DARC Side Ride — Cascade Gravel Adventures
Irregular Cascade gravel rides near Redmond: Dirty, Adventurous, Ridiculous, Challenging. Brisk pace, 43 miles, 38mm+ tires required. Intermediate skills needed.
The vibe
Dirty, ridiculous, gloriously off-road
DARC is not subtle about what it is. Dirty, Adventurous, Ridiculous, Challenging — the name is a checklist, and every ride delivers on all four. Organized by Keith Zorn out of 60 Acres Park in Redmond whenever the trails are calling, these gravel adventures typically cover around 43 miles with 2,700 ft of elevation on Redmond-area gravel trails. The pace is Brisk (16–18 mph on level ground), which means the technical sections will feel harder than that number suggests.
Come prepared: 38mm tires are the minimum, 45mm are better, and you’ll want to be comfortable with mixed surfaces and bike handling at speed. This is not a beginner gravel ride. The terrain around Redmond rewards cyclists who know what they’re doing, and DARC doesn’t pad the experience to make it easier.
Because Keith announces dates on his own schedule, checking cascade.org regularly is the move — these rides don’t always make it onto the main calendar far in advance. Free ride, registration required. If you’ve been looking for a reason to take your gravel bike somewhere it actually belongs, this is it.