Cooler temperatures bring about a favored shoulder season for local mountain bikers, as the bug-infested, moondust-laden singletrack of the busy summer makes way for the slow times and the coming storms of fall. It’s a coveted time when local trails seem more “ours,” and the often-loose soil of bikers’ volcanic tracks become compact, tacky and perfect. Collective patience during the busy time is soon to be rewarded handsomely.
The trails connected to Swampy Lakes Sno-Park are both starting points, and pivot points, for many miles of Central Oregon singletrack. The Swampy Sno-Park to Swede Ridge Shelter loop makes for a great moderate outing, while a trip down South Fork should not be missed. Known for its fast and flowy downhill segments, picturesque creek zones and rugged switchbacks, South Fork makes for a great option when linking up longer routes (such as Dutchman Flat to Flagline), or for a fun and challenging one-way trip from Swampy Lakes to Skyliners Sno-Park. Grab a map, load up the Bend Trails app and give ‘er a go!
Swampy/South Fork/Skyliners
Sno-Park – 5.5 miles/290′ Elev.
Swampy/Swede Ridge Shelter
(one way) – 2.6 miles/198′ Elev.
Dutchman/Flagline/Swampy/South Fork/Skyliners/Phil’s – 24.5 miles/1300′ Elev.
This article appears in Sep 19-26, 2018.
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“Shoulder season keeps visitor numbers low and local stoke high”
So lets write a short article to see how many people we can send there.
Tourists: Make sure you head north for 45 miles; once you pass Madras, start looking for signs for Swampy Lakes. Have a great ride!