Top 10+ Must-ride MacRide/Shotgun mountain bike rides around Seattle for the mini shredthusiasts

“Honey, I’ll watch the kid you go ride with your friends”. The Macride/ Shotgun front mounted child mountain bike seat is a game changes for riding with a young kid. No longer are the days of splitting time to ride mountain bikes. I’ve had some amazing days on the bike, and the ones riding long flow trails with Theo hooting and hollering in front of me are among the best. While Its not about pushing your limits, the sounds of a 2 years olds laughter and joy as they experienced the thrill of biking is why we love the sport. Many people have asked about the setup, so I thought I would take a minute to share some of our favorite rides from over the years. This list is setup to share my favorite rides and is not in order of difficulty, Several of these are only acceptable for older kids who have built up the strength, skills and endurance for a longer ride.

#10 Port Gamble Trail Network: Coffee Tables, Weekend at Bernie’s, Schralp Wiggum, and Ranger. Port Gamble is an excellent day trip or weekend excursion for the family. There are several green and blue flow trails in the skills park and a few longer laps on Ranger and Derailed. It’s easy to branch out and take brakes along the way. It’s a good option for bringing the strider/pedal bike and switching between the bikes. The added ferry ride to get there is also a huge hit with the kiddos and don’t forget to stop at Butcher and Baker for an delicious meal

#9 Duthie Hill: Duthie is the place to get started. Easy laps on boot camp helped both Theo and I get comfortable with how the bike handles. There is also the clearing in the middle which allows for lots of breaks and lets the kids run around off the bike if they would like.

#8 Poppin Tops to Flow State Poppin Tops and Flow State is a large step up from Port Gamble and Duthie. It’s a black trail that has seen some wear and tear. It’s also a 1000’ climb so it takes more effort to get to. None the less, there is enough flow and when the kid is older and you feel confident with that level of riding its a blast to ride. We love riding this after work/ school on a Friday and then going to the local brewery in Northbend to cap a summer week.

Finding the rythem on steep loose left turn on Poppin Tops

#7 Thurston Hills: Super Maple to Acer Spades We found ourselves in Eugene with our bikes, so we decided to check-out a small trail network we saw on Trailforks. It ended up being a really nice figure 8 loops. The trail on the backside was fairly dried out and Acer spade was the better of the descending trail’s so alternatively you should just lap that and have a blast.

#6 Darrington Skills Park trails: We traveled to Darrington with friends and took turns watching theo. The little skills park at the base of north mountain made for a great excursion that beat the . It’s not a huge network, but the ability to do short lap and spend time while others shuttle is well worth it.

The skills park at Darrington makes for a fun destination while others are shuttling the main trails.

#5 Cumberland,BC The Vanillas. We tried to keep up with our adventure lifestyle as much as we could as Theo was young and this took us to some places that hadn’t been on our list before. Cumberland was one of them since it had a nice town with easy access to a comprehensive trail network. The Climbing trail to the Vanillas made for an excellent Macride loop.

Cumberland: Low angle single track climb leads to a long fun and windy descent

#4 Orcas Island, North Boundary Trail: Since Orcas has become a hot spot for biking and Marcy grew up right by Mt. Constitution, we regularly ride on the island. While there aren’t purpose built intermediate flow trails, the North Boundary trail makes for an excellent lap. A shuttle to the top

#3 Oakridge Dead Mountain (Shuttle): Conquer the Peaks For the ultimate adventure seekers, Oakridge Dead Mountain's shuttle ride provides an opportunity to conquer the peaks, offering an adrenaline rush and breathtaking panoramic views that will leave riders awe-inspired.

#2a Leavenworth, Wa: Fruend Canyon Fruend was the first longer ride we attempted. On the first attempt the hub of my bike gave way and we had to bail about a 1/3rd the way up. We went back the following year and the trail delivers! With around 1800’ of descent and all low angle flow it made for an isntant classic.

High Cost of Entry, but Fruend makes an excellent descent.

#2b Half Nelson to Pseudo Psunga: A Roller Coaster of Thrills Half Nelson to Pseudo Psunga promises a roller coaster ride of thrills and excitement, ensuring an unforgettable biking experience for riders seeking an adrenaline-fueled escapade.

#1 East Summit to Side Hustle: Conquer Challenges with Style East Summit to Side Hustle offers an invigorating blend of challenges and style, allowing riders to conquer thrilling trails while soaking in the picturesque surroundings, ensuring an unforgettable mountain biking experience.