Powell Butte Park trails
Ever wonder how many miles of singletrack are available to mountain bikers in Portland? You've probably heard that there were about 6 miles of singletrack trail available to us in Portland. We know that there is about a quarter of a mile in Forest Park and that some people consider the paths on Mount Tabor as singletrack, but personally I find that a bit of a stretch. Therefore the majority of singletrack in Portland has to be at Powell Butte. I went out there recently to get an idea, bringing my etrex Vista HCx GPS unit to help in that endeavor.
What I found was surprising and confusing. The map at the parking lot, yes I drove instead of riding my bike, is out of date. It uses names for trails that are no longer used and doesn't show the Goldfinch Trail. It does say that there are over 9 miles of trails in the Park.
I walked the Elderberry, the portion of the Cedar Grove between Elderberry and Black-tailed Deer, Black-tailed Deer, and Pioneer Orchard Trails. The Cedar Grove trail is signed open for hikers only in the park - not open to mountain biking. It is used by mountain bikers, and it is shown on the map on the Powell Butte Nature Park website as open to mountain bikers. Here is the link to the park's website at Portland Online: http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/finder/index.cfm?PropertyID=528&action=ViewPark
Trail sign for Cedar Grove Trail at junction with Goldfinch Trail. Is it open to mtb'ers? This isn't the only confusing sign. What about the Meadowland Trail west of the junction with the Old Holgate Trail which is also used by MTB'ers to access the Elderberry Trail?
The map on the website indicates that this portion of the Meadowland Trail is useable by MTB'ers
So, how many miles of singletrack did I measure up there? Go to: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/7748968 to find out. You will note that I didn't walk the short distance from the junction of Black-tailed Deer and Pioneer Orchard Trails to the Springwater Corridor. I also did not walk the upper portion of the Cedar Grove Trail since it is signed closed to mtb use. Even if we add in both of those sections of singletrack the total singletrack open to MTB'ers in Powell Butte Park appears to be less than three miles. Orchard Loop, Goldfinch, Old Holgate and the portion of Meadowland on the Service Road are not singletrack, but instead are roads converted to trails. The upper 100 yards or so of the Pioneer Orchard from the tree line to the Orchard Loop Trail shouldn't have been included on my GPS since it is also doubletrack.
Elderberry Trail
So, get out and enjoy (when it's dry) what singletrack we do have in Portland, and help out on the second Saturday Work Parties at Powell Butte.
- Forums:
- Riding Areas:
- Tags:
Upcoming Events
- CANCELLED -- 2/4/2012 Sandy Ridge trail maintenance day - 2012-02-04 09:00
- Stub Freeride area build day [W.T.F.] - 2012-02-05 09:00
- Stub trail building - XC - 2012-02-11 08:45
- Stub Freeride area build day [W.T.F.] - 2012-02-18 09:00
- NWTA Women's Ride - 2012-02-25 10:00
Check out the PB Trail map
It says trails are open to bikes that are not open on the signage, and vice versa
Dennis Veatch
Powell Butte and upcoming reservoir
Anybody got the scoop on the upcoming reservoir and how it will impact the accessibility of the trails up there?
Thanks.
trails.
thats what i found out later too.
Powell Butte
I rode up there last night, and thought "I have never seen Powell Butte in worse shape in the last 11 years." It seems to me that sanitizing the trails and forcing mtb'ers onto a few trails has created a far worse situation. The trails we are allowed on are eroded like never before, the huge gravel "trails" are far less natural looking, and the closing of a singletrack-type trail and the addition of a huge trail neraby looks far less natural as well. I know that this isn't the result of PUMP's work up there (I have done a couple of work parties in the past), so I am wondering what is going on? The entrance from ther Springwater looks like an entrance to a crappy park in the middle of NY city. The place has so much potential so it saddens me to see this deterioration. I feel like aside from the great work PUMP does (clearing trees, clearing trails), if the place was simply left alone it would be in far better shape than it is. What do others think?
Powell Butte
If you have time to assist Ray Bayley, the PUMP representative for Powell Butte, with a trail care management plan for that area that would be really great. I don't ride there regularly, so I don't have the first hand experience with the area.
Also tomorrow is an opportunity to work on the trails directly.
Mark Pickett
Powell Butte
I don't get it, what trail erosion? I ride Powell about 1-2x's/wk, weather permitting of course and I have found the trails to be maintained regularly and in great shape most of the year, especially since the lower SW side re-route before entrance/exit to Springwater. Not epic singletrack and not a whole lot of trails to choose from, but the best we got that is legal in town. I am very appreciative of it and without it, I would hate this place (Portland) even more than I do now. The somewhat brief ride makes for a nice "pit-stop" on my way home from work. Thanks trail builders/maintainers for all your work up there and I hope to join you guys someday in the near future for some contribution.
So between FP and PB,
So between FP and PB, there's less than 3 miles of total real single-track open for mountain biking.
Wow, opening up or adding 6 miles of trail someplace is going to allow PDX to state that they've "increased mtb single-track opportunities by 200%!" *sigh* That'll be plenty to keep their Platinum level, eh?
It's all about the statistics.
Don't get wrong
I enjoy PB and ride there as much as you, most weeks. The trail that seems to me to be in rough shape is the main right after you enter off of the Springwater. And it is in tough shape because so much use is forced onto it I assume, due to trail closures. I too appreciate the work being done by PUMP members, and plan to get more involved after this Forest Park event this Saturday.