Find the top rated trails in Yakima, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
The Lower Yakima Valley Pathway offers trail users the opportunity to experience great wines (produced from grapes grown in the area's rich volcanic-ash soil), interesting shops, and local hospitality...
The Coal Mines Trail is built on an old railroad spur of the Northern Pacific Railway that once served several mines. Look for interpretive signs along the way that identify historical sites. The...
The Yakima Greenway is a gem of a trail, connecting residents with the outdoors by providing access to the Yakima River, lakes, parks, nature trails, protected conservation areas and the Yakima Area...
The Yakima Greenway is a gem of a trail, connecting residents with the outdoors by providing access to the Yakima River, lakes, parks, nature trails, protected conservation areas and the Yakima Area...
The Coal Mines Trail is built on an old railroad spur of the Northern Pacific Railway that once served several mines. Look for interpretive signs along the way that identify historical sites. The...
The Lower Yakima Valley Pathway offers trail users the opportunity to experience great wines (produced from grapes grown in the area's rich volcanic-ash soil), interesting shops, and local hospitality...
Spanning just shy of 224 miles, the John Wayne Pioneer Trail is one of the longest rail-trail conversions in the United States. The trail passes through remote and sparsely populated areas of...
The well-maintained Cowiche Canyon Trail crosses nine bridges over Cowiche Creek on a mostly flat pathway flanked by walls of Columbia River Basalt and other rock forms. The trail is managed by the...
The Yakima Greenway is a gem of a trail, connecting residents with the outdoors by providing access to the Yakima River, lakes, parks, nature trails, protected conservation areas and the Yakima Area...
The well-maintained Cowiche Canyon Trail crosses nine bridges over Cowiche Creek on a mostly flat pathway flanked by walls of Columbia River Basalt and other rock forms. The trail is managed by the...
Spanning just shy of 224 miles, the John Wayne Pioneer Trail is one of the longest rail-trail conversions in the United States. The trail passes through remote and sparsely populated areas of...
The Lower Yakima Valley Pathway offers trail users the opportunity to experience great wines (produced from grapes grown in the area's rich volcanic-ash soil), interesting shops, and local hospitality...
The Coal Mines Trail is built on an old railroad spur of the Northern Pacific Railway that once served several mines. Look for interpretive signs along the way that identify historical sites. The...
We started in Cedar Falls and made it to Lake Easton State Park the first day, where we camped. Our bicycles were fully loaded, and by the time we got to the Snoqualmie Tunnel we were very tired of the uphill grind. The grade is never difficult, and you barely notice it, but after 20 miles your body is feeling it. There was a shortish patch between the tunnel and Lake Easton where the gravel was loose, which made the biking a bit difficult, but all in all it was pretty great. It was a 40-mile day, and there were lots of wilderness camping spots along the way. If we had known how long it would take us to do those 40 miles (about 8-9 hours), we might have chosen to camp at one of the wilderness spots.
At Lake Easton, we took one of the hiker-biker sites for $12.00. There are
two: #36 and #37. We were assigned #36, which is quite small. The other site (#37) is roomier.
The next day we biked 15 miles to Cle Elum, where we ended our ride. The first five miles out of the campground at Lake Easton were excruciating. It appeared that new gravel had been dumped on the trail for those five miles, and it was slow going and a bit scary for one of our friends who was clipped in. But once we got past that point, it was back to being a very pleasant ride.
My recommendation: Switch to flat pedals for this ride. You don't need to be clipped in!
We rode the whole trail from the Idaho border to Cedar Falls in 2016. It is not true that "145 miles" of the trail are closed. There are some detours due to missing trestles, a section of live rail, and short sections of private land. There are no plans to close the trail through the Yakima Training Center. The JWPT is a great way to explore Washington's geography and history through areas not seen from a car. We passed through without any disruption or trespass, and with barely any notice, although we did meet some very friendly people along the trail. We only left behind money we spent in small towns along the way, including those on the detours. For more accurate information go to www.johnwaynepioneertrail.org.
Did this trail as part of a Bicycle Adventures supported ride with 4 others in August of 2016. The scenery is beautiful but it is a jolting tough ride. Further along it does get better and it did help that we started at the top of the mountain and rode down hill. Uphill would require some serious thigh muscles. There is a tunnel along the trail and it is very cold (50 degrees F) and very dark. We had lights on the front and back of several of our bikes and it was still disorienting. This tunnel and the whole trail is best done in a group with lots of spare tubes!
Here's a website describing our experience. https://sites.google.com/site/ironhorsetrailride2016/home
I Rode solo East from Rattlesnake Lake on Sept 15 headed for Cle Elum for the night. When I first entered the trail at Cedar Falls Trail head the first thing that I noticed was this was not the beginning of the line. There was trail behind me at the entry point! This would have to be explored another day. As I headed up the trail towards the Snowqualmie tunnel I observed mostly packed gravel. About every 5 miles there was a pit toilet building and a picnic table nearby. Sometimes a leveled area marked by 4x4s for a tent was included. Later I observed these amenities continued all the way to Ellensburg though the spacing seemed to be less frequent after Cle Elum. The park map would be the best source of these locations. I encountered maybe 12 people between trail head and Snowqualmie tunnel mostly hikers. Since I had traveled the tunnel from Hyak once before I knew to bring a headlamp for the darkness and warm clothes for the cold. Once through the tunnel the climate seemed different, warmer and a bit drier. Trail composition become that of looser gravel so that my hard tailed mountain bike seemed to float around as I moved forward. Some might find this unnerving but I was able to adapt by keeping my speed up. This surface condition continued all the way to Kittitas (when on the trail). I spent the night at a motel in Eastern Cle Elum. I might have stayed further west if I had known that I would have to backtrack to get back on the trail but then I would not have seen the rest of rather interesting town if I had stayed west.
On day 2 entered a beautiful canyon along Yakima river. I encountered two cattle on the trail that seemed to be lost (near turkey gulch). Next I came to the tunnel with the waiver sign but no forms in the form box. A few had written names on the box itself. I assumed that this was no longer important or there would still be forms available, right?. The next tunnel did not ask for a waiver - recently fixed? It appeared to have been worked on. I Only saw a few people on the trail from here to the detour past Kittitas. Cyclists wanting to go further east should know that while there is a detour sign at Prater road, The trail is closed all the way to the other side of the Columbia River (unless your choose to ride the 3 miles to the first closed trestle over I90 and backtrack). One might as well go from here to Vantage on the road in order to get to the next open part of the trail. My ride ended in Vantage. I was driven down to Beverly Junction just to see the trestle and check the trail conditions. What I found was a barbed wire fence between the road and the JWPT. I had read about sand on the trail so wanted to actually set foot on to check the condition. What I found was harder trail here than what I had left (I slipped thru the barbed wire). Had being unused allowed the trail to harden or was the sandy section elsewhere between here and Renslow? Some other lucky person will have to find out the answer to that question! Great ride!
My son and I have been on two segments for a total of about 60 miles from Easton toward Seattle. Scenery=A+Difficulty=EasyTrail Condition=3 on a scale from 0 to 5, 5 being new and paved. Trail tires are a big plus here. Lots of loose gravel. The tunnel near lake Kachess is a great experience. great for nature and site seeing or picnicing form hiking/biking. There were a couple of very small and rustic remote camp sires as well. highly recommend this trail. it is flat in general. A bit of a down slope headed east to west. There are no services other than the occasional pit toilet. Very family friendly.
clear blue sky day, first saturday of August. saw older couples, father and son, a mountain biker, and couples walking the trail. trail is wide and gentle enough for all ages, however there are narrow places to climb over fallen rock wall. Found an apricot tree at the east trail head. wild , but not bad. ran the return hike. beautiful canyon walls on either side, wish I knew more about the geology and plants.
I have ridden this trail countless times between Rattlesnake Lake and Lake Easton. The Snoqualmie Tunnel (open May-Oct every year, closed in winter) is one of our favorite places to take visiting friends/relatives.
Best route for young/inexperienced riders: when the tunnel is open, have a friend drop you off at the Hyak trailhead and ride down to Rattlesnake Lake (18 miles of downhill riding, 1-2% downhill grade). While you are riding the trail your driver can climb Rattlesnake Ledge (2 miles one-way, ~1800' of climbing) to what is becoming one of the most popular hiking trails in Washington State.
One of these days my son and I will ride across the entire state on this trail- rideacrosswashington.com
Started out fairly early (9 am) Saturday, Sept. 26 from the west trail head near Rattlesnake Lake Recreation Area. Had the good fortune of clear, crisp autumn weather for the ride east and were treated to gorgeous fall colors on the ascent, with vine maple and other foliage in full array. Traffic along the trail was moderate and condition good.
Some fresh gravel on a 5-6 mile stretch east of the Snoqualmie tunnel made bike handling somewhat dicey, but but gearing down and pedaling at a higher cadence made it tolerable. Lake Keechelus makes a good stopping point for lunch, if you are doing this distance.
Spent the night at the Iron Horse Inn Bed & Breakfats, just a stones throw form the trail in South Cle Elum. Nice place and filled with historical memorabilia from the days when the Milwuakee Railroad ruled the right-of-way.
The Sunday return was made special by a romp of river otters playing in a creek along the trail.
Definitely looking forward to more rides on this great trail.
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