Annual RAMROD bike ride expected to bring 800 bicyclists around Mount Rainier

Drivers traveling through areas surrounding Mount Rainier should plan for extra travel time Wednesday, Sept. 4, as 800 cyclists will flood Western Washington’s state highways and local roads for the 2024 RAMROD rally.

The Ride Around Mount Rainier in One Day (RAMROD) rally is a 150-mile endurance cycling event owned and operated by the Redmond Cycling Club, Inc. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) asks motorists to observe the rules of the road for safe driving around people on bikes and to prepare for travel delays during the popular recreational ride.

The ride takes place on a weekday, so commuters — especially in the Enumclaw and Buckley areas — should plan ahead for some congestion and delays. As state driving laws periodically change, drivers may want to review the state driver guide and the driving among bicyclists section.

Bicyclists should also be aware of their responsibility to follow Washington’s bicycle rules of the road.

The RAMROD route follows state highways and local roads in these areas:

• Enumclaw Fairgrounds

• State Route 410 — 288 Avenue to Cayuse Pass Summit

• State Route 123 — Cayuse PAss Summit to Mount Rainier National Park’s Stevens Canyon entrance

• Mount Rainier National Park west to Nisqually entrance

• State Route 706 — Mount Rainier National Park’s Nisqually entrance to Elbe

• State Route 7 — Elbe to Alder

• Alder Cutoff Road to Eatonville

• County roads — Eatonville to Orting

• State Route 162 — Orting to South Prairie

• State Route 162 and state Route 165 — South Prairie to Buckley

• City streets in Buckley

• State Route 410 — Park Avenue to Mud Mountain Road

Based on previous RAMROD events, congestion and delays can be expected:

• In the early morning on state Route 410 near Enumclaw

• In the evening hours on State Route 165 in the Buckley vicinity

For more information, visit the Redmond Cycling Club RAMROD webpage at redmondcyclingclub.org where a route map is available.