The Olympic Discovery Trail is a route from Port Townsend all the way to the Pacific Coast at La Push. It consists, in parts, of paved trail, unpaved gravel road, and unpaved singletrack tra
The Olympic Discovery Trail is a route from Port Townsend all the way to the Pacific Coast at La Push. It consists, in parts, of paved trail, unpaved gravel road, and unpaved singletrack trail.
The section most of interest to mountain bikers is the "Adventure Route" section south of the town of Joyce, starting near the west side of Port Angeles and going to Lake Crescent. The Adventure Route is a mix of gravel road and smooth, wide singletrack trail. The total distance is about 25 miles.
The Spruce Railroad Trail is an 8 mile stretch alogn Lake Crescent that is worth the stop, even if your walking.
How to Find It
The map marker indicates the Eastern start of the Adventure portion of the ODT. It is .3mi west of the Elwha River crossing on highway 112. See below for links to sites with further route information.
Adventure Route access:
East Access: Hwy 112 - .3 miles NW of the Elwha Bridge.
West End: At the west end of East Beach Rd, just past Log Cabin Resort on Lake Crescent.
Typical Conditions
All paved east of Port Angeles. The only dirt portion is south of Joyce. It's a 25 mile "adventure route" so it's a mix of double track and fire roads. The trail is in good condition and volunteer-maintained by Sound Bikes & Kayaks.
Local Points of Interest
This trail covers over 100 miles of riding so you'll find nice spots all along the trail.
East
- Fat Smitty's Burger at US-101 and WA-20 has good burgers and crazy decor
- Longhouse Deli and other services available in Blyn at the south end of Sequim Bay
East Central
- Sequim Bay State Park is just west of Blyn and a great place to crash for the night
- There's an Audobon Center on the trail at one of the bridge crossings - they're helpful and have good maps
West Central
- Port Angeles has tons of services, stock up before heading SW toward Lake Crescent
West
- Trail ends on the coast at La Push
- Mora Campground is there on the river
Advocacy & Stewardship
They're actively working on connecting the rest of the trail. Everything east of Port Angeles is paved. A new paved section from Port Angeles to Elwha is opening in 2011. The dirt and fire road portion is south of the town of Joyce and is approx 25 miles. It connects with the Spruce Railroad Trail in Olympic National Park. Consider helping the volunteers maintain it through Sound Bikes & Kayak - volunteer or go to one of their community fundraiser events.