Bike tour/Sep 2020

This page is for planning a bike-touring trip from Seattle to Portland via Yakima.

TODO

bike maintenance - order necessary parts early!
bike accessory - order early!
camping items - order early!
food plans
route plans
make reservations
check COVID rules at campsites/hotels

When

September 18-26/27 (9-10 days; tentative)

Where

Seattle to Yakima to Carson to Seattle.

Schedule

As of Aug 23, this schedule has no wifi/shower at the overnight locations for the first 4 days.

Day 1: 9/18 Friday

Note: Iron Horse Trail is now called Palouse to Cascades.
Note: Mika will be moving at ~5 miles/hour on gravel, so it'll take ~5 hours for North Bend -> Hyak Parking Lot (~24 miles/2500ft). Home -> P2C parking lot (~40 miles/2600ftt; 4 hours), so the suggested schedule would be 8/9AM-6PM, with all the stops.
Note: Sunset in Snoqualmie Pass is 7:09PM; sunrise at 6:50AM next morning.

Route: Home → Cold Creek Primitive Campsite (~68 miles/5000ft) [Ride with GPS link]
Alternate Route: 1) Carter Creek Primitive Campsite (52 miles/4000ft), 2) Meany Lodge (~70 miles/5000ft)

Mika recommends this route it avoids any steep climb around Snoqualmie/Fall City. The only potentially difficult part is that we'd be on 202 for about 1.5 miles between Fall City and Snoqualmie Falls, which is a busy street and we'd be climbing. There is some shoulder and I suspect a group of touring cyclists would make cars go slower around us. Note that the last bump on this route is not real since we'll be going through the tunnel.

Plan/stops

Stop for water and beer in North Bend (there's a Safeway which is likely a good bet) before heading onto the trail!

Food

Breakfast: home before we leave
Lunch: pick up/consume something at supermarket in North Bend or pick it up
Dinner: camp food + beer/cider

Overnight: Camping along the Palouse to Cascades trail at Cold Creek.

There are four campgrounds along the trail (not all are on Google Maps), each with three to four campsites, one picnic table, and a vault toilet. They are located at milepost 2109.5 at Roaring Creek, milepost 2113.2 at Cold Creek, milepost 2123.2 at Carter Creek, and milepost 2127.1 at Alice Creek. We're targetting Cold Creek which is after Hyak.

We should be able to filter water at all of the sites (definitely at Cold Creek). Water is also available at the Hyak parking lot, so we got water there.
Fees are $12 and should be payable in cash (bring an envelope or pick one up at Hyak?) in a collection box at the site.
Camping is primitive but it's free and first-come. Toilets and picnic tables are available at each campsite.
The last campsite for the day is Roaring Creek at the end of Keechelus Lake.
When we stayed at Cold Creek last time, it was very clean and only 1.5 miles from Hyak Parking lot so we got water there.

Other camping options from west to east:

Danny Creek Campground
Commonwealth Campground
Snoqualmie Campus
Crystal Springs Campground: $18/pp/night
Meany Lodge (2 miles off the trail at crystal springs)
Lake Easton Campground
Silver Ridge Ranch

Day 2: 9/19 Saturday

Note: gravel downhill is slow and hard work!
Note: no water at the campsite, so pick up some in Ellensberg or filter.
Note: If the campsites along the canyon are closed b/o the fire aftermath, we can stay at Yakima River RV Park (right before the canyon). Incident page for the Evans Canyon Fire is online. It appears to be in "mop up" mode on 9/10 so we're probably good.
Note: Sunset at 7:05PM; Sunrise at 6:46AM next morning.

Route: Cold Creek Campsite to Yakima River Canyon Campsite (~73 miles/300ft).

Alternative Routes: 1) Carter Creek Campsite (~83 miles/1000ft); 2) Meany Lodge (~67 miles/360ft) to Yakima River Canyon Campsite; 3) R2G link from Hyak to Roza campground (~78.4 miles/1300ft);

If the gravel is bad, there's an option to get off the trail from South Cle Elum (right on upper Peoh Point Rd); it'd require some climbing if we take this alternate route.

Plan

Stop by bakery and/or cafe for snacks or lunch in Cle Elem which is cute (~30 mi) or Ellensberg which is bigger (~55 mi)
Scenic bike trip down the Yakima River canyon

Food

Breakfast: camp food
Lunch: Ellensburg supermarket or takeout somewhere
Dinner: camp food

Overnight: Camping at Yakima River Canyon Campgroud?

Other options for places to stay: See this map 1) Bighorn campground (closest to Ellensburg on Yakima River Canyon), 2) Lmuma (between Bighorn and Yakima River Canyon Campsite), 3) Big Pines (right by Yakima River Canyon Campsite), Roza (closer to Yakima)

Not all sites have water, so check the website.
[TODO] note the water, reservation status, fees, other info

TODO

make a reservation at the campsite (not sure if there's a hiker biker spot):

Open Season Yakima River Canyon Recreation Sites are open YEAR ROUND.

Four Campground and Day-Use Sites available, including Roza, Big Pines, Lmuma Creek, and Umtanum.

Fees - $15 overnight, $5 Day-Use

Campsite Reservations May 01 to September 30; first come, first serve October 01 to April 30.

No Drinking Water or hookups available.

Cellular Phone Coverage is limited in many areas of the Yakima River Canyon.

Day 3: 9/20 Sunday (possibly wifi/shower day if we stay at a motel)

Route

Option 1 (super easy day): Yakima Canyon to to Yakima Nation RV Park (~38miles/38tft) (or motels nearby)

Option 2 (much harder): Yakima Canyon to Brooks Memorial State Park (~76 miles/3600ft) Ride with GPS link; may involve riding on gravel while being chased by dogs + hot, dry road (Route 97: ~38 miles) up to a pass (no towns/shops). If we do this, we should make Day 4 a super easy day and stop in Maryhill to admire Stonehedge).

If anybody needs to make the trip shorter, there's an option to take Route 12 from Yakima towards Mt. Rainier.

Plan

If we're doing Option 1, we have more time to play in the canyon in the morning AND pick up tamales at Los Hernandez in Yakima or Union Gap. Open only from 11AM...
If Option 1, the next day will be long and hard (63-77miles/3000-3500ft).
If we're doing Option 2 (hard day), consider leaving the campsite around 7AM, so that we are not on 97 during the hottest hours (i.e. after 1PM). 38miles of mostly downhill on paved road from the canyon campground to the beginning of 97.
If Option 2, pick up tons of water/gatorade in Wapato or Toppenfish as there are no shops or houses on 97. And it's hot.

Food

Breakfast: camp food (easy day); cold breakfast/pick up something in Yakima (hard day)
Lunch: Route Option 1) tamales! or Route Option 2) pick up something in Yakima, Wapato, or Toppenfish and have it on route 97
Dinner: camp food

Sunset at 7:01PM; sunrise at 6:49AM.

TODO

make a reservation either at a motel/Yakima Nation RV Park (short day/Option 1)
OR make a | reservation at Brooks Memorial State Park (long day/Option 2):

The park has 22 standard sites (sites 24-45), 23 full-hookup sites (sites 1-23), one dump station, one restroom and two showers. A limit of eight people are permitted per site. Maximum site length is 60 feet (limited availability). Electrical sites have 50 amp hookups. Water is available in hookup sites from mid-April to late October.

Check-in time is 2:30 p.m.

Check-out time is 1 p.m.

Day 4: 9/21 Monday

Route

Option 1) a: Yakima Nations RV Park (~63 miles/3000ft) or b: Brooks Memorial State Park (~25 miles/380ft) to Maryhill State Park,

Option 2) a: Yakima Nations RV Park (~77 miles/3400ft) or b: Brooks Memorial State Park (~39 miles/770ft) to Columbia Hills Historical Park,

Alt destination: all the way to Maryhill State Park (long day)

Plan

Be sure to get water in Toppenfish as it will be another ~50 miles before the next water stop and it will likely be hot and dry.
Pick up food for the night in Yakima?

Food

Breakfast: camp food
Lunch: pick up at Option a (long): Yakima/Wapato/Toppenfish supermarket/bodega and Option b (short): Goldendale supermarket
Dinner: camp food

Overnight

Camping in Maryhill State Park or Columbia Hills Historical Park

Day 5: 9/22 Tuesday (Wifi/hot tub PM!)

Note: Mako needs to be on a call on Wednesday AM, so it'd be good to be in Carson by Tuesday.
Note: Route 14 is a little busy and the shoulder is small; a few detours can be taken (though a little more climbing); the tunnels have "bicyclist-in-the-tunnel" lights.

Route: 1) Maryhill State Park (57 miles/2000ft) or 2) Columbia Hills Historical Park (~40 miles/1300ft) to Carson Hot Spring.

Plan

Get in early and soak.
There used to be a "natural" hot spring but last time we went, it dried up. We should look up and see if we can hike there.

Food

Breakfast: camp food
Lunch: pick up something in one of the towns
Dinner: Brewery pizza??

Overnight (to be reserved): Carson Hot Springs and SPA

Sunrise at PM; sunrise at AM.

Other options: Bonneville Resort

There are two routes, with and without bus.

The hood river shuttle is a dial-a-ride and runs four times a day across the bridge. No bicyclists and pedestrians are allowed on Hood River State Bridge and the nearest bridge is 20 miles away. The bus leaves Port of Hood River at 8:25, 12:00, 1:40, and 4:30 and costs $1 per person. Runs only on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. We must call (509) 493-4662 in advance to make sure that the bike space is available.

We want to arrive in Carson before 4:30pm to take advantage of the bath and wrap which is available only until 18:00. Google suggests ~5 hours (48.6 miles) from Maryhill State Park to Port of Hood River. It should 97 minutes (17.2 miles) to Carson from the other side. If we make the 1:40 bus, we should make it to Carson in time.

After Carson, it gets hilly, so I suggest shorter distance each day.

Day 6: 9:23 Wednesday (Wifi/hot tub in AM)

Note: Mako has a call in the morning, so this needs to be a short day.

Route: Carson to Swift Forest Camp (~38 miles/3200ft).

Plan

Sauna in AM; biking in PM.

Food

Breakfast: somewhere in Carson
Lunch: pick up something in Carson?
Dinner: camp food or we can check out THE Pizza Place.

Sunset PM; sunrise

TODO

make a | reservation for Swift Forest (>70 available as of Sep 4).

Day 7: 9/24 Thursday (Wifi/shower day for some at least)

M has meetings on Friday, so she needs to be in a place where she can take calls in AM. Wifi would be nice.

Route: Swift Forest Camp to Morton (e.g. Seasons Motel, 200 Westlake Ave, Morton, WA 98356; wifi yes) (~55 miles/4700ft) OR to Randall (e.g. KM Resorts - Maple Grove Resort; wifi yes) (~46 miles/4100ft)

Other people may want to stay at locations closer to trailheads etc.

Option 1: Swift Forest Camp to Iron Creek Campground, Forest Road 25, Randle, WA 98377 (36 miles; 3800ft)
Option 2: Swift Forest Camp to Cowlitz Falls Campground, 889 Peters Rd, Randle, WA 98377 (51 miles; 4300ft)

Plan

Food

Breakfast: camp food
Lunch: ?
Dinner: town food or camp food

Day 8: 9/25 Friday (Wifi/shower in AM)

Mika has a call until 2PM.

Route

Options for destination include: Elkamp, Rocky Point, Whittaker's bunkhouse??

Day 9: 9/26 Saturday

Route: to home! Or optionally one more night of camping!

Day 10: 9/27 Sunday

extra day

Resources and Links

Meals

Day 1: Breakfast - Before leaving
Day 1: Lunch - Cold lunch (e.g., sandwiches, etc)
Day 1: Dinner - Hot dinner cooked at camp (with stove, etc). (STOVE)
Day 2: Breakfast - Cold breakfast (so that we can leave early)?
Day 2: Lunch - Lunch at diner or similar in Ellensberg?
Day 2: Dinner - Hot dinner cooked at camp (STOVE)
Day 3: Breakfast - Hot breakfast cooked at camp (STOVE)
Day 3: Lunch - Cold lunch eaten on road (e.g., sandwiches, etc)
Day 3: Dinner - Hot dinner cooked at camp (unless we stay at a motel in Toppenish) (STOVE?)
Day 4: Breakfast - Hot breakfast (unless cold breakfast near the motel in Toppenish) (STOVE?)
Day 4: Lunch - Cold lunch eaten on road
Day 4: Dinner - Hot dinner cooked at camp (STOVE)
Day 5: Breakfast - Hot breakfast cooked at camp (STOVE)
Day 5: Lunch - Cold lunch eaten on road
Day 5: Dinner - Pizza!
Day 6: Breakfast - Town food
Day 6: Lunch - Cold lunch (pick up before departure)
Day 6: Dinner - Hot dinner cooked at camp (unless we stop at The Pizza Store) (STOVE?)
Day 7: Breakfast - Hot breakfast cooked at camp (STOVE)
Day 7: Lunch - Lunch at the destination (short day)
Day 7: Dinner - Town food (for MM)/camp food for others if we stay at different places? (STOVE?)
Day 8: Breakfast - Town food (for MM)/camp food for others? (STOVE?)
Day 8: Lunch - Lunch at the destination
Day 8: Dinner - Town food
Day 9: Breakfast - Town food
Day 9: Lunch - Town food
Day 9: Dinner - HOME?

Note for MM - hot dinner ideas: 1) ramen with eggs and freeze dried veggies, 2) Japanese curry with FD tofu and veggies and eggs, 3) shepard's pie with instant potatoes and TVP and FD veggies, 4) couscous with FD veggies, 5) "risotto", 6) Indian curry retort
hot breakfast ideas: eggs, oatmeal, peanut butter, "french toast", instant potatoes
snacks
nuun

Review from 2015

we should have brought more hot sauce.
we need heat-resistant/non-scratch utensils.
heat packs were useful.
REI Huevos Rancheros looked/felt a little too digested. Pad Thai was great.
french bread breakfast is great.
bring salt/pepper and peanut butter/jam packets.
tea/hot chocolate was great.
avoid gravel road as much as possible.
lots of camping options in the canyon.