MOUNTAIN BIKING Start with some of Oregon’s most picturesque landscapes, add trails that make the most of its undulating terrain, top it off with nature’s gift of perfect tacky dirt…and you have the recipe for an outstanding twowheeled adventure. Mountain biking trail networks are expanding up and down the Oregon Coast, pleasing riders of all levels. Thanks to the Coast’s mild winter climate, many trails are rideable year-round. There’s even a new event, Ride the Dirt Wave, with multiple venues along the Coast each summer. On the South Coast, the new mixed-use Hundred Acre Wood Trails offer everything from easy, rolling cross-country loops for beginners to technical steeps and jumps for experts only. The Whiskey Run system comprises more than 32 miles (51 km) of trails, with gentle climbs and swoopy, bermed descents through fern-covered forests of spruce and pine. The nearby Winchester Trails — a network shared with dirt bikes and ATVs — adds even more variety, with rooty, rocky routes spinning off into forested hills. Get local Adventure beckons year-round on Oregon’s rugged coastline, a 363-mile (584-km) stretch of magnificent beaches, wildly racing rivers and centuries-old forests. Natural beauty abounds with any outdoor activity. Anglers can cast in pristine rivers for spring and fall chinook or winter steelhead, while paddlers easily glide through coastal waterways to marvel at eagles, seabirds, migrating whales and other sea creatures. Single-track trails twist and turn through old-growth forest, and mist-draped golf courses with stunning ocean views entice both novices and expert golfers to tee time. Few places on earth rival the beauty and thrill found on the Oregon Coast. That sound you hear in the crashing ocean waves — it’s your sense of adventure calling. Whiskey Run recommendations and rentals from Moe’s Bike Shop in North Bend. East of Gold Beach, South Coast Tours offers downhill shuttles to Rogue River-Siskyou National Forest trails. For a fun and flowy ride, hit the 3.5-mile (5.6-km) Siltcoos Lake Trail south of Florence. It’s such a pleasant route, locals suggest lapping it back-to-back in both directions. Newport’s Big Creek Trails has learner’s curves, whoops, berms and rollers, making it great for beginners and intermediate riders. The 30 routes at Wilder Trails are quick rides that show off the coastline and Yaquina River, but they can easily be looped for endless fun. Cummins Creek is another favorite on the Central Coast, a challenging 10-mile (16-km) loop of forest road and single-track near Cape Perpetua. On the North Coast, 11 miles (18 km) of trails dip and wind through firs and ferns at Klootchy Creek near Seaside. It’s one of the Coast’s newest mountain-bike- specific trail networks, with more trails planned. Stay tuned — and keep your bike tuned for your next trip to the Coast. BRICE SHIRBACH 15 VISITTHEOREGONCOAST.COM OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
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