The areas of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest north and west of Trout Lake [1], toward Mount St. Helens and Mt. Rainier, are crisscrossed with hundreds of dirt roads and single-track trails, a veritable paradise for adventurous mountain bikers.
One great ride is up Table Mountain, located on Forest Road 90, three miles southwest of the intersection with Forest Road 23. Bikers can either bite the bullet and slog up the steep trail, or take the easier logging road to the top and bomb down the trail. Either way, a round-trip ride will take 3–4 hours.
Another popular ride is the Blue Lake Trail, which branches off Forest Road 23 approximately three miles south of the North Fork Campground. A second trail reaches Blue Lake leaving Forest Road 23 just south of North Fork Campground, meaning bikers can take a longer loop ride if time permits.
For information on these and other rides, ask at the Mt. Adams Ranger Station in Trout Lake [1] or at the Randle Ranger Station in Randle [2].
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/washington/south-cascades/mount-adams/trout-lake-and-glenwood
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/washington/south-cascades/white-pass-scenic-byway/morton-randle