Mountain Bike! Washington

Rating:
Summary: A great read
Review: Although I haven't had a chance to actually -try- most of the trails in the book, it seems to be a great guide telling you how to get to the trail, and what to expect on the trail itself.

Unlike many books I've seen, it also coveres a wide range of skill levels...if you're a newbie (like I am), you'll find a stack of trails. If you're an experienced rider (like I hope to be), you'll find a stack of trails. Whatever you're looking for, you should find it.

If you're looking for trails, this book would be a great place to start.

Rating:
Summary: Very comprehensive
Review: I recently used this book on a tour of mountain bike rides through Washington State and recommend it highly. The route descriptions are well-detailed. I will say that the writing is strangely uneven--some chapters are bland, while others are very colorful. In any case, it tells you where the great rides are, gives you a sense of what your experience will be on the trail, and makes sure you find your way back afterward.

The author(s) did a great job of finding amazing rides near Mt. St. Helens. In short: if you ride in Washington, this book is a must.

Rating:
Summary: Very comprehensive
Review: If you're going to be mountain biking in Washington, this should probably be one of the first trail guides in your collection. It covers almost 90 of the major rides all over the state.

Each ride is accompanied by an "at a glance" section that will give you basic overview of the ride as well as good maps and very complete writeups. I've never had a problem finding a trail (or finding my way on a trail) and generally agree with all of the comments written about the trails. I just wish the trails had estimated driving times from major areas.

The front of the book also has all of the trails categorized by "type". So, if you're a single track person, just find the list of single track trails and off you go.

If you're planning on riding in a specific region (such as the Seattle area), I'd recommend picking up a book specific to the region as this doesn't cover all of the local trails.

Rating:
Summary: Good coverage of the major trails across the state
Review: If you're going to be mountain biking in Washington, this should probably be one of the first trail guides in your collection. It covers almost 90 of the major rides all over the state.

Each ride is accompanied by an "at a glance" section that will give you basic overview of the ride as well as good maps and very complete writeups. I've never had a problem finding a trail (or finding my way on a trail) and generally agree with all of the comments written about the trails. I just wish the trails had estimated driving times from major areas.

The front of the book also has all of the trails categorized by "type". So, if you're a single track person, just find the list of single track trails and off you go.

If you're planning on riding in a specific region (such as the Seattle area), I'd recommend picking up a book specific to the region as this doesn't cover all of the local trails.