21 stages over 21 days. Two parallel tours — a TdF-matching full version and a weekday-doable SLU-local version. Every stage has both.
Full version: ~2,600 km · ~28,500 m of climbing · 7 weekend-required stages · 4 overnight trips.
Weekday version: ~1,500 km · ~15,000 m · all stages from SLU or Fremont in 1.5–3 hours. Mountain days become local simulators.
Structure: Week 1 (Stages 1–7) Settling In · Rest Day · Week 2 (8–15) Mountains Awaken · Rest Day · Week 3 (16–21) Queen Week.
Maps are approximate bounded views of each stage area — they show geography, not a route line. Build accurate GPX in RideWithGPS before riding.
| # | Stage | Type | TdF Parallel | km | m vert | Wknd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Queen Anne Prologue | ITT | Düsseldorf '17 | 14 | 350 | |
| 2 | Snohomish Valley | Sprint | Bayonne sprint | 180 | 1,000 | |
| 3 | Seattle 7 Hills+ | Punchy | Mur de Bretagne | 140 | 2,200 | |
| 4 | Snoqualmie Farms | Flat+ | Breakaway day | 150 | 800 | |
| 5 | Bainbridge Inner | Med mtn | Corsica rolling | 100 | 1,200 | |
| 6 | Issaquah Alps | Hilly | Flèche Wallonne | 120 | 2,800 | |
| 7 | Green River | Sprint | Transitional | 130 | 400 | |
| 8 | Snoqualmie Pass | High mtn | Alpe du Grand Serre | 120 | 1,200 | ▲ |
| 9 | Artist Point | Summit | Plateau de Beille | 170 | 1,400 | ▲ |
| 10 | Olympic Discovery | Flat | Bordeaux transition | 110 | 400 | |
| 11 | Chuckanut + Skagit | Hilly | Brittany coast | 140 | 1,500 | |
| 12 | Vashon + Maury | Med mtn | Corsica II | 100 | 1,600 | |
| 13 | Mercer ITT | ITT | Utrecht '15 | 40 | 250 | |
| 14 | N Cascades Hwy | Queen | Col du Tourmalet | 160 | 2,800 | ▲ |
| 15 | Stevens Pass | High mtn | Col du Galibier | 170 | 1,700 | ▲ |
| 16 | Whidbey Island | Hilly | Brittany II | 120 | 1,400 | |
| 17 | Kitsap + Hood Canal | Med mtn | Jura quiet | 120 | 1,600 | |
| 18 | Hurricane Ridge | Summit | Mont Ventoux | 100 | 1,700 | ▲ |
| 19 | Centennial Full | Flat | Pre-queen flat | 180 | 600 | |
| 20 | Sunrise Rd ITT | Mtn ITT | La Planche ITT | 50 | 1,100 | ▲ |
| 21 | RAMROD | Queen finale | Queen + ceremonial | 250 | 3,050 | ▲ |
Seattle metro. Ferry-accessible. SLU-start-doable. Build form without blowing up.
Short, steep urban ITT. The Counterbalance shatters the field before breakfast.
Full: 2 laps. Counterbalance (Queen Anne Ave N, 0.8 km at 10–15%) → Highland Dr → Kerry Park → descend Taylor Ave → Mercer → repeat.
Weekday: Same route, one lap. 25-minute all-out opener, pre-work.
TdF parallel: Düsseldorf Prologue 2017 · Iconic: Kerry Park skyline at the top of each lap
Long, flat, fast. Wind-dependent — easterlies off the Cascades can turn benign into brutal.
Full: SLU → Burke-Gilman Trail → Kenmore → Centennial Trail → Arlington → Stanwood → return via Snohomish Valley roads → Woodinville → BGT → SLU.
Weekday: SLU → BGT → Sammamish River Trail → Marymoor → return.
TdF parallel: Bayonne-style Week 1 bunch sprint · Iconic: Stanwood flats with Mt Baker on the horizon
Repeated short-steep climbs. Hills don't end — they change name.
Full: Queen Anne (Counterbalance) → Magnolia Blvd → Phinney Ridge → Capitol Hill (E Olive Way) → First Hill (James St) → Beacon Hill (S Spokane) → West Seattle (Admiral + Avalon). Extensions: Mercer Island loop, Juanita Hill.
Weekday: Core 7 Hills only, west-of-I-5. 2.5 hours evening.
TdF parallel: Mur de Bretagne finish · Iconic: Magnolia Blvd with Olympic Mountains across the Sound
Protected trails, farm roads, one climb out at the end to remind you this isn't Holland.
Full: SLU → BGT → SRT → Redmond → Snoqualmie Valley Trail → Duvall → Carnation → Snoqualmie → Fall City → climb out via Issaquah-Fall City Rd → I-90 trail → SLU.
Weekday: Short version — SLU → BGT → SRT → Snoqualmie Valley Trail from Redmond → return.
TdF parallel: Breakaway day (Saint-Amand) · Iconic: Carnation farmland at golden hour
Rolling island with no flat. The legs never quite get to rest.
Full: SLU → Elliott Bay → Colman Dock → ferry → Winslow. Full Chilly Hilly-style loop: Battle Point → Fletcher Bay → Lynwood Center → Point Monroe → Rolling Bay → Kitsap Memorial → return.
Weekday: Catch 5:30 or 6:10am ferry. Full loop. 9am return ferry for remote-work start.
TdF parallel: Corsica 2013 rolling · Iconic: Agate Pass Bridge at sunrise on the early ferry
Four short-sharp summits in one day. The closest thing WA has to an Ardennes classic.
Full: SLU → I-90 Trail → Issaquah → Zoo Hill (Tiger Mtn Rd east) → Tiger summit → Squak (Mountainside Dr) → Cougar (Lakemont Blvd) → Newcastle → Coal Creek → I-90 home.
Weekday: I-90 trail → Cougar via Lakemont + Zoo Hill → back. 3 hours.
TdF parallel: Flèche Wallonne / Liège-Bastogne-Liège · Iconic: Tiger Mtn east summit looking south to Rainier
Industrial flat. Different aesthetic from Snohomish — same sprint training.
Full: SLU → waterfront → West Seattle Bridge → Duwamish Trail → Green River Trail → Kent → Auburn → Interurban Trail → Tukwila → return via Beacon Hill or Rainier Valley.
Weekday: Interurban Trail south from Beacon Hill to Kent and back.
TdF parallel: Transitional sprint stage · Iconic: Boeing plant with Rainier framed through power lines
First Cascade assaults. Overnights start here. One flat ITT bisects the mountain block.
First real pass. Moderate grade, long approach, tests the legs before the bigger ones.
Full: Issaquah → Issaquah-Fall City Rd → Fall City → Snoqualmie → North Bend → Edgewick → I-90 shoulder (or Palouse to Cascades Trail) → Snoqualmie Pass summit (3,022 ft) → descend → loop back via Snoqualmie Valley.
Weekday simulator: Zoo Hill × 4 repeats = ~1,500m vert. Captures sustained-climb workload in 3 hours from SLU.
TdF parallel: Alpe du Grand Serre · mid-mountain introduction · Iconic: Franklin Falls turnout on the descent
Iconic summit finish. Twenty-four miles of climb, steep third pitch, glaciers at the top.
Full: Bellingham → SR-542 → Deming → Kendall → Maple Falls → Glacier → climb to Artist Point (5,140 ft). From Glacier: ~40 km at 4–5% steady with a steep final 2 miles. Descend same.
Weekday simulator: Cougar Mtn via Lakemont Blvd × 3. Sustained climb workload, ~1,100m vert.
TdF parallel: Plateau de Beille · paved summit finish · Iconic: Artist Point with Mt Shuksan reflected in snowmelt pools
Recovery-paced transition through the rain shadow. Easy day. You need it.
Full: Edmonds → ferry → Kingston → shuttle or ride to Port Townsend → Olympic Discovery Trail east (Port Townsend → Discovery Bay → Sequim → Port Angeles).
Weekday: Edmonds-Kingston ferry → Hansville loop or out-and-back.
TdF parallel: Bordeaux transition recovery flat · Iconic: Sequim lavender fields in full July bloom
Cliff-hugging coastal road. Tourists stop at every pullout — ride early or ride late.
Full: Bellingham → Chuckanut Drive south → Edison → Bow → Samish Island loop → return via Skagit Valley flats → Blanchard → Chuckanut north → Bellingham.
Weekday: Juanita Hill × 6 or Cougar Mtn north face. Captures coastal-punchy character locally.
TdF parallel: Brittany coastal stages (Lorient, Saint-Malo) · Iconic: Chuckanut cliffs over Samish Bay at low tide
Relentlessly hilly island. Every turn is a kicker. Nothing long, nothing easy.
Full: SLU → West Seattle → Fauntleroy → ferry → Vashon perimeter + Maury (Point Robinson) → Tahlequah → Point Defiance ferry → Tacoma → Sounder train home.
Weekday: Early Fauntleroy ferry → Vashon north-end loop → return.
TdF parallel: Corsica II · short relentless rolling · Iconic: Point Robinson Lighthouse with Mt Rainier behind
The flat ITT. Pure power. East Mercer Way adds teeth.
Full: SLU → I-90 trail → Mercer Island → perimeter via East Mercer Way (quieter, hillier) + West Mercer Way → return via I-90 trail → SLU.
Weekday: Same route. Pre-work or evening TT effort. Already commute-compatible.
TdF parallel: Utrecht ITT 2015 · flat, rolling, clean · Iconic: Lake Washington from the East Mercer Way bluffs
The queen stage. High, remote, scenic, unforgiving. The Col du Tourmalet of Washington.
Full: Mazama → SR-20 west → Washington Pass (5,477 ft) → Rainy Pass (4,855 ft) → descend to Diablo Lake → climb back over both → return to Winthrop.
Weekday simulator: Saturday ride of all four Issaquah Alps summits — 2,000m vert in one SLU-start day.
TdF parallel: Col du Tourmalet day · Iconic: Washington Pass overlook with Liberty Bell spires
Long sustained climb up the Skykomish valley. Less brutal than Washington Pass; more grinding.
Full: Sultan → Gold Bar → Index → Skykomish → Stevens Pass summit (4,061 ft) → out-and-back. Extended: descend to Leavenworth, loop back via Blewett Pass or Amtrak.
Weekday simulator: Cougar Mtn north face × 4 repeats. 4 × 25 min of sustained climbing.
TdF parallel: Col du Galibier · sustained climb · Iconic: Stevens Pass summit with ski lifts skeletal in July
Final assaults, mountain ITT, RAMROD finale. The hardest week by any measure.
Rolling coastal north of Seattle. Deception Pass is the iconic moment; the miles before earn it.
Full: Mukilteo → ferry → Clinton → Whidbey full length (Langley, Coupeville, Oak Harbor) → Deception Pass → Anacortes → return via Amtrak (Mt Vernon) or reverse ride.
Weekday: Edmonds-Kingston ferry + Kitsap hill loop. 70 km / 800 m.
TdF parallel: Brittany rolling coastal II · Iconic: Deception Pass Bridge from the north approach
Quiet peninsula. Remote, rolling, the kind of day where breakaways go unnoticed.
Full: SLU → Colman → ferry → Winslow → north on SR-305 → Poulsbo → Hood Canal Bridge → south on SR-3 → Seabeck → Silverdale → Bremerton → ferry home.
Weekday: Short Bainbridge loop. 60 km / 700 m.
TdF parallel: Jura quiet stages · Iconic: Seabeck Harbor with Olympics reflected on a still morning
The Ventoux of the Olympics. Seventeen miles up, no breaks, exposed.
Full: Port Angeles → Hurricane Ridge Rd → summit (5,242 ft) → descend. 27 km / 1,580m at sustained 5–7%. Extended: add Lake Crescent coastal loop.
Weekday simulator: Zoo Hill × 4. Captures sustained climbing at sustained effort.
TdF parallel: Mont Ventoux · Iconic: Hurricane Ridge visitor center with Olympic interior glaciated peaks
Pre-queen transition. Spin the legs. Don't tax them.
Full: SLU → BGT → Kenmore → Centennial Trail full length (Snohomish → Nakashima Heritage Barn, ~48 km one way) → return. Optional Skagit extension via Silvana.
Weekday: SLU → BGT → Snohomish → short Centennial segment → return.
TdF parallel: Pre-queen transition flat · Iconic: Nakashima Heritage Barn on the Arlington extension
Uphill TT. Steady grade, sustained power. Pure suffering at altitude.
Full: Drive to SR-410 Sunrise Rd turnoff. Pure uphill TT: 26 km / 1,036 m at steady 5–6% to Sunrise Point (6,400 ft). Descend same for 50 km total.
Weekday simulator: Zoo Hill TT × 3 all-out attempts. Same power demand, different altitude.
TdF parallel: La Planche des Belles Filles ITT · decisive uphill TT · Iconic: Sunrise Point with Rainier's east face dominating
Ride Around Mount Rainier in One Day. 250 km. 3,000 m. Five passes. The final exam.
Full: Enumclaw → SR-410 → Cayuse Pass (4,694 ft) → Chinook Pass (5,430 ft) out-and-back → SR-123 south → Ohanapecosh → Stevens Canyon Rd → Paradise (5,400 ft) → SR-706 → Longmire → Elbe → Eatonville → Enumclaw.
Weekday simulator: Saturday local ultimate — 7 Hills + Issaquah Alps full loop. 2,500m of local vert. Captures total workload of the finale.
TdF parallel: Stage 20 queen + ceremonial merged · Iconic: Paradise Inn with Mt Rainier's south face in morning light
Consolidate the seven weekend stages into four overnight trips. Book Mazama and Port Angeles in April.
| Trip | Stages | Base | Nights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baker Weekend | 9 | Glacier / Bellingham | 1–2 |
| N Cascades Weekend | 14 | Winthrop / Mazama | 2 |
| Olympics Weekend | 18 | Port Angeles | 1 |
| Rainier Grand Finale | 20 + 21 | Enumclaw | 2 |
| Milestone | Stages | km (cum) | m vert (cum) |
|---|---|---|---|
| End of Day 1 | 1 | 14 | 350 |
| End of Day 2 | 2 | 194 | 1,350 |
| End of Week 1 | 3–7 | 834 | 10,150 |
| End of Week 2 | 8–15 | 1,810 | 21,600 |
| End of Week 3 | 16–21 | 2,580 | 28,500 |
Tour de Washington · April 2026 · Draft · Verify all routes in RideWithGPS before riding.