Written by Jered Bogli
Today, Northwest Trail Alliance is proud to open over 6 miles of new and repurposed trails at Rocky Point.
Building 6 miles of new trail this past winter during COVID was a massive undertaking and could not have happened without a dedicated group of crew leaders and all the folks who came out to volunteer. We’ve put over 4000 hours into the trails this winter. We want to say THANK YOU to everyone who came out to help us create all these fantastic trails.
This year we focused on setting the groundwork to extend trails deeper into the property. We took on some more challenging projects this winter to set ourselves up for more straightforward projects in subsequent winters. This year’s trails were built to create more access and hubs for multiple trails to start and end at. They were also built with near-term and long-term forestry activity in mind (Rocky Point is a working forest, after all), maximizing access to trails when other areas become inaccessible.
Without further ado, here is a rundown of the new trails we’re opening:
SERAL STAGE: Green, two-way trail
The first trail most regular Rocky Point riders have seen is Seral Stage, which begins after the Tres/Pipeline/Skeet junction. Seral Stage is a two-way trail that connects to “Great Escape” and onward to the gravel roads above Skeet Shoot. Seral Stage is a gentle winding trail that acts as another way to the top of Skeet Shoot; you may like Seral Stage if you find Tres Amigos to be too steep.
HIGHLINE: Green, two-way trail
One of the foundational trails from this build season is the Highline. As the name suggests this trail is a 2-mile traverse of the property. The trail sits at approximately 1000ft above sea level and is designed to make access south into the property easy and fun to get to. The trail is designed as a two-way trail, but really works best going south. The Highline is built in a mix of different forest ages and clearcut. The clear cut was machine built and the rest of the trail in the trees is hand built. The emphasis was to have a trail that riders of all levels can enjoy. In future seasons you will see the Highline move further south and more trails with different ratings and experiences drop down from the Highline to the mid road and lower.
ILL- TEMPERED GNOME: Green (Beginner), two-way trail
Also high on the property is Ill-Tempered Gnome which connects with the Highline and crosses Rocky Point Road for future access to the north side of the property. Ill-Tempered Gnome is designed as a two-way trail that provides access to other trails on the property. Currently, Ill-Tempered Gnome makes for great shuttle access to the highline and onward to Bob’s Yer Uncle.
BOB’S YER UNCLE: Black (Expert), down only trail
Speaking of Bob’s Yer Uncle… This is the new Black rated down trail on the property. “Bob’s” starts at around 1000ft and drops to about 150ft above sea level in 1.5 miles. “Bobs” has been a massive undertaking for the builders, and the quality of the work is amazing. If you love the trails down to highway 30, you’ll love “Bob’s”. The trail has a bit of everything, off-camber steeps, huge berms, loamy old forests, and lots of optional jumps and gaps. If you’re riding it for the first time, pay attention to the signs, and please do not hit anything blind – stay safe. And, if you meet someone who has helped on that build, buy them a burrito, hand em’ a cold beverage, give them a high five. The team that worked on “Bob’s” did fantastic work, and we are very fortunate to have them at Rocky Point.
LOWER MULLIGAN: Blue (Intermediate), uphill only trail
Once you hit the bottom of ‘Bob’s’ you’ll be on Lower Mulligan, an uphill travel-only trail that winds through an interesting mix of maples, cedars, and fir trees. The builders took their time on this one to minimize the effort needed on this climb; they had the space, so they kept the climb gentle and easy to ride at a talking pace. There are still a few punchy corners and a few other bits to keep your attention. At the top of Lower Mulligan, you can continue left to Upper Mulligan and climb up to the mid-road for a lap on Twisted Knickers, or you can go right and head back to Switchblade or Rollercoaster.
LOWER TWISTED KNICKERS: Blue (Intermediate), down only trail
If you take a lap on Twisted Knickers (TK), you can now take ‘TK’ all the way to the bottom; the new addition – Lower Twisted Knickers is a rehabilitated old running trail and elk trail. It was a bit of a last-minute addition and will evolve a bit over the next year. Currently, it is very natural and loamy; there are some off-camber flat corners (those elk!), a giant root section, and some rocky benched sections that will keep you on your toes. If you head down Lower Twisted Knickers, you’ll find yourself back down at the bottom of ‘Mulligan.’
GREAT ESCAPE: Green (Beginner), two-way trail
One of the best connections of the year happens in the new clearcut North of the entrance to Twisted Knickers. There is a two-way trail climb trail, Great Escape, that gently connects you to Seral Stage where you can either go left back to the top of ‘Skeet’ or another long lap on ‘Bob’s’ or go right and quickly get back to the parking lot. No need to pedal the gravel road back to the parking lot; now, you can ride single track all the way back.
That is the rundown on the new trails we are opening. We are super excited to be launching these new trails. The new trails are available on Trailforks now. Follow these steps to view the new trails on your device:
• From the app, select “settings”
• Then “Downloaded Regions”
• Hit the refresh button on the Oregon region
• Close and reopen the app
Get out there and explore! Remember to take it easy when riding new trails; you don’t know what is around the next corner. Take your time and learn the trails, scope out the features, and stay safe out there.
NWTA appreciates its members. Your membership is what builds these trails and makes the NWTA more visible locally to our elected leaders. To continue legally riding the trails, please make sure your Northwest Trail Alliance membership is up to date and that a signed waiver is on file for you.
Read here to learn more about Rocky Point. To get involved and help the Local Stewardship Team that maintains the trails; please head to our trail team page here. *** The NWTA Rocky Point Recreation Area is a leased property. NWTA members in good standing, have signed the online Rocky Point Waiver, have access to the area. To Become an NWTA member, head here: JOIN US!***
The Northwest Trail Alliance is a nonprofit organization advocating for access to trails, building trails, and maintaining trails for over 30 years. Serving roughly a 60-mile radius extending from the Oregon coast, into parts of Southern Washington’s Gifford Pinchot National Forest and Mount St Helens National Monument, and to the Western foothills of Mount Hood National Forest, while working with approximately 10 federal, state, county, and municipal land management agencies, as well as private land managers. To get involved or learn how to become a member, head HERE.
Questions? Email [email protected]