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Sandy Ridge Full Tour

RECOMMENDED ROUTE
Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult
 4.7 (129)
  1. Areas
  2. OR
  3. …Portland Metro and Mt. Hood
  4. …Mt. Hood Village
  5. Sandy Ridge Trail System
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“Excellent flow and downhill singletrack; an exceptional gravity experience. ”

Leslie Kehmeier
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Map Key

15.7

Miles

25.2

KM

80%

Singletrack

2,594' 791 m

High

1,047' 319 m

Low

2,687' 819 m

Up

2,686' 819 m

Down

6%

Avg Grade (4°)

20%

Max Grade (11°)

Dogs No Dogs

E-Bikes Unknown

Parking fee: A day pass is $5 for a passenger vehicle, $10 for a van, and $20 for a bus and annual pass is $30. The annual pass is a district-wide pass for the whole Northwest Oregon District, except Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area. All transactions can be done through Recreation.gov ( recreation.gov/activitypass…) or by downloading the Rec.gov app prior to arrival.

Overview

The Sandy Ridge Trail System provides new trail opportunities specifically designed for mountain bikers in the foothills of the Cascade Range. Located on a ridge just west of Mount Hood and above the Sandy River, the trail system winds through a typical Western Oregon forest of Douglas-fir, western hemlock, western red cedar, and various hardwood species.

New map at blm.gov/or/resources/recrea…

Two new trails, Follow the Leader and Flow Motion opened July 4th 2013, adding to the awesome riding found at Sandy Ridge.

Need to Know

Fees required: A day pass is $5 for a passenger vehicle, $10 for a van, and $20 for a bus and annual pass is $30. The annual pass is a district-wide pass for the whole Northwest Oregon District, except Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area. All transactions can be done through Recreation.gov ( recreation.gov/activitypass…) or by downloading the Rec.gov app prior to arrival.

Description

The Sandy Ridge Full Tour is comprised of three different downhill runs and is an excellent way to see most of the trail system.

Starts with a pedal up Homestead Road to the lower trailhead to the upper kiosk.

First run: Jump on Follow the Leader (like eating dessert first!)and get your thrills on the very first run. Although it starts mellow with a few big boulders and a couple of scree fields, the excitement and challenge ramp up quickly after fording Little Joe Creek. From there, the trail drops 350 feet in the next mile with some exposure and big grade reversals.

At the bottom make a right and dump out to Homestead and pedal back up to the top.

The second helping will have your your legs and arms burning by then end. Tackle Rock Drop, a short climb to access Communication Breakdown. Settle in for a bit more pedaling - you'll be rewarded with a couple of stellar views and a steady descent to Quid Pro Flow. Frm here enjoy some jump action with big tables, rollers and a few hips.

Roll into Three Thirty Eight for a short connection to Two Turntables and a Microwave. Drop in off a shallow rock slab and then whip through a few tight berms. From there the trail stretches out and travels pretty fast into a big berms. The bottom portion of the trail is fast, loose and tight. Have fun and hang on tight!

Join Hide and Seek briefly above a major creek crossing. Check your speed before rumbling over the wet armored section that make a tight right hand turn into a bridge. From here, ride theHide and Seek connector back out to Homestead Road.

And now for the finale!

Turn left and pedal up a short distance to the Flow Motion connector. Take a right and pedal up a bit and then bear right again.

Ready for some fun? Charge down Flow Motion, a trail with incredible soil and more than fifteen berms. The trail drops 275 feet through a Doulglas Fir and Hemlock forest.

Finish the ride by transitioning to long carving tuns of lower Hide and Seek.

History & Background

Trails created with work from the BLM, IMBA and many other volunteer groups.

Contacts

Local Club: Northwest Trail Alliance

Dec 18, 2024: Volunteers Restore Step Creek Loop in Tillamook State Forest

Dec 18, 2024: Small Crew, Big Impact: NWTA Volunteers Tackle Hagg Lake Trail Rebuild

Dec 18, 2024: Mud, Mints, and Masterful Berm Repairs: Trail Sisters Shine at Sandy Ridge

Land Manager: BLM Oregon - Salem Office

Shared By:

Leslie Kehmeier with improvements by Traci Meredith
Full Details

Trail Ratings

  4.7 from 129 votes

#1

in Sandy Ridge Trail System

#13

Overall
  4.7 from 129 votes
5 Star
76%
4 Star
19%
3 Star
5%
2 Star
0%
1 Star
1%
Recommended Route Rankings

#1

in Sandy Ridge Trail System

#1

in Oregon

#13

Overall
224 Views Last Month
121,909 Since Aug 19, 2013
Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult
6%
13%
18%
13%
50%
1%
Add a Photo

Photos

First big hit on Follow the Leader
Jul 30, 2013 near Mount H…, OR
IMBA video of Sandy Ridge
Oct 7, 2013 near Mount H…, OR
A quick intense rock garden on Quid Pro Flow
Jul 30, 2013 near Mount H…, OR
A rare awesome view out of the trees from Sandy Ridge.
Jul 30, 2013 near Mount H…, OR
One of the highlights of Follow the Leader - overhang section high on the trail.
Jul 30, 2013 near Mount H…, OR
Flowing through the green at Sandy Ridge
Jul 30, 2013 near Mount H…, OR

22 Comments

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Check-Ins

Aug 30, 2023
Traci Meredith
Sandy Ridge trail system is closed until further notice due to the Camp Creek wildfire smoke and fire staff operations. 503-375-5646.
Jul 30, 2023
Mike Redacted
Jul 9, 2023
Mike Redacted
Jun 17, 2023
Mike Redacted
May 13, 2023
Dakotah Thompson
Not too crowded. Trails are fine. 14.7mi
Sep 5, 2022
Mike Redacted
Aug 6, 2022
Mike Redacted
Jul 23, 2022
Kalu Long
12h 00m

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