A new mountain bike trail opened at the summit of Tiger Mountain on Sept. 5. The Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) cut the ribbon on the 1.4-mile East Tiger Summit Trail after nearly a year of construction and hundreds of hours of volunteer support.

The construction of this new mountain bike trail was funded by grants aimed at improving mountain bike experience by building a sustainable network of trails.

The trail begins at the summit of East Tiger Mountain, where, at 3,000 feet, riders can enjoy views of Mt. Rainier to the south. The trail then descends almost 500 feet in elevation through the forest, offering a rugged and exciting mountain biking experience. The trail ends at the top of Preston Railroad Grade Trail. From there, riders continue down Preston Railroad Grade trail, then follow 2.7 miles of forest road to the Northwest Timber Trail (back to the trailhead). Future projects will create a trail from the Preston Railroad Grade Trail through the forest to the Northwest Timber Trail, which will extend the ride experience further.

Directions to the trailhead: Park at the Tiger Summit Trailhead at the summit of Highway 18. Bike four miles along forest roads to the summit of East Tiger Mountain to reach the trailhead. Signs will be posted.

The trail will close for the season on Oct. 15.