Gifford Pinchot National Forest

Recreation

Mountain Biking

What follows are names and descriptions of some good mountain-biking trails and how to find them. How you rate them will of course depend on your riding experience, the kind of bike you use, your goals, and the ever-changing factors of weather and trail conditions.

Trail guide pamphlets are available at the District Ranger Stations and the Forest Headquarters. Information includes specific trail information and directions for locating trails.

Two Most Popular Trails

Lewis River Trail #31 (10 miles): There are two scenic waterfalls just past the lower trailhead, making the short trip well worth your time. Just up the 9039 Road is a trailhead parking lot that contains a vault toilet. A short walk along the trail leads to two exceptional viewpoints of Miller and Curly Creek Falls.

The first 4 miles from the lower end provide magnificent, scenic views amidst old-growth forest. Since it's generally flat, this section is an easy ride.

Lewis River trail

The next 6 miles has many ups and downs with steep side slopes. The 90 Road can be used as a return route, but you should know it has blind corners and on weekends heavy car traffic. Exercising extreme caution is advised, especially since the road does not have a shoulder. The trail crosses the 90 Road and continues an additional 5 miles upstream, passing by dramatic waterfalls and cliffs. (These cliffs pose great danger. In these sections bicycles should be walked.)

Again, watch out for other trail users. These trails are very popular, drawing hikers, bicycle riders and horseback riders. Use caution and give right-of-way to others. If you are bike-riding, please be considerate of horses and their riders. Many horses are easily frightened by bicycles and can panic with disastrous results for both horse and rider. Park off the trail and motion to horseback riders to pass.

Best Scenery and Fairly Steep But Rideable

Ape Canyon Trail

Special note for the summer of 2007 - The 83 is washed out at the June lake trailhead. Riders can park at the Marble Mountain snowpark and ride the 83 road out to the trails.

Ape Canyon Trail #234: You can reach the trailhead on the south side of Mount St. Helens at the end of the 83 Road. The trail climbs a ridge along the east side of the Lahar mud flow. If you use your lowest gears, it is rideable all the way up. There are magnificent views of Mount St. Helens and the surrounding area. In some places the trail is carved into steep side slopes. At the top is a dramatic view of a waterfall cascading out from a sheer rock crevasse at the top of Ape Canyon. The ride can be extended on the Lowitt Trail, across the side of Mount St. Helens on the Plains of Abraham (photo)

Plains of Abraham

Trails of Moderate Difficulty

Trail #236, Sasquatch Ski Loop Trails: The trailhead is on the 83 Road, approximately 1-1/2 miles east of the Marble Mountain Sno-Park. You may want to ride three progressively longer loops, from about 2 to 4 miles in length. Use your lowest gear riding up. The trails are old skid roads winding through young trees and offer views of the surrounding area. There is an easy access road and fairly easy-to-ride trails.

Cispus Valley Area, Cowlitz Valley Ranger District

Krause Ridge Trail #275: The trail is 4.4 miles long through a variety of forest including dense forest and clearcuts. There are views of the Cispus River and Tower Rock.

High Lakes Area, Cowlitz Valley Ranger District

East Canyon Ridge Trail #265: Only the upper section is recommended for mountain bikes. It starts near Olallie Lake. The first 2 miles present a restful ride over smooth, gentle terrain through the forest, with lots of huckleberries (when in season) along the way. This is the easy section of the trail; the trail becomes more difficult after it crosses a small creek and rises to the ridge. There are awe-inspiring views along the edge of a cliff atop the ridge.

Trail #'s 39-40, Gotchen-Morrison Loop: This ride is a combination of relatively smooth cinder-covered road and trail. It is a moderately difficult loop, through Ponderosa pine and fir forest. There are several small creeks with log or rock crossings. A few of the short hills are steep, and most people would find walking up or down them fairly difficult. The road sections have very low use and are almost like being on a trail.

To get to the trail, take Road 80 from Trout Lake; go about four miles north, turn right on Road 8020 and go about 3 miles to the trailhead. Ride back down Road 8020 about 1/2 mile to Road 8040-020. Follow this road to the 8040 Road, north about 0.9 miles to the Wicky Shelter. Across the road is the start of the trail. It goes up through an open meadow. Look for a big tree with an orange band painted around it. This marks where the trail goes into the trees. From here the trail goes up and down through the Forest and meets Trail 40. From here, it is a short 0.7 miles down to the trailhead. Parking is available at the Wicky Shelter, and the ride could start there.

Trail 40 continues up over two miles and comes out on Road 8040. The vertical gain is approximate. 1,000 feet on this section, meaning a long uphill ride. Trail 40 is a very old trail--one of the first ways people got up to Mt. Adams before roads were put in.

For additional riding, there are many old "skid roads" in the area just waiting to be explored. The terrain is generally not too steep and riding on the old roads can be very pleasant. If you do explore the old skid roads, remember to pay attention to where you are going; it is easy to become disoriented.

The Best Trail Experience for People New to Mountain Bike Trail Riding

Old Man Pass Trails, Wind River Area, Trail #'s 150,151,154,157 & 159: There's trailhead parking as well as toilets and maps, and the trails are marked. These trails bring you over moderate hills, and run along the middle of 50-foot-wide ski trail corridors woven throughout the Forest. Carpeted with low-growing, native vegetation, these trails offer you a less closed-in experience. Whereas the forest's trees and undergrowth are typically close to you on other trails, the Old Man Pass trails are more open, with a 25-foot clearing on either side. There are no cliffs, so you don't need to be concerned about rock falls or slides. There are at least six loops from 1 to 13 miles in length. Scenery is typical Cascade forest with several views of distant mountains. Some easy riding over gravel roads is available for completing loops.

Trails with More Challenge But Still Rideable

Trail #270, Valley Trail: Start at one of several trailheads along Road 23. The trail runs above the road with many ups and downs across ridges and down across creeks. While there's many opportunities to head back down the road, those who stay with it are rewarded with breathtaking valley views and idyllic stream crossings. A total distance of over 10 miles, this trail is also used by motorcycles and ATVs.

Chain of Lakes Trail #116: Begins on the other side of the road from Trail 265. This trail ascends and descends through the Forest. Between Chain of Lakes and Horseshoe Lake, a bridge has been constructed across Adams Creek.  The trail passes by an ancient lava flow. A long loop of 16 or more miles could be made by returning on Road 2329.

Trail 1 and 1C Loop: Begin at Council Lake and ride up the old 4-wheel-drive route at the far end of the campground. The complete loop is approximately 8 miles, with the last section being a gravel road. Take a side trip up Council Bluff for a visually striking, magnificent 360-degree view of the Forest. Continuing on east, Trail 1 crosses a gravel road; Trail 1C is approximate. 2 miles past this point. The gravel road may be chosen for a shorter loop. The trail has many up-and-down sections and steep side slopes. The route is demanding and technical, with beautiful views along a high-elevation trail. Larger loops may be done by riding the Table Mountain trail and old gravel roads (see map).

Table Mountain trail 18; This trail is great for a downhill run.  A car shuttle is possible with a high clearance vehicle. The 9091 road has numerous eroded sections.  As can be seen on the map, the trail is crossed several times by the road.  The 9091 is washed out up on top, towards Council Lake, past the 071 spur, so loops are no longer possible using the Boundary trail and the 9091 road.

Summit Springs trail 173;A fun trail, maintained by local mountain bike riders. Riders can car shuttle to the top using the 4104 road. It has high waterbars, so a pickup or SUV is required. It can also be ridden as a loop, using the 4104 road. The trail starts up the 41 road from Sunset campground. See map.trail 173

Be Careful And Be Prepared

Recommending these trails does not mean they are easy or without risk. What is easy for one person may be very difficult or impossible for another. Additionally, weather and trail conditions can change dramatically in a very short time. Because many unexpected hazards can be encountered, riding any of these trails poses a risk of serious injury. Obviously, since these trails are in remote locations on the Forest, getting help or first aid can take a long time, so riders should always use extreme caution to avoid serious injury. Riders should be self-reliant, carry repair equipment (including tire patches and air pump!), and remember to always bring the 10 Essentials: First aid kit, matches and fire starter, extra food and water, extra clothing (including a wool or synthetic sweater, gloves and rain shell), a whistle, map and compass, flashlight & extra batteries and bulb, pocket knife and sun protection.

We Could Use Your Help!

Let us know what you think of the trails. Trail conditions often change. By visiting the Ranger Station on your way out, and letting them know about a change in trail conditions--such as a fallen tree or washout--you could be a tremendous help.