The Markworth Forest is about 30 miles from Seattle just outside of Duvall, WA. I’d only been there once before and felt like I barely saw any of it. Lee, Andre, Andrew and I were trying to figure out a ride suggestion and I offered up that Markworth might be worth checking out.

We didn’t really have an agenda. There aren’t good maps of the Markworth or much information available on it. It is a working forest so you see a lot of clear cuts and some logging equipment. The roads aren’t mapped out very well. It’s lowland, so it is swampier than the forests that we’re used to seeing up in the mountains (John Speare used to live near there and described some areas as feeling “Deliverance Like”).

On the other hand it has waterfalls, great view, few people, lakes, and all of those other things that are fun to find in the woods.

On this visit we biked about 25 miles, found one very nice lookout, a creepy lake surrounded by some strange houses, two waterfalls (one that I’ve visited before),a few other cyclists and a woman training her huskies how to mush.

I think it’s too bad that all of this “near Seattle” forest is mostly working logging land and not really designed for recreation. There are some great oppurtunities here. I think I’ll be back to explore some more.

A few photos (more are here).

Andrew checks out the view of Seattle

Looking northish to more mountains and trails.

This crazy waterfall was loud and energetic. I took a(sideways)video too which you can see in the gallery.

touring*2 + mtb = pugsley