Wilder Rand Single Track Loop Mountain Bike Santa Cruz

Mountain Biking

Northeast Oregon is a biker's paradise. This corner of the state is home to hundreds of miles of single track. You can spin the wheels on remote rim trails overlooking deep wilderness drainages, skirt along tens of miles of wonderous alpine ridgeline, swoop down glorious banked downhill runs at Anthony Lakes or Mount Emily, or roll along miles of developed loop trails in Echo, Pendleton, and La Grande. There is a trail for every skill and endurance level. Here is a set of resources to get you peddling and grinning to your heart's content.

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Mount Emily Recreation Area (MERA)

This is Eastern Oregon's premier mountain bike hotspot. You can find fantastic well-maintained and marked loop trails, stellar banked downhill runs, and stunning scenic overlooks in this 3,000+ acre recreation area run by Union County. Just minutes from downtown La Grande with an assortment of loop trails of varying length, you can make a quick run up here before or after your obligatory engagements.

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MERA is managed for both motorized and non-motorized recreation with the westside devoted to motorized vehicles like four-wheelers and motorbikes, and the eastside devoted to non-motorized recreation like mountain biking and hiking. While most of the great single track trails are located on the eastside, there are a few worthwhile loop trails to check out on the motorized side. This is a popular place with the locals, so be courteous, and be prepared to encounter all kinds of different folks out on horseback, trail running, or enjoying a lovely stroll through the woods.

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Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort

If you want to mountain bike in the mountains, then ALMR is the place to go. The resort's nordic trails become single track goodness in the summer and the recent addition of a flow trail on Broadway makes for super exhilarating descents. You can keep things mellow by biking around on the nordic trails and Forest Service roads, or take on some of the more spirited rides like Two Dragons, Hoffer Lakes, and Dutch Flat. The resort opens up the Starbottle Saloon for wood-fired pizza and burgers in the summer and also gets the lift running occasionally, so the scene is top-notch.

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Pendleton Adventure Trails Recreation Area (PATRA)

Over the last several years a dedicated group of riders out of Pendleton have created a trail system worth admiration and attention. Right outside of town you will find loop trails of varying length along with a few options with sporty features. The nice thing about this trail system is you can hit it up any time of the year. So, if MERA is under snow, you can hop over the hill and get your ride on.

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Additional Mountain Bike Resources

Blue Mountain Single Track Club

This grassroots organization is comprised of a super dedicated crew of locals who care deeply about this place. This is an action-oriented organization dialed into creating and maintaining single track recreation opportunities across the region. BMSTC is responsible for the development of many of the trails up at MERA and also instrumental in getting the flow trail built up at Anthony Lakes. They are a great resource on trail conditions and ways to become more involved in the local mountain bike community.

MountainWorks Bike Shop

If you are in La Grande be sure to stop by the local bike shop for much needed bike maintenance, gear, beer, and information. The shop also sells ski and climbing equipment.

The Trailhead in Baker City

A few year's back Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort decided Baker City needed a local ski and bike shop. With a vision of creating a lively scene where locals and visitors alike can congregate over micro-brew the shop has become an informational hub and resource center for all kinds of recreational opportunities in the Elkhorns and surrounding area.

Wilder Rand Single Track Loop Mountain Bike Santa Cruz

Source: https://www.eou.edu/outdoor/mountain-biking/

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