Elk Park Trail (South) #113

Dogs Unknown

E-Bikes Not Allowed

Features Views

Elk park is a backcountry trail which in general means a narrow trail with low maintenance and a slow and sometimes difficult riding surface. Unlike the northern half, the southern half is much more rideable, less steep, and easier to follow. As long as there isn't too much deadfall on the trail, it can be worth riding for people wanting a more remote mountain biking experience.

Two main ways of riding this trail:
1. Do a loop from the Tizer Basin Loop Trail involving Moose Creek Trail. This loop could be ridden in either direction as Moose Creek Trail is very similar in difficulty to Lower Elk Park.
2. Use this trail to connect to the top of McClellan Creek Trail as part of a longer loop or point-to-point ride. This is probably the more common option, and riding up this trail (or Moose Creek) is much easier than pushing your bike up McClellan Creek (Upper).

From the bottom, the trail starts on the north side of the creek, off the Tizer Basin Loop Trail not far uphill from a bridge. After about 1/3 mile of traveling beside the creek, the trail will abruptly turn to the right and start heading up the steep slope. This is where you might have to get off and push your bike for a few of the steeper sections if you are going uphill. They don't last very long however, and at about the mile mark you'll start cruising through open meadows that provide great views to the south toward Elkhorn and Crow Peaks. These meadows make up the actual Elk Park by which the trail was named. The grassy riding surface through here is quite slow and the trail can be a little hard to follow in places, but in general the trail will keep going the same direction it was going when you entered the clearing, and there are some rock cairns and wooden posts to mark your way. After the trail has re-entered the forest, it will reach a high point at about mile 1.7 and the last mile or so will be much more relaxing with mild gradients and a gradual descent down to the trail junctions.