July 2023 Oregon Timber Trail Update
Bikepackers! Due to the Cedar fire damage to Bunchgrass northbound travelers will need to take the Aufderheide Scenic Byway to the McKenzie River Trail and then regain the OTT proper. Find maps and all the details here: https://oregontimbertrail.org/ride-the-ott-overview
Update March 22, 2024
I guess it’s time to start thinking about trail updates! Not much to report at this point but I’ll let you know what I know…or have heard through the grapevine! -Olivia
Alpine Trail: Unknown.
Tire Mountain: Unknown.
Cloverpatch: Unknown.
North Fork Trail: Unknown.
Dead Mountain: The Saddle down is good, above that will be patchy snow on the north facing aspects.
Larsion Rock: Snow at the top and trees down.
Larsion Creek: Trees down. Plans to clear it are in place.
Moon Point/Youngs Rock: Snow at the top and trees down at the bottom…also, the trail has turned into a trench at the bottom….needs some serious dirt work.
Heckletooth: Open after the Kwis fire but snow, and trees down
Aubrey: A couple of large trees down on the switchbacks.
North Salmon: Clear??? other than the dead deer?
South Salmon: Early season trees down, brushy and muddy.
Middlefork: Unknown
Lawler: Lots and trees and probably some snow
Hardesty: Unkown
Eula: Unknown
Goodman: Mud I’m assuming and trees unknown
Bunchgrass: Closed for restoration from the Cedar Creek Fire and well…snow.
Grasshopper: Unreachable due to snow.
Waldo Area: Snow
Waldo Loop: snow
Fuji: Snow
Gold Lake: Snow
Maiden Peak: Snow
Twins loop: SNOW
Charlton Lake to Lemish Lake: SNOW
Here is some very helpful and important winter trail info from our friends at the Disciples of Dirt:
The rainy season is seriously upon us folks so it’s time for DOD’s annual Public Service Announcement on behalf of our local trails. The short story is that while a few trails hold up pretty well under wet conditions, riding many of the trails in the South Willamette Valley when they are wet or muddy can cause unnecessary damage and erosion. The general rule of thumb is, after a couple of days of heavy rain or when a layer of snow is melting fast, you should grab your road or gravel bike and give the trails a break.
TRAILS TO DEFINITELY AVOID
Goodman Creek, Eagle’s Rest, and lower Hardesty are some of the more fragile trails we have access to. No one should be riding them right now. Owing to many small creeks, seeps and even a swale area, the drainage on these trails is poor. Many years the trails on this north facing hillside don’t dry out completely until June. The more people bike, hike, or bring their horses there in wet conditions, the more long term damage is sustained. Please avoid these trails in the winter and spring.
TRAILS THAT HOLD UP
• Whypass: AKA Carpenter Bypass, this trail network outside of Lorane was built by mountain bikers as a place to ride year round. Proper construction, drainage, and strategic armoring along with constant maintenance means that these trails are quite resistant to damage during the winter months.
• North Shore: This out and back trail near Lowell is blessed with good rock content and has also received a lot of love from the mtb community over the years to greatly improve the tread and drainage. North shore is a perfect winter riding trail.
• Brice Creek (Cottage Grove) and Larison Creek (Oakridge): Two more river trails that are rocky and hold up well in the wet.
FINAL THOUGHTS
• Continued mtb access to multi-use trails is not necessarily guaranteed. If land managers decide that mountain bikers are causing excess damage by riding in poor conditions, we may see some trails closed to bikes.
• Trail Elves are not real … Disciples of Dirt, ATCA, and other trailwork volunteers will be the ones that have to go out and fix the damaged tread in the spring.
• If you aren’t sure about trails in the Oakridge area, call the Willamette Mountain Mercantile. They usually have a good handle on conditions up there.
You absolutely don’t need to stop riding your mountain bike in the winter, but please be a responsible and considerate trail user and make good decisions about where and when to ride.
Give us a call for more information. We are doing our best to get the most up to date conditions but may not be entirely correct.
UP-TO-DATE LOCAL TRAIL CONDITION LINKS:
https://cascadevols.org/trail-conditions/willamette-mck-mf-trails/
https://cascadevols.org/trail-conditions/willamette-mck-mf-trails/
Interested in helping us clear trails? (Its good exercise and its a fun community of shredders and trail lovers)
In Eugene, Desciples of Dirt helps maintain and build trails in and around Eugene (Thurston , Whypass,-all levels)and some Oakridge Trails(Cloverpatch, Hardesty, Lawler and more) and in this area Oakridge Trails Alliance (formerly Apline Trail Crew Association and GOATS) helps maintain and build local trails.