TRAILBEAR IN THE BOONIES – The Yelm-Tenino Trail

6.24.10

OVERVIEW – GOOD RIDING IN THURSTON COUNTY…

Thurston County has over 40 miles of good Class I trails, making it something of a Destination. There is enough to ride here to make the trip worthwhile. The TrailBear spent two enjoyable days down there surveying the trails. The county runs a pretty good system.
Millersylvania State Park was the campground of “choice.” MSP is not our favorite state park, but choices are limited here, so… we chose it.

The Yelm-Tenino (14 miles) joins the bottom of the Chehalis Western (21 miles), so you can do a lot of riding on the two. Check out the 2010 county bike map for a lot more riding options…




TRAILBEAR RATES THE TRAIL…

5* = Scenery: Nice rural ride – trees, shrubs, meadows, villages, creeks, a lake. A green ride.
5* = Trail surface: By and large smooth blacktop. Some root heaves.
3* = Facilities: Trail heads not lavishly equipped. No restrooms or water at Yelm trailhead. Best you bring what you need including extra water.
3.5* = Signage: Mile posts at 0.5 mile intervals. Distance To signs at ends and junctions.

This is a pleasant rural ride. It mostly runs alongside the highway (usually out of sight), but the flip side of that is you can access the trail from almost any road which crosses it. There is often access parking for several cars at these points.

You can stage out of Yelm, Rainier or Tenino. There is a new trailhead with portapotty in Yelm, lots of parking and a handy trailside store in Rainer and a full service trailhead at the Tenino City Park. If you are thinking of riding up the Chehalis Western, then stage out of the lot by the Rainier city hall. That is the closest good access to the junction. The access parking at Waldrick and Military Rd. is both limited in space and features a Large puddle.


TRAILHEAD: YELM, 0.0 MILES, GE: N46.94185 W122.60825

The trailhead is behind the city hall in Yelm. This is about a half block west of where 510 and 507 meet in the center of town. There is parking (city hall lot), a covered info kiosk with data, map, bench, mileage sign, etc. No water point or restroom was seen. Try city hall.
There is also a new trail extension which starts across 510 and still on the Yelm-Tenino Right of Way…


A DIVERSION - THE YELM PRAIRIE LINE TRAIL, GE: N46.94232 W122.60694

This is a 1.5 mile extension and a City of Yelm project, not Thurston County. It starts just across 510 from city hall (cross at the light). Look for the wagon wheel sign. There is a new trailhead at N46.94531 W122.60141 with a portapottie, tables, a PC pervious parking lot, nice info kiosk, etc.

At the 510/507 light, take N 1st St. to the NE and you will see it on the right. You might want to stage out of this trailhead. Lots of parking and such. The trail runs out to the power canal. They would like to extend it, but that is for the future. The ROW runs up into McChord AFB near Tacoma. Check out the pix, map and reviews on the YPLT page on TrailLink. You are headed the other way – five miles down to Rainier and then another nine to Tenino. Head that way for …


THE DELIGHTS OF RAINIER, GE: N46.88884 W122.68967

As you enter Rainer you will notice a park on the right with a restroom. It may or may not be open, but there is a water tap and picnic shelter. Carry on to the city hall where you will find a trailhead info kiosk, bench, parking and portapotty.

Additional parking is found down trail from the city hall at Rochester and Minnesota. The trail here is developed as a strip park with tables and trash containers. For supplies, try the Rainier Mini Mall market alongside the trail.

From Rainier head down hill 1.6 miles to the …


CHEHALIS WESTERN JUNCTION, GE: N46.87463 W122.72199

You might expect a nice trailhead here where the Chehalis Western dead ends on the Yelm Tenino, but there are no roads nearby, so you get a junction with mileage signage. A map kiosk and bench would be nice. The YT is the trail to the left. It descends 0.4 miles to the …


DESCHUTES RIVER AND OLE SWIMMIN’ HOLE, GE: N46.87293 W122.73145

Cross the muddy Deschutes River (which is nothing like the Deschutes in Oregon) on a less than impressive bridge. TrailBear has seen better: Head down the road to the eastern end of the Willapa Hills Trail. They have two classic bridges. Here the cyclone wire fencing adds a certain touch of Gomer to the décor. Very down market.

However, just below the bridge is a classic Norman Rockwell Ole Swimmin’ Hole, complete with a rope to swing upon and a beach with knocked-together furniture. Alas, no one was swimmin’ for a photo op. Continue on 2.5 miles to McIntosh Lake and the …


MILITARY RD. CROSSING, GE: N46.87293 W122.73145

There is access parking at the Military Rd. crossing. Rather limited space, but so it goes. There are new real estate developments in the hills above the lake. Must be a commute to any work. You have work to do. It’s another 3.2 miles to water and flushies at the …


TENINO CITY PARK, GE: N46.85584 W122.84897

The Tenino City Park is a long strip of land on both sides of the trail. You first hit the baseball diamond where there is a water tap and flushies. If these are closed, there is another set uphill and another at the tot lot further down at the trail end. If all else fails, there is a Thriftway market a few blocks over.

TrailBear and Dear Wife bought a half gallon of ice cream there and took it back to the park to watch the ball game while the ice cream vanished. (The day had hit 81 degrees for a real change.) Melted, it did. Really.


TRAIL END TENINO, GE: N46.85571 W122.85159

This is the end of the line. The Right of Way, in ballast, continues on down to Chehalis, about 12 miles to the south. Some day the trail may continue that way, but not this week.
Which way are you going? It’s 20.5 miles back Lacey via the Chehalis Western or 14 miles to Yelm on the Yelm-Tenino. Best get going. TrailBear is headed back to that swamp they call Millersylvania.


Ride on!

TrailBear
Pedaling through the boonies.