Hilly Ride
Max elevation: 248 ft
Min elevation: 29 ft
Total climbing: 1098 ft
The Hilly Ride is approximately 23 miles long, all on paved surfaces – roads and the Olympic Discovery Trail (ODT). The ride begins and ends at the Dungeness Audubon Center in Railroad Bridge Park, at the end of W. Hendrickson Rd. in Sequim.
This can be an active area with cyclists, walkers, dogs, birders, and all sorts of visitors on any day. Many times, though, you’ll have it to yourself. It’s just the luck of the draw. Due to this activity, preferred parking (if you drive in), is either in the bus lot on the west side of the road just before entering the park, or in the lot on the east side of the road just at the entrance. The park is open dawn to dusk. The Olympic Discovery Trail passes through the park over Railroad Bridge.
This moderately hilly route twists and turns back on itself to provide a fairly good workout. Take the ODT west to Heath Rd. Turn north on Heath Rd. and continue on to the intersection with Old Olympic Highway. This road can be busy, so carefully make the turn west on to it after traffic has cleared.
At the intersection with Cays Rd., stop until traffic allows you to continue straight on to Macleay Rd. Traffic thins out and you can enjoy the mountain views to the south. If you’re a Beatles fan, intersecting street names on Wheeler Rd. include Strawberry Field (not forever, though) and Penny Lane.
Turn west at the intersection with Woodcock Rd., then north at Ridge View Dr. The roller coaster hills here are a delight. This neighborhood is home to many deer; keep an eye out for them all the way to Hogback Rd. Turn left on Hogback Rd., then, at the bottom of the hill, turn right on to Lotzgesell Rd.
As Lotzgesell Rd. meets Cays Rd., you’ll have an all too brief downhill south, only to turn easterly on to Lamar Rd. Prepare for a short steep uphill to Lotzgesell Rd. where you’ll once again turn east until you reach E. Anderson Rd.
When you see the intersection with Towne Rd. on the right, turn and pass by the Dungeness School House. The Dungeness Creamery is just up the road, and beyond that, two nice inclines to keep you warm.
Turn west on Woodcock Rd., cross the Dungeness River once again, and turn north on Ward Rd. This parallels the Dungeness on its way to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. If you’ve never seen a buffalo or an elk, you have a chance to pass both at the Olympic Garme Farm. Proceeding up the hill, turn west at the crest on Lotzgesell Rd.
At Lamar Rd., go south and downhill this time all the way to Cays Rd., which now takes you north uphill back to Lotzgesell. Turn west and follow Lotzgesell to Hogback. Be careful turning left at this blind curve! Oncoming traffic can’t see you, so resist the urge to swoop across and up the hill.
Once on Hogback, turn south again into the Ridge View neighborhood and retrace the original route back to Railroad Bridge Park.
