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Lewis River Trail

RECOMMENDED ROUTE
Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult
 4.2 (41)
  1. Areas
  2. WA
  3. …Southwest Washington
  4. Gifford Pinchot National Forest
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“Great all-singletrack route along the clear waters of the Lewis River. ”

Anthony Harasimowicz
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Map Key

28.2

Miles

45.3

KM

100%

Singletrack

1,781' 543 m

High

1,122' 342 m

Low

2,714' 827 m

Up

2,713' 827 m

Down

4%

Avg Grade (2°)

35%

Max Grade (19°)

Dogs Unknown

E-Bikes Unknown

In recent years the trail has had portions closed due to slides and wash outs. Confirm overall trail conditions with the Forest Service.

Overview

There are some longer, more well-known river trails in neighboring Oregon. Namely the McKenzie River Trail and the epic North Umpqua. But this all-singletrack river trail along the Lewis River in southwest Washington holds its own and is a great all around summer ride. Be sure to take in the views of the lower, middle, and upper falls at the northern end of the trail.

Need to Know

The ride as described below is a true out-and-back singletrack route that traces the the adjacent river. It can easily be set up as a point-to-point shuttle or be done as a loop by utilizing FR 90 to start or end the ride. The trail sees high mountain biker and hiker traffic on weekends throughout the summer.

Description

From the small parking area off of FR 9039 on the east side of the river, ride across the bridge and access the south trailhead on the right. From south to north the trail climbs at a mild grade as you ride against the flow of the Lewis River with great views of the water along the way. The tread is varied with fast, smooth segments combined with intermittent short, technical root-packed sections. As you ride through the shady old-growth forest you'll encounter constant short ups and downs as the trail crosses several creeks and streams that feed the river.

Just prior to the 10-mile mark, the trail crosses FR 90 and leads to the Lower Falls Campground. As you continue north take in the views of the lower, middle, and upper falls of the river - any of which make a great spot for a lunch break. Shortly thereafter the trail ends at FR 90 where you can turn around and retrace your route (or to make up some time you can return on FR 90 to the southern trailhead).

Contacts

Local Club: Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance

Land Manager: USFS - Gifford Pinchot National Forest Office

Shared By:

Anthony Harasimowicz
Full Details

Trail Ratings

  4.2 from 41 votes

#1

in Gifford Pinchot National Forest

#481

Overall
  4.2 from 41 votes
5 Star
37%
4 Star
44%
3 Star
20%
2 Star
0%
1 Star
0%
Recommended Route Rankings

#1

in Gifford Pinchot Nation…

#2

in Washington

#481

Overall
33 Views Last Month
29,771 Since Nov 17, 2013
Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult
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Photos

A trailside peek through the trees of the Lewis River Lower Falls.
Nov 18, 2013 near Stevenson, WA
Easy log ride
Oct 7, 2015 near Stevenson, WA
Cruising along the tranquil flowing waters on the Lewis River Trail.
Nov 17, 2013 near Stevenson, WA
Primo Singletrack along the Lewis River!
Mar 20, 2015 near Stevenson, WA
Looking upstream.
Oct 7, 2015 near Stevenson, WA
Perfect curves on the Lewis River trail!
Mar 20, 2015 near Stevenson, WA

6 Comments

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Weather

Current Trail Conditions

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Check-Ins

Oct 13, 2022
Ron F
Jan 17, 2021
Peter Hyland
Rode 5 miles out & back from southern TH. Side creeks flowing like crazy due to recent rainfall. Spooked group of elk 4 miles in. A few downed trees. 11.5mi — 2h 00m
Jul 30, 2019
Paul Stahlschmidt
Jul 4, 2019
David Kendall
Jun 26, 2019
Cycling Escapes
18mi — 2h 00m
Jun 25, 2019
Brendon Cole
21mi
Jun 10, 2018
Abby Butterfield
More difficult psychologically than physically. The drop-off to the river and stream crossings are manageable, but best done with a buddy. 14.1mi — 4h 30m
Jun 4, 2018
Trace Hill
High cliff areas

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