Raging River

Raging River State Forest is a new trail system being developed by Washington Department of Natural Resources and Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance.  The system started as a 14 mile loop, and in later phases will be an epic 40 mile system of trails that connects to Tiger Mountain.

• Phase one will be 14 miles, eventually a 40 mile system (as of June 2018 there is a 21 mile lollipop loop completed)
• 2400 feet of vert. 
• Connections to Tiger Mt, Taylor Mt, Exit 27 and North Bend.
• Cross country, downhill and freeride trails for all skill levels.

This will be a multi-year project, and the total cost will be in the millions of dollars. Funding is the key, and we are very pleased that Evergreen’s advocacy efforts directly helped DNR secure a request in the capital budget for construction of phase one.

How to Find It

I-90 East to Exit 27. Make a right and either park here or continue to the main parking lot (1/4 mile) with a bathroom (Discover Pass needed). Ride the 50 feet of trail by the bathroom, cross the road and find the well marked mountain bike trail entrance. Please stay off the hiking trails.

Typical Conditions

Remember that lots of this is a 2-way trail.  Uphill has right of way. Be alert for descending/ascending riders especially on blind corners and in the brushy clear cut areas.

Trail varies from bermy machine built fun to brushy clear cut to skinny rooty steep bermy black diamond downhill.  If you do the complete lollipop you will also be doing a 1,000 vert climb back up to the trail.  Then enjoy the 6 miles of almost total downhill(intermediate).  The black diamond downhill can get pretty slippery/greasy when wet.  Bring a lot of water. The climb after the downhill section is in clear cut and is a hot one. Plan 4-6 hours for the whole lollipop (21 miles). Treat it as a back country experience.
At this time the trail is complete so you do NOT enter the trail as the rider does in this video.  Just look for the well signed entrance and start having fun.

Turn by Turn

From near the bathroom, take main trail up to the road(50 ft). Cross the road and you will see the entrance to the trail(Upward Mobility). There is also a hiking trail entrance here - unless you are walking stay off this.
Go up this trail and keep going crossing logging roads(about 5). You'll hit a little downhill section, then it goes back to climbing. At about 6 miles you will come to a fork in the trail.  You go left - if you do the complete lollipop you will be climbing up on this other trail. Shortly after this you'll hit a clear cut with great views of Rainier. There's a short dh (5 minutes or so) here. After that you'll keep climbing into the forest again and come to a makeshift bench. This is where the black diamond downhill begins.

This trail(No Service) is a mixture of rough hand made fun then into a smooth bermy jumpy trail, then back into a steeper dh section.  This section has some harder variations where the trail splits(People's Elbow and Invictus) and meets back up.  You'll run into a few roads and eventually hit a road after some steep berms where the trail doesn't continue. Go right crossing a bridge over the Raging River. You'll pedal past a borrow pit(rocky area) and then you'll see a trail(Return Policy) on your right that goes uphill.  Be aware that this is a two-way traill. You won't see too much DH traffic on this but it gets more use in the winter when the upper clear cut areas etc. are under snow.  Take this up until you hit a fork in the trail (1000-vert) and you'll be back on main trail with options to do another lap or go down to left. This trail down is nice and flowy. Watch for uphill riders though, this is a two way trail until you get to Stan's Overlook(large kiosk at the top of UM).  Turn right here and ride the 100 feet to Stan's Overlook(picnic table).  Poppin' Tops starts here-this is your way down.  It starts with a black diamond sweeping left turn but after that it stays fast, swoopy, jumpy intermediate. This merges into Flow State which pops you out on the dirt road you crossed when it all began.  Beginner riders should understand that there is no easy way down from here except by using the logging roads.  Do NOT take Upward Mobility down - this is a one way UP trail and has not been made for downhill use.

Later phases will incorporate additional loop options with advanced terrain, and trail connections under highway 18 to Tiger Mountain.