Kelly Lake Trail

Dogs No Dogs

E-Bikes Allowed

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Kelly Lake Trail is steep in either direction!

Kelly Lake Trail is a two-way trail, and an excellent way to cross between the main access [two-track] trails at higher elevation in this part of the park.

However, be warned that the initial prolonged descent in either direction needs to be meet with an equally challenging climb to finish - although it's worth noting that once you reach Kelly Lake itself, you can access Coit Road for a far more gentle fire-road climb back to the higher elevations.

Ridden in the direction shown, the initial descent from the junction with the Crest Trail is on an open singletrack trail which for the most part follows the route of a wider [vehicle width] terrace down the hillside, so you have a little margin for error - particularly as there is some exposure in places. There are some steep sections, but visibility is good and the trail surface hard-packed and pretty consistent throughout.

The views in this [downhill] direction across the valley are wonderful, and eventually you'll reach an open meadow in the base of the canyon, where the trail continues to the right, following a dry creek which eventually leads to Kelly Lake itself. This is a nice tranquil spot for a break or a picnic, before what is quite a challenging climb back up the other side of the valley.

As you cross over the earth dam at the north end of the lake, the trail splits and you need to take the righthand fork/steeper grade uphill - note that the trail on this side of the valley has a much looser surface, plus some parts do have erosion from rainwater run-off, so your choice of line can be limited in an effort to find prolonged grip and traction.

Full disclosure - I rode this trail on my class-1 pedal-assist eMTB, and even then it was pretty hard work - I'd suggest you'd have to be very fit to actually pedal all the way to the top in this direction on a regular bike, as there are a number of steep and loose sections, and the whole climb on this western side is pretty relentless.

However, despite the effort you'll need to put in, for the more adventurous rider, I'd suggest this is an excellent option to incorporate into a longer loop ride together with the more established routes in this part of the park.