TacomaSailor

I rode my street bike from Orting to the Carbon River Ranger Station / entrance at the bridge that crosses the river 13 miles upstream from Wilkeson. That is a very nice 25 mile ride on the MUP from Orting to South Prarrie and then Lower Burnett Road to Burnett - and along Hwy 165 all the way to the ranger station. Once past Carbanado there is hardly any vehicle traffic mid-week and spectacular scenery.

Has anybody ridden there mountain bike or street bike with larger tires up the Carbon River past the ranger station?

What is the road like and how far can you ride up that road?

roubaixguy11

I just did that identical ride this morning. It is really nice up there. I managed to see one other guy with a Ramrod jersey at the Ranger bridge. We both stopped there for breaks. Really quiet past the Mowich lake cutoff.

TacomaSailor

I really do not like riding in that new chip seal, particularly in the afternoon when the shadows are on the road and I can't tell if there is loose gravel. I don't mind falling but that new coarse chip seal would hurt!

Do you have any idea what the road is like past the ranger station?

thedave80

you guys have me really interested in checking out this road and whats beyond. Would either of you be interested in checking it out on monday?

DeanB

How do you cut up to lower burnett? When I hit the end of the MUP I don't know where to go, I'm been planning on cutting north by the espresso place at the end and taking HWY 162 to Buckley and seeing what happens from there but haven't done it yet.

roubaixguy11

You can take 162 at the end of the trail for 1.5 miles to L. Burnett road on the right. Follow to hwy 165. Or a less traveled road. Turn right on Emery in south prairie, left on 3rd, becomes AP Tubbs Rd, becomes Johns Rd E. follow straight into Wilkeson. I usually go back that way into s. Prairie if there is alot of traffic on 165. Same mileage.

TacomaSailor

I have done a couple nice rides on the Orting - S Prairie MUP then up to Buckley and either out to Enumclaw and around that area or from Buckley I take the Buckley-Lake Tapps Hiway and then down thru Auburn and back thru Sumner to the Foothills Trail in Puyallup and then back to Orting

I'd be glad to send you some .kml or .kmz files so you can see the route in google earth.

I'd be interested in a Monday mountain bike ride on the Carbon River road above the Ranger station - it looks to be 7 or 8 miles to the road end and about 1200' climbing. There is also the option of an interesting mountain bike / gravel road ride on the north side of the river starting at the bridge just below the ranger station.

Send me a PM if you are interested - I am old and slow but always get to the end of the road

roubaixguy11

@-thedave80 or anyone else. I will be doing the 50 mile from Orting to the ranger station and back route tomorrow@8:00am. From the Safeway Gas station in orting. You can Send me a PM if interested.

TacomaSailor

Roubaixguy

Did you know there is nice little park just past the Safeway? - good safe parking - ride on the bike trail with a nice rest room for changing

roubaixguy11

Yep. That is usually where I park, or by the new rec building by the antiques store. They have two bathrooms there, when it's open.

thedave80

well i'm definately going to be checking it out on monday, but I won't be able to make it out by 8. Thanks for the heads up on the trail, see you out there

thedave80

went and rode it today, started at south prairie and went past the ranger station. You can go about 4 and a half miles past the ranger station although you will have to walk or carry a road bike past a few sections. For the most part the trail is compact dirt/gravel that is smoother then the chipseal that's on the road up to the trailhead. That was a good ride, more climbing than i've done in quite a while. Thanks for pointing this out guys, I probably never would have rode it otherwise