Lake Hope Figure-8 Loop

Dogs Unknown

E-Bikes Unknown

Downhills, uphills, techy sections and plenty of flow.

Starting at the Grouse Point parking lot, drop into Wildcat Trail. The first mile or so of Wildcat Trail when riding in this direction is 95% downhill or flat, so it makes for an excellent warm-up to begin the ride. Just 150 yards in, you'll be treated to one of the more interesting geological features to be observed from these trails: an impressive recess cave just 100 feet off the side of the trail.

Once you drop down off the hill, you'll pedal a good bit through the wide, flat valley floor, crossing a couple small streams along the way. At the north end of the valley floor, you'll begin a long, sustained climb up to the ridge top. The last half mile or so of Wildcat Trail is a smooth, fast pedal northward on the ridgetop.

Reaching the northern end of Wildcat Trail, you'll come to a gravel service road. Here, Wildcat Trail, Copperhead Trail, and Bobcat all intersect to form the middle section of the 'figure 8' shaped loop. The figure 8 has one more major descent down to the valley floor and a subsequent climb back up to the ridgeline, and in my experience the more fun downhill descents can be had if you keep left at this intersection to continue onto Copperhead Trail, rather than turning right onto Bobcat.

After crossing the gravel service road and keeping left on Copperhead Trail, you're in for a long stretch of up and down flow as you follow the rim of the valley, working your way ultimately northeast.

Following Copperhead Trail, you'll eventually reach another major trail junction at the north end. Here, Copperhead Trail, Yosemite Falls, and Yosemite Ridge trail all intersect. No matter which trail you choose to continue on, you'll ultimately converge at the same place in the valley below to the south. A map posted on a post at this junction will help lend some insight into the different routes. Continuing on Copperhead Trail provides the highest speed descent, while Yosemite Ridge is the quickest, most direct route down. Yosemite Falls is the longest duration, and despite losing a couple hundred feet of elevation, you may feel as if you have pedaled just as far uphill as downhill.

After reaching the valley floor via your chosen route of the three described above, you'll continue onto Bobcat. Bobcat, meanders its way up the north face of the hillside, with some decently challenging technical obstacles sprinkled throughout the climb. Rather than a long, sustained climb straight up the hill, you do get a brief reprieve as the trail follows a couple of shelves on the hillside. Reaching the ridgetop provides another decent stretch of smooth, fast pedaling as you follow the ridgeline.

You'll eventually encounter a gravel service road, and Bobcat, will have you cross it twice as you switchback across the ridgeline. Bobcat will end by spitting you hack out at the junction at the gravel service road where Bobcat, Copperhead Trail and Wildcat Trail intersect.

Now to complete the figure 8, cross the gravel road and proceed southwest on Copperhead Trail. This section will 'fingerblast' you, as the trail zigzags out and back every finger of the hill as you work your way southwest along the rim of the valley. This section of Copperhead Trail is very similar in style to the northern portion you rode earlier. Following Copperhead Trail will ultimately lead you directly back to where you started, spitting you out right at the parking lot at Grouse Point.