Good news. More trails are clear for riding!15-Mile, Cedar Creek and Underhill are now clear of downed trees!
So the list of cleared trails includes:
Dog River
Knebal
8-Mile
Bottle Prairie
Surveyor’s
Super Connector
15-Mile
Cedar Creek
Lower Cooks Meadow (from 44 to 4410)
Surveyor’s Ridge Trail Temporarily Closed at the South End – June 15-27
Heads Up 44 Trails Users – Surveyor’s Ridge Trail #688 in Mount Hood National Forest will be temporarily closed to the public June 15-27 due to active construction for the City of The Dalles Dog River Pipeline Replacement Project.
Please stay safe and use an alternate trail.
What: Trail closed to public access.
Where: Old Surveyor’s Ridge Trail near the work area and Brooks Meadow Creek.
What to expect:
• Closure notices posted at either end of trail.
• Active construction work and equipment in the area.
44 Trails riding season is approaching, but a majority of the system is still under snow and/or in need of logout.Oak Ridge trail #688A was logged out by USFS and is clear. 44T has removed more than 50 trees from Dog River Trail #675 and brushed more than three miles, but there is still about 1.5 miles with 15+ trees to clear in the middle section of the trail. A 44T and Fat Tire Farm crew will be working on the Dog River trail Monday 5/22, so it should be rideable soon.
Oregon Timber Trail Alliance has a trail day on east end the 15-Mile trail #456 this weekend 5/20-21.
The full 44T logout project begins on 5/22, and our rough estimate is two or three weeks to get through the main system including Knebal, Cooks, 8-Mile, High Prairie, etc. There are a lot of trees down this season. Please don’t plan your vacation based on this estimate. We’ll post updates as we get them, but recognize snow cover still limits access for clearing downed trees. We are at the mercy of the weather and snow melt to get things fully open.
Big thanks to the crew who helped brush Lookout trail #450 and Cooks Meadow trail #639 last week! And thanks to New York City Sub Shop in Hood River for lunch!
The 44 Trail System is in great shape right now. There are a few new trees across 15-Mile between the Cedar Creek trail crossings, but nothing you can’t hop over. Enjoy!
Time to get your pedal on! The largest network of singletrack mountain bike trails on the Mt Hood National Forest is ready for riding. The lower 44 Trails network is log-free!
There is still some lingering snow in the dark corners and upper reaches, but here’s the list of rideable lower 44 network singletrack trails:
The snow is largely gone below 4500 feet in the 44 Zone, and riding season is upon us. Please note that there are still a lot of trees down on the trail system as of May 15. Surveyors is in good shape, but spring logout for the remaining trails is not yet complete.
We hope to have lower trails – including Surveyors, SuperConnector, Knebal, 8Mile, Bottle Prairie, 15Mile – ready to ride by Memorial Day weekend. We will post the latest update here by Friday May 28.
In the meantime, please mark your calendars for our 2021 trail work schedule. We plan to host three work days this summer: June 26, July 17, Sept 25. More details to follow.
44 Trails is 100% volunteer organization. All donations go directly to trail maintenance and keeping trails rideable!
August 5, 2020: The USFS has announced a campfire ban on the Mt Hood National Forest. The ban applies to all camping – developed or not – in and around the 44 Trails zone. The trails remain open and rideable!
Due to dry and hot conditions, campfires are now prohibited across the Mt. Hood National Forest, including in developed campgrounds.
All campfires, charcoal or briquette fires, pellet fires, or any other open fires are prohibited under a Forest Order. Portable cooking stoves and lanterns using liquefied or bottled fuel are still allowed as they can be instantly switched off.
July was much drier than average, and August and September are predicted to have higher than average temperatures. These conditions will continue to increase the risk of wildfire- especially on the east side of the forest. At the same time, Mt. Hood is experiencing extremely high visitation, increasing the number of preventable fires.
Forest Service crews extinguished over 100 abandoned campfires across the Mt. Hood National Forest in July. With the current dry, hot conditions any wildfire start poses a greater threat to firefighter safety, public safety, and personal property. This year every preventable fire also increases our firefighters’ risk of exposure to the COVID-19 virus, which could impact our ability to respond to fires as the season continues.
“We know campfires are a big part of camping, but this year especially we all need to do our part to prevent wildfires,” said Dirk Shupe, Fire Management Staff Officer for the Mt. Hood National Forest. “Fires caused by abandoned or escaped campfires create unnecessary risk for firefighters, our communities, and the forest.”
More forest information and the full text of the Forest Order is on the Mt. Hood National Forest website at:https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/mthood/fire. The forest also shares recreation, fire, and safety updates on its Facebook and Twitter accounts at: @MtHoodNF.
For more information about the local and regional fire outlook visit: https://gacc.nifc.gov/nwcc/predict/outlook.aspx
The Mt. Hood National Forest is reopening most developed day-use and trailhead sites to recreational users beginning Friday May 29, 2020. This includes the 44 mountain bike trails!
Recreation Managers are coordinating with campground concessionaires, completing spring maintenance, and training seasonal staff. Several sites will not open immediately, including most campgrounds. These sites will open slowly as they are assessed for public and employee safety.
For a complete list of open and closed recreation sites, please check the Mt. Hood National Forest’s website: www.fs.usda.gov/goto/mthood/conditions
Some facilities, such as vault bathrooms, may not be maintained daily. It is recommended that all visitors be prepared to provide for their own sanitation and be as self-contained as possible while recreating.
As far as 44 Trails status – the following trails have been logged out and are rideable:
We are back at it this coming Saturday, June 29 to continue working on the Surveyor’s Ridge reroute project
We will be doing tread work and light brushing of the Surveyor’s reroute.
The new trail creates four miles of singletrack and improves interconnectivity to trails in the vicinity by connecting with the Super Connector, Cooks Meadows and the Superduper Connector.
WHEN:
Saturday June 29, 2019 @ 9am – 2pm
Meet 9am @ Little John SnoPark on Highway 35
We’ll have coffee thanks to Dog River Coffee in HR at the sign-in and then move up to the work site as a group. Lunch will be provided by NY City Subs in Hood River.
Bring your bike and ride after the trail work!
PROJECT:
Light duty brushing and treadwork on Surveyor’s ridge re-route.
TOOLS:
Helmet or Hardhat REQUIRED (bike helmets ok)
Long pants, gloves and work boots REQUIRED
Water – please bring drinking water for yourself
Please bring your own hand tool of choice: Flat Shovel, Spade shovel, McCleod, Loppers, Metal Rake, Pulaskis. Hand Saw
TRAIL CONDITIONS UPDATE
The majority of trails are open! Fifteen Mile, Cedar Creek, Knebal, Bottle Praiire, High Prairie, 450, Eight Mile etc. Bring your bike and rde after the trail day.
Can’t join us? Donate to help fund future trail projects in the 44 zone!
Big thanks to everyone who joined us on the May 25 work day!
We are back at it this coming Saturday, June 8 to continue working on the Surveyor’s Ridge reroute project
We will be doing light tread work and brushing of the reroute. The new trail creates four miles of singletrack and improves interconnectivity to trails in the vicinity by connecting with the Super Connector, Cooks Meadows and the Superduper Connector.
WHEN:
Saturday June 8, 2019 @ 9am – 2pm
Meet 9am @ Little John SnoPark on Highway 35
We’ll have coffee thanks to Dog River Coffee in HR at the sign-in and then move up to the work site as a group. Lunch will be provided by NY City Subs in Hood River.
PROJECT:
Light duty brushing and treadwork on Surveyor’s ridge re-route.
TOOLS:
Helmet or Hardhat REQUIRED (bike helmets ok)
Long pants, gloves and work boots REQUIRED
Water – please bring drinking water for yourself
Please bring your hand tool of choice: Flat Shovel, McCleod, Loppers, Metal Rake, Pulaskis.
TRAIL CONDITIONS UPDATE
And more trails are open! You can add Fifteen Mile and Cedar Creek to the list of open trails, which includes: Knebal Springs, Eightmile, Bottle Prairie, Superconnector, Surveyors and Dog River.
Some lingering snow and mud persist above 4500 feet. So High Prairie and 450 are not quite open for riding.
Can’t join us? Donate to help fund future trail projects in the 44 zone!