CURRENTLY, EBIKES ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE ASHLAND WATERSHED. ALL SINGLETRACKS ARE DOWNHILL EXCEPT WONDER TRAIL. THE FIRE ROADS ARE FOR CLIMBING UP – PLEASE USE THEM.
Rider ability Recommendation: At the very least, Advanced beginner. You need to know how to brake efficiently, shift gears and look ahead at obstacles in the trails. Properly maintained mountain bikes, proper, well-fitting helmets, gloves, and knee and elbow pads are high on the list for ensuring your best ride!
Here in Ashland, we are fortunate to live at the base of the 7,233-foot-tall Mount Ashland. Mount A is home to a phenomenal network of singletrack trails as well as old fire roads that allow for endless exploration. The mountain biking community of the area has worked very hard to build strong relationships with land managers and different trail user groups, which has enabled us to perform regular trail maintenance to keep the trails smooth, fast, and fun! We hope you’ll enjoy the 5,000-foot singletrack descent from the top of the mountain as much as we do! Here’s a little info on a few of our best trails to give you an idea of the riding you’ll get to do in Ashland!
From the top of the mountain down we have:
Upper Mountain:
Time Warp – (Advanced) Bike Only DH
Elevation 7,000′
This is the Crown Jewel of Mt. Ashland! With 2500′ of vertical descent and numerous challenges, such as log off’s and rock off’s, this one is not for the beginner-level rider. With lots of rocks and very high speeds in the first mile of this 3-mile-long trail, tire selection can make or break the ride (lots of pinch flats) The lower half of this trail has large sweeping berms and a couple of drops and doubles near the end of the trail. Guaranteed to be 10-15 min of the best riding you may ever do!
~ Check out the video: Timewarp ~
Bull Gap Trail – (Intermediate) Multi-use
Elevation: 6,440′
The Bull Gap trail starts just below the Mt. Ashland ski resort on a fast fireroad that is the beginning of the trail system from the top. It quickly turns to double-track then single-track. Beautiful trees and views surround you as you make subtle turns and swoops. Descending quickly and not without skillfully maneuvering through small rocks and jumps. The next section is a gradual 10-minute climb to more spectacular views and another fantastic single track. It traverses more technically through a forest with plenty of switchbacks and drop-offs. The next section is in a greenbelt meadowy location screaming fast and flowy. Approx. 4.5 miles in length.
East Side Trails:
UPPER AND LOWER MISSING LINKS TRAILS – (Intermediate Trail) Super fun fast flowy with NO exposure! Several rock gardens to spice things up. These are BIKE-ONLY DH TRAILS!
Cat Walk – (Intermediate/Advanced) Multi-use at the moment!
Elevation: 4300 ft.
This is part of the course for the Spring Thaw DH and is fast with a technical rock garden right out of the start that continues on for a mile and a half of jumps and hairpin corners. It starts from the middle of the mountain at one of our shuttle drop-off points, Four Corners. At the moment this is a multi-use trail but in hope for bike-only DH in late 2020. Currently, please use a bell on this trail!
MARTYS TRAIL – (Advanced) Big jumps, steep, and exposed. Bikes only DH (after the rock garden on Catwalk, veer left at the fork…there is a short climb…BIKES ONLY DH)
Toothpick – (Beginner) Flat and easy but definitely exposed to a sharp cliff on one side. Multi-use trail.
Elevation: 3500 ft.
This is a wide single track that ungulates for .8 of a mile and connects Cat Walk trail with all the lower trails.
White Rabbit – (Intermediate/Advanced) MULTI-USE
Elevation 3100′
A steep flowy single track with several hairpin corners and a short, steep climb in the middle that again descends into a rocky and rutted single track with railroad tie water bars! This trail will keep you on your game. It comes out on Park st. on the east end of town near our shop. Multi-use trail.
Caterpillar – (Intermediate)
The first part of this trail climbs from Lamb Saddle to Lizard. Bikes must stay right on Lizard. Then it crosses the fireroad and connects to Rabbit Hole (DH bike-only trail). That ends at the White Rabbit parking area or to White Rabbit Trail (multi-use trail).
Elevation 3,400′
LIZARD – (Beginner flow trail in the winter but as it drys out in mid-summer it’s a bit more sketchy and should be considered intermediate.)
JABBERWOCKY!! – (Considered intermediate flow trail in the winter months but then changes to an advanced trail in the mid-summer when the trail gets dry and loose). This trail is very exposed on the left with steep bermed corners. Both Lizard and Jab are Bike Only DH trails.
Alice in Wonderland – (Beginner) Multi-use
Elevation 3,000′
Alice is a short trail connecting White Rabbit Parking area to BTI. It is fairly flat with 2 sets of big bowled corners! This is a multi-use trail.
BTI – (Intermediate but advanced in the summer months). Lots of gravity and high speed. Bike-only DH trail.
Elevation 2,800′
Groomed, with jumps, berms, switchbacks, and some rocks. Approx. 1.25 miles connecting Alice and Wonderland to Ashland Loop Rd and finishes at Lithia Parks Reservoir, complete with a rope swing for those hotter days of summer! This is a super fun single track that is a favorite of locals.
West Side Trails:
Horn Gap trail – (Intermediate) Multi-use
Elevation 4,200′
This is a tight, swooping singletrack in the pines. It’s very smooth, the flow is incredible, and due to its location, it’s seldom ridden. It is short in length, about one mile, and dumps onto the horn gap road that then intersects the 2060 road. This is a multi-use trail but you will rarely see anyone on it!
~ Check out the video: Horn Gap ~
Hitt Road – (Beginner/Intermediate) Multi-use trail
Elevation 4,100′
Hitt Road trail is an overgrown, washed-out fire road that makes for a hoot on a mountain bike! Tobogan type ruts with knee-high water bars will have you rushing back to the top for another go at it and it dumps you right into Lithia Park. Approx. 4 miles in length. Unfortunately, the hikers love to hike up this with loose dogs so please use a bell on this trail! The speeds are very fast.
RICKETY TRAIL: Super steep climbing trail. Not really worth going down. Soon to be revamped for more climbing pleasure!
WONDER TRAIL: Long one-way climbing trail right off the 2060 road across from the fairy ponds parking area. Definitely an advanced strenuous climb but really beautiful. Both Wonder and Rickety are multi-use.
ON TAP FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS: BULL GAP JUMP TRAIL, TIME WARP ADDITION, CLIMBING TRAIL NEXT TO CATWALK, CLIMBING AND DESCENDING TRAIL IN OREDSON TODD, RICKETY RENOVATION, AND MUCH MORE!
THANKS FOR USING THE SHUTTLE AND SUPPORTING OUR TRAILS!