Dobbins Figure-Eight Ride

Dogs Unknown

E-Bikes Unknown

For a small zone with little elevation change, the Dobbin's House trail network offers incredible variety. Roots, rocks, and some flow. It is all great singletrack and the level of difficulty is consistently intermediate so it is a great introduction to riding in the Davis area. The riding area centers on a reclaimed mine. You'll traverse sparse and thick forest, small streams, meadow, and open field. Short sections are fast and swooping, others have tight turns.

The trails are accessed at Pendleton Lake in Blackwater Falls State Park, which can be reached by an easy ride from Davis. There is also ample parking at the lake. Once there, ride over to the dam at the South end of the lake. Ride across the dam on the dirt track and then take the wooden bridge ahead of you. If you stay to your left at the subsequent trail junctions you'll circumnavigate the riding area ending up back at the bridge. A figure-eight, as described here, is an even better alternative. This configuration was used as the warm-up section for the Revenge of the Rattlesnake race in 2011 and is now used in the annual Dobbin House Classic race.

The route is as follows.

Take right on Woodcock (orange), which is the second right immediately after the bridge.

Take a left on Dobbin House (blue) up a small hill and continue to next junction.

At the junction continue straight ahead onto Brads trail through the spruce forest and out to the T junction on an open field after crossing a drainage creek.

At the T, turn left to access Pase Point trail. Re-enter forest and a sharp left starts a short, steep, descent. At the bottom, cross the creek on the left and continue on the trail for a while as it ascends along the sidewall of Blackwater canyon.

Next, take the left on Dobbin House Trail near Pase Point that takes you up the hill (rather than down towards a bridge). This continues to the junction where Brads trail starts.

At the junction continue straight ahead onto the New Trail, which brings you back to Dobbin House trail.

Continue straight across the junction which keeps you on Dobbin House as it goes along a property boundary all the way back to the bridge at the start.

As a point of interest, the foundation of the Dobbin's House (a pre-civil war (!) hunting lodge that burned down) is still visible off the Dobbin House trail en route to Pase point.