We know how much the Exit 27 trails mean to the mountain biking community, and we hear the concerns about their future. These trails have been shaped by years of riding, volunteer work, and care from the people who use them. We understand why the recent news has raised questions, and we want to provide some clarity about what’s happening. Evergreen has a long history of engagement and advocacy regarding these trails and we continue to be engaged with DNR in discussing the future of these trails and their importance to the community.

Right now, DNR is decommissioning 4 trails on DNR-managed land that do not meet their recreation management goals. DNR is engaged with leaders from the Exit 27 trails community about those trails. This includes 2 trails near existing hiking routes within the protected Rattlesnake Mountain Scenic Area, as well as 2 other non-designated trails in the area near Return Policy. These decommissions are confined solely to the identified specific routes at this time and do not include the core Exit 27 trails. Many of the Exit 27 trails are on U.S. Forest Service land and are not under the jurisdiction of DNR.

We also want to clarify Evergreen’s role. DNR is responsible for these decommissioning decisions, and this work is not part of Evergreen’s agreement with DNR. Our long-standing partnership with DNR has helped establish and develop 40+ miles of trails in the Raging River system, including bringing existing legacy trails into the network. We value that partnership and continue to work with DNR, and recognize that decisions about DNR-managed land ultimately rest with the agency. DNR has indicated a willingness to discuss future actions that may affect trails in this area. We will continue to advocate for access and represent the concerns of the mountain biking community. 

Evergreen is a grassroots organization built by and for the mountain biking community, and we believe feedback is an important part of that. We welcome you to join our next Cascades to Sound Chapter Council Meeting on November 9th to hear directly from chapter leadership, ask questions, and be part of the conversation about what comes next.

We appreciate everyone who has spoken up and shared how much these trails mean to them. We hear you, and we’ll continue to share accurate information as more details are confirmed. We also want to assure you that we are engaged in conversations regarding access and will continue to be engaged moving forward.