Roman Nose Mesa Loop/Switchback Lollipop

Dogs Leashed

E-Bikes Unknown

This ride is approximately 9 miles of primarily open, flowy singletrack interspersed with technical rocky sections. This ride is relatively short, but it has great flow, challenging climbs, techy rock gardens, and enough variety to make it one of my favorite trails in central Oklahoma.

Tire sealant is a good idea due to the prevalence of cacti along the trail. Keep your eyes open for rattlesnakes in the summer.

Do NOT ride this trail when wet/muddy—it creates ruts in the trail, and the clay soil turns the consistency of peanut butter, clogging your tires and frame.

After a hot ride, you can cool off in a natural spring located in the Springs Day Use Area near the pool (about 0.75 miles south of the general store). It's not scenic, but very refreshing!

Start at the Mesa Loop trailhead about 20 yards from the general store.

Follow the red arrows on the Mesa Loop for 0.75 miles to the start of the Switchback Trail. Continue straight along the Switchback Trail for approximately 2 miles until it loops back to meet the Mesa Loop in a forested creek bed.

Follow the Mesa Loop north to the junction of the Upper and Lower Mesa Loop trails. Take your pick–you can ride the Upper Mesa Loop trail first, and then loop back to this junction via the Lower Mesa Loop trail (counter-clockwise), or you can ride the Lower Mesa Loop first (clockwise), returning to this junction via Upper Mesa Loop. Either direction has a couple challenging climbs and fun, rocky descents. About halfway through this loop, the trail tops out on Inspiration Point, a bluff overlooking Watonga Lake and the surrounding area.

When you've arrived back at the Upper/Lower Mesa Loop trail junction, continue riding south along the Mesa Loop and Switchback Trail, retracing your route back to the general store trailhead.