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Ride Summary:
Close to downtown Seattle and challenging enough to test experts.
Trail Description:
This trail is great because it's close to town, there are no other user groups to fight with, and the trail system around the power transformers remain mostly high-and-dry even in the winter. It's a great place for nightrides, especially the Tapeworm cuz you see your buds coming back atcha in the twisties. 1/4 easy, 1/2 moderate, 1/4 advanced. The Tapeworm is 2.25 miles. It's not that physically demanding, it's just extremely twisty. Sick-granny-twisty. Gives your upper body and headset bearings a workout. Has several choice obstacles. An 18" log, a couple rideable boulders, the Guillotine, short, steep hidden grunts. But it's only 2.25 miles of the 8.75 mile trail. The rest of the trail is mostly intermediate singletrack. The Royal Hills side goes through big trees down to the Cedar River. The beginning of this trail system is extremely muddy all year round.
New trails are being added constantly, especially in the Towers of Power area. Most of the new trails have a similar theme. Tight twisty singletrack making for a technically challenging ride. Because of all the new trail construction, the area is mostly intermediate to advanced trails with only a couple miles suitable for the beginner-level rider.
How to get there:
Take 405 to Renton, get off on Rainier Ave going North. Take a right (east) at the first light onto Grady. Stay on Grady, past Starbucks and veer north as it changes into Main - you're paralleling 405. Turn right on 4th, go up the hill OVER 405. Go up up up at all intersections and watch for Phillip Arnold Park at the top of the hill on your right. Park at the park.
Additional Notes:
An unnamed person has been building new trails at a feverish pace. Every time you visit you are likely to find some new stretch of trail more difficult than the last.
| Posted by: scottmoney on 10/31/2009 |
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I ride this group of trails at least once a week. Well maintained and a lot of variation in difficulty for everyone. With the tapeworm and parasite being the more technical sections. Lots of good switchbacks, roots/rocks, tight turns into quick elevation gains in these sections.
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| Posted by: Mike on 6/7/2009 |
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Who keeps pulling down peoples work and blocking lines at tapeworm? whoever is doing this better hope I don't catch you out there
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| Posted by: aaron007 on 11/14/2006 |
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What's with all the advertisements down below. Its lame. If been to this park a few times and it cool because of some the technical stuff it has.
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| Posted by: Paolo Visitor on 11/12/2006 |
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Beautiful, interesting site. Has added a site in bookmarks, tomorrow I shall return, to esteem still.:)
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| Posted by: Byes on 11/9/2006 |
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Very much, the interesting site, is a lot of helpful information, has added in bookmarks, tomorrow I shall return again to read through the newcomer
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| Posted by: Local on 5/2/2005 |
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Whoever tore down the second teeter totter is a punk, while it was ugly it was still the hardest obstacle there. I'm guessing it was some prick who couldn't ride it.
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| Posted by: Snoop Loggy Log on 4/24/2005 |
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Tried the Tapeworm...It was the Shiz-Nit, Ya'll..Twisty, Windy, Bumpy, Jumpy, Lumpy, Stumpy and teeter-tottery. Just watch out for that 1-ft high dirt jump in the big clearing. It'll rip a hole in your elbow like you wouldnt believe!...........Beeeooootch!
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| Posted by: wigger on 4/23/2005 |
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nice trail beeeotch
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| Posted by: wormburner on 2/24/2005 |
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Well I went to the good old worm last weekend - haven't been there in a while and was stoked to see the new stunts that I had heard about. What I found however was a pile of pastel pink and blue boards that somebody had cobbled together right in the middle of the trail. Pink and blue freaking boards! Not only was the "stunt" poorly conceived and executed, but the "creator" decided that everyone would appreciate a pink and freaking blue pile of crap in the woods. It looks like someone backed a truck up and dumped a mess of garbage in the woods. It's one thing to build stunts in the woods - I like riding them as much as anyone - but practice in your own backyard first until you figure out what you're doing and then when you do decide to put one on the most popular trail in the area, DON'T paint it pink and blue. The worm is a little oasis of nature in a city that has precious few opportunities to escape. Stunts should blend in with the natural surroundings not stand out l
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| Posted by: Jay&Kevin on 7/20/2004 |
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Well maintained, switchbacks, twisty. Great ride. Look for the carved bust/Indian head with tires mohawk.
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