Anderson Island Bike Ride

Ride Details:

Date: Saturday, August 29, 2026
Time: 9 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.
Locations: Starts and ends at the Steilacoom Ferry Terminal
Price: Participating in this ride is free, including registration, safety checks and ferry fare. Your only expenses may include parking and snacks/lunch you purchased prior to the ride.

Event Description:

Come ride the Steilacoom-Anderson Island Ferry and ride your bike around the island! This is a family-friendly, slow-paced ride, welcoming to riders of all ages and abilities. No one will be left behind.

Registration Details:

REGISTRATION IS NOW FULL -- Thank you for your interest!

Routes:

There will be two riding routes to choose from. An Explorer Group and Slow + Social Group. The Explorer Group will spend more time riding around the island whereas the Slow + Social group will meander toward the park and relax in the sun.

Explorer Group: Route is still being finalized and will be shared shortly.
Slow + Social Group: Route is still being finalized and will be shared shortly.

Event Schedule:

8-9:20 a.m. - Welcome riders and conduct bike safety checks. Conduct helmet fits, explain the plan for the day and onboard riders to the ferry.
9:30 a.m. - Ferry departs from Steilacoom.
10 a.m. – Arrive on Anderson Island. After safety briefing, split into Explorer Group and Slow + Social Group. Ride 10 a.m. -12:15 p.m. including lunch.
12:45 p.m. - Ferry departs from Anderson Island to Steilacoom.
1:15 p.m. - Arrive at Steilacoom.

Arrival:

Please arrive at the Steilacoom Ferry Terminal at 9 a.m. to check-in. Staff will have materials to conduct optional bike safety checks (air, brakes, chain) and adjust helmets before boarding the ferry. Ferry staff would like walk-on passengers to be ready to board at 9:25 a.m. to depart at 9:30 a.m.

Please consider arriving by bike, carpool, drop off, parking at the ferry terminal or parking further away from the ferry terminal to avoid congestion. Parking at the ferry terminal will be available, at a cost. Street parking in Steilacoom is restricted to two hours, so that will not be an option for ride participants.

Pierce College - Fort Steilacoom is kindly allowing participants to park their vehicles on campus for this event. Park on campus and ride your bike for 10 minutes to the ferry terminal. Click here to view the riding directions.

Inclusion:

Everyone who is able to ride a bike is welcome on this ride. We are committed to celebrating and promoting diversity in the bicycling community. We acknowledge that this ride take place on the ancestral homelands of the Steilacoom and Nisqually peoples.

Food and Breaks:

We have set aside time for lunch. The General Store on Anderson Island has closed so please pack your snacks and picnic materials in advance. Staff will have extra water and snacks just in case. Last minute purchases can be made at coffee shops in Steilacoom. Don't forget your sunscreen!

Please be aware that the Lowell Johnson Park swimming hole and restrooms are temporarily closed as of 5/8. We hope they will open in time for the ride. In case they are not, restrooms will only be available on the ferry and at both ferry terminals. If the swimming hole opens back up, riders are invited to bring swimwear for a quick dip. This park does not have lifeguards on duty.

Support During the Ride:

2nd Cycle and Pierce County staff will lead the ride and have someone riding in the back to make sure no one is left behind. Mechanics will be at the start line to do bike safety checks before the ride and all staff can assist with proper helmet fittings. 2nd Cycle staff will materials for quick fixes along the ride.

Weather:

Late August tends to be hot, so we are riding our bikes before the hottest time of the day (9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.).

Types of bikes and roads:

Participants are welcome to ride their road bikes, hybrid bikes, city bikes, e-bikes, family bikes, cargo bikes on this ride. We will almost exclusively be riding on pavement with some hills. There is no bike infrastructure on the island. Because we will be riding on shared roads, we will ride as a group with staff at the front and end of each group.

Training:

While training is not necessary, you can boost your riding confidence by joining a number of local free group rides prior to this ride:

Velofemmes: Tacoma women, having fun, riding bikes.
Kidical Mass Tacoma: Group family rides, hangouts, and events across Pierce County.
2nd Cycle: A nonprofit making bicycling accessible and a part of everyday life for all.
Tacoma Coffee Ride: Group rides to local coffee shops every other Friday at 7 a.m.
Tacoma WA Bicycle Club: A bicycle club in Tacoma organizing social, recreational, and educational bicycling events.
Tacoma Tuesday Night Rides: A social group that gathers on Tuesdays at 6 p.m. to cycle around Tacoma. Sometimes they enjoy a social gathering post-ride!
Rápido and Rápida Club: Local coffee shop that hosts bike rides to Point Defiance Park, Saturdays at 9 a.m.
Wheel of Cheese: Weekly rides on Thursdays, with cheese to share at the end!
Cascade Bicycle Club Free Group Rides: A biking community offering beginner classes, trainings, programs and community rides.

Partnership:

This ride is hosted in partnership with 2nd Cycle.