Washington · United States
Cycling in Pullman
Best season: April–October (rolling dryland farm country; spring green-up and fall harvest bookend hot summers)
Pullman sits at the core of the Palouse, home to Washington State University and the best-serviced basecamp in this rolling sea of dryland wheat. The riding is self-guided by nature: a near-limitless grid of low-traffic gravel and farm-road loops connecting landmarks like Kamiak Butte, Steptoe Butte (a roughly 60-mile mixed loop with about 4,500 ft of climbing), and the Wawawai Grade down toward the Snake River. There is no local gravel race to organize a trip around, and that is the point: the Palouse is a place to build your own routes across the wheat. The single best on-the-ground resource is B&L Bicycles, the downtown shop at 219 E Main St (established 1996), which publishes a free local route guide of roughly 17 rides from 10 to 85 miles, including the Wawawai Grade and rides referencing Kamiak Butte.
Honesty on rentals: there is no confirmed walk-in gravel-bike rental in Pullman. B&L Bicycles is sales and service only and does not rent, so it is your shop for mechanical support and route intel, not bikes. The nearest rental lead is Paradise Creek Bicycles about eight miles east in Moscow, Idaho, on the same road network, but it converted to mobile-only service in 2025 and publishes no rental specifics, so treat any rental there as unconfirmed and call first. Washington State University’s campus bike-share and borrowing programs are restricted to students and rec-center members and are not usable by visitors. The practical plan is to bring your own gravel bike.
Lodging is Pullman’s strength. The all-suite Residence Inn by Marriott is the standout basecamp: it is listed as offering complimentary loaner bikes (cruiser-style courtesy bikes, not gravel rigs) and has full kitchens well suited to a multi-day stay. Next door, the Courtyard by Marriott is a straightforward alternative, and the Coast Hilltop Inn sits closest to the WSU campus and downtown. Confirm the loaner-bike program and secure bike storage directly when you book.
Pullman leans into its Palouse crop every August at the National Lentil Festival, a downtown food-and-music weekend famous for a giant pot of lentil chili — good post-ride fuel if you’re spinning the rolling Palouse country.
Weather in Pullman
Live · NWSLoading current conditions…
Typical by month
avg high/low · 1991–2020 normals · PULLMAN 2 NW- Jan 38° 26° 2.7"
- Feb 42° 27° 1.9"
- Mar 50° 31° 2.0"
- Apr 57° 35° 2.0"
- May 66° 42° 1.8"
- Jun 73° 46° 1.2"
- Jul 84° 50° 0.4"
- Aug 85° 50° 0.5"
- Sep 76° 44° 0.7"
- Oct 61° 36° 1.8"
- Nov 46° 31° 2.6"
- Dec 37° 25° 2.8"
Bike-friendly hotels
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Residence Inn by Marriott Pullman
All-suite hotel with full kitchens, indoor pool, and free hot breakfast, well suited to a multi-day gravel basecamp. Listed as offering complimentary loaner bikes (cruiser-style courtesy bikes for around town, not gravel bikes).
From from ~$108/night
Before you book: The complimentary-bikes amenity appears on Marriott's property listing and multiple third-party listings, but automated fetch of Marriott's own page was blocked, so it could not be independently confirmed; the loaner bikes are cruiser-style, not gravel. Confirm the program and secure bike storage at booking.
Bike program reported via source (2026-07-18)
Courtyard by Marriott Pullman
Hotel next door to the Residence Inn with a fitness center, hot tub, restaurant, and airport shuttle. No bike program; a straightforward alternative base near the same wheat-country gravel network.
From from ~$101/night
Before you book: No bike program is stated on the hotel's own listing; confirm secure overnight bike storage with the property before booking.
Bike program reported via source (2026-07-18)
Coast Hilltop Inn
Independent-brand hotel closest to the WSU campus and downtown Pullman, with a heated indoor pool, free breakfast, and airport shuttle. No bike program; value for cyclists is proximity to downtown (and B&L Bicycles for service and route guides).
Before you book: The hotel's own site does not mention bikes or bike storage; ask the front desk about secure overnight bike storage before booking.
Bike program reported via source (2026-07-18)
Where to stay in Pullman
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Where to rent or borrow a bike
Paradise Creek Bicycles
Rates by phone · waiver required
Nearest rental lead, about eight miles east in Moscow, Idaho, on the same Palouse road network. Converted to mobile-only service in 2025 (no walk-in storefront) and publishes no rental specifics. Pullman's own B&L Bicycles (219 E Main St) is sales and service only and does not rent, though it publishes the definitive local route guide.
Call ahead: The site references bike rentals but gives no types, gravel availability, or pricing, and the business is now mobile-only with the former storefront listed as closed; call to confirm whether gravel rental is actually available before relying on it.
Reported via source (2026-07-18)
Where these are on the map Pullman
Hotels Rentals & loaners · 4 of this destination's listings located · © OpenStreetMap contributors