In the last gasps of autumn we’ve been getting out more and more and treasuring that little bits of great weather we can get. Last weekend we mountain biked a trail that is new to us. King Castle is only a few miles from the west end of the ever popular McKenzie River Trail, but it offers a bit more elevation change as well as a trail with a moderate difficulty rating. We rode from the top down, though if you are in the right shape the 7(ish) mile trail can give you a great burn if you ride it up. We were more interested in feeling the wind in our hair than getting a rough work out so we shuttled it twice.
The top is a bit rocky, but it soon transitions into smooth dirt and flowy switchbacks. The scenery on the way down is fantastic. Big mossy Douglas Firs, small creeks, mushrooms and on good days views of the Three Sisters. The corners were a bit slick with leaves, but overall despite a wet week the trail was pretty dry. Because the trail is at a lower elevation (2,400ft top and 1,200ft bottom) it stays free from snow longer than most and provides fun year round riding for adventurous folks.
If you’re thinking about heading out to King Castle head over to Cascade Singletrack and check out their extensive write up on King Castle Trail. If you’re looking for a map to the trail head visit this link. Lastly, be sure to check out the other bike friendly adventures listed on our page at EugeneOutdoors.com!
As always, ride safe – wear a helmet and share the trail!
