the route that the exploding gases and ash took during the eruption of May 18, 1980. At first the evergreen forest looks normal, but then we notice pebbles of white pumice on the forest floor. Going further, we see that some trees have lost branches. Then standing dead trees appear, then trees that were knocked down by the blast. They lie like spilled toothpicks on the hillside, their trunks all neatly pointing to the still smoldering crater. Devastation seems complete until we crest a ridge and view the ultimate — no trees. Here the hot volcanic gases blasting at over 500 miles per hour not only knocked everything down, but literally blew it all away. From a vista overlooking log-filled Spirit Lake, a park ranger tells us the incredible story of the explosion, the current buildup of a cinder cone in the volcano’s crater, the dramatic increase in volcanic activity since September 2004, the amazing reemergence of life in the 1980 blast zone, and the possibility of a future eruption. Awesome! From Mt. St. Helens we van to  Skamania Lodge – the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area’s signature resort on the Washington side of the river.

Day 05

Cycle the Columbia Gorge's "Waterfalls Route"

Meals

– Breakfast
– Lunch
– Dinner

Lodging

Hampton Inn, Hood River

Distance

43 miles (or less)

Elevation

+2,721 ft / -2,857 ft

Waterfalls and taking it easy are the name of the game today. The Columbia Gorge has some of the finest waterfalls in the world! Enjoy a leisurely departure time from Skamania Lodge today – in case you want to enjoy the Gorge Interpretive Center, do some ziplining or hit some golf balls. If not, you can pedal out early and spend more time viewing magnificent waterfalls. The cycling is more leisurely today as well, giving you a chance to recover from yesterday and a chance to rest up for a big climb tomorrow to Mt. Hood. Pedal a network of bike paths that takes you past world-famous Multnomah Falls and a multitude of others. Arrive in Hood River early enough to enjoy this mecca of brew pubs in a town renowned for windsurfing and outdoor recreation. Watch the sails on the water or go for a swim in the river. Stay at the Hampton Inn – Hood River.

Day 06

Ride from orchards in the Hood River Valley up to subalpine meadows at Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood.

Meals

– Breakfast
– Lunch
– Dinner

Lodging

Timberline Lodge

Distance

60 miles

Elevation

+8233 ft / -2703 ft

Begin cycling amongst the apple and pear orchards of the Hood River Valley. Ride along a tumbling river through thick forests of tall firs in Mt. Hood National Forest as we ascend toward the mountain. Finish the day with a climb up to Timberline Lodge (famous for its place in The Shining). Spend the night here and enjoy a superb meal in a spectacular setting: at an elevation of 6,000 feet, the views are majestic.

Day 07

Cruise down the flanks of Mt. Hood and say hello to bigfoot.

Meals

– Breakfast
– Lunch

Distance

48 miles

Elevation

+1,597 ft / -6,985 ft

Enjoy a lovely, long, and well-earned cruise down the flanks of Mt. Hood all the way to … Boring, Oregon. Yes, that’s the town name, but it’s far from as dull as it sounds. After all, here we will stop and say hello to sasquatch (if you didn’t already on the tour) at the North American Bigfoot Center. Finish with lunch at one of the delicious food trucks for which the Portland-area has become justifiably famous before returning to your hotel.

 

*Bicycle Adventures operates under special use permits while on Federal Lands managed by the National Forest Service (USDA), National Parks and Bureau of Land Management. In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) To file a complaint of discrimination: write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Dates
Guaranteed
This means that the tour will definitely depart as scheduled and not be canceled.
Price
Availability
Dates
Single Supplement
Price
$1,047
This is not required. It is an optional fee to allow a solo traveler to guarantee a private room for the duration of the tour.
Dates
July 23, 2024
Guaranteed
This means that the tour will definitely depart as scheduled and not be canceled.
Price
$3,878
Availability
Limited, call to book
Dates
August 13, 2024
Guaranteed
This means that the tour will definitely depart as scheduled and not be canceled.
Price
$3,878
Availability
Limited

Plan a fun pre- or post-tour escape to Washington’s national parks.

Our Sister company, Evergreen Escapes, offers small-group day tours to Mt. Rainier, Olympic National Park, and Mt. St. Helens that provide a great way to see a little bit more of the Evergreen state before your bike tour begins, or after you’re out of the saddle.

Escape your every day and explore the wonders of the PNW!