Canyon Ridge OHV Loop

Dogs Leashed

E-Bikes Allowed

Features Drops/Jumps · Views

Certainly an off-the-beaten-path adventure for those not faint of heart. After a long slog climbing up a fire road, you'll get to the trailhead where the real fun begins. This trail will challenge your physical, mental, and emotional endurance. The reward is the satisfaction you feel upon completion and the incredible views you get after gaining the ridge (good luck pedaling up the whole thing) and some sweet sections of singletrack. Please note that this trail can be done as a point-to-point if two vehicles are used as a shuttle (park one at the trailhead entrance and exit).

This trail is very remote, somewhat difficult to access, and is seldomly traveled. Exercise caution, and make safe and responsible decisions when recreating in this terrain. There are a few spots to fill up water if you have a filter. Be prepared with necessary safety and emergency equipment as you're likely to be alone.

This is the only trail in the Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest that allows bikes and off-road vehicles so the trail can be quite rutted and rugged in some sections. I think the best way to access it is via the west side trailhead. After taking Canyon Creek Road off of highway 542, drive up to the bottom of the access road from the trailhead. Alternatively, you can park lower down if you want a bigger ride/climb to the start of the trail.

Once you park, it's time to start climbing up a long but shallow gradient Forest Service road, leaving most riders out-of-breath and shrouded by trees and other old growth vegetation. Eventually you'll hit the parking lot and trailhead for the access to the east side trailhead. From there start a short but punchy and technical climb, then a quick downhill.

Most of the ride in this direction seems to be fairly punchy and undulating, and I found myself pushing my bike and hiking frequently. However, it was all worth it as the downhills were very technical, exposed, challenging, and quite fun. There are a few sections that are on a rather precipitous ridge that I elected to walk down for a matter of safety, but other than that, many riders will find ample challenging sections as well as fun and flowy hiking trail-like sections.

Towards the middle of the route is a pretty heinous climb that I think motorcycles would have a hard time making it up, but once you do get to the top of the climb there are some pretty epic views of American Border Peak, Canadian Border Peak, and other surrounding mountains as well as Interior BC mountain ranges.

After this you'll start to re-enter the forest as you start descending and losing elevation. You'll descend through a beautiful alpine meadow littered with wildflowers and vegetation if you go during the right season. Be careful as it is quite often overgrown and sight lines are poor and limited.

Lastly, the final few pitches of the descent before you get to the trailhead on the other side are very very rutted and can be difficult to ride in some spots. There is a short gravel road descent back to the car as the route from E to W starts higher on the east side.