This is probably one of the more common ways to get a quick ride on North Table. It's popular because most people will start and end at New Terrain Brewing a little past the Easley Rd parking lot. This allows for some great après ride options and has a much more gradual climb to gain the top of the mesa than the west side fire road. It's also easily combined with a quick figure-8 ride down the Waterfall feature of the
Mesa Top trail.
If starting from New Terrain Brewing, find the Creek Trail to the south of the brewery to loop behind New Terrain, or walk your bike through their parking lot patio area. Ride towards the pump track and turn along the north side of the archery range. Cross the bridge to the Easley Rd. parking lot.
From the Easley Rd. parking, cross the street to the
Lithic Trail and pedal uphill. Be careful ascending and descending the first few hundred feet out of the parking lot since this trail is pretty narrow with blind corners and a lot of speed coming into the singletrack. Climb a small section of gravel road to the singletrack. A few switchbacks will bring you to the
North Table Loop.
From here, turn uphill to the left and ride the
North Table Loop up the long but gradual switchback section to the intersection with the
Cottonwood Canyon Trail. Take the
Cottonwood Canyon Trail past the newly, and controversially, armored rock step to gain the top of the mesa. Deer tend to favor these valleys and the top of the mesa around here so keep an eye out for some wildlife. If there's a muddy section of the trail, the mesa top through this area is where it will be. If it's muddy, consider reversing your climb as you've gained much of the elevation of the ride at this point.
At the top of the mesa, take the
Tilting Mesa Trail to the left and ride this to the intersection with the west access fire road. From here, another left and a quick ride on the two track will bring you to the start of the downhill. Enjoy the normal North Table downhill and loop around the south side of North Table.
Be sure to turn right at the
Cottonwood Canyon Trail intersection to head back towards the parking lot. Or, this is a great place to extend your ride for another loop or a figure-8 with the waterfall section of the
Tilting Mesa Trail.
Head down the
North Table Loop, take a right on
Lithic Trail, and remember to check your speed when you veer off the gravel road onto the last small section of singletrack. Check your speed through here since it's narrow and blind. Pedal back to New Terrain and enjoy your beer!
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