MAMBA Trails - Moscow Mountain, Idaho
Alt Rock
Alt Rock is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
Alt Rock is a great connector between Sand Blvd. and Rock & a Hard Place. It is an old logging road that is now covered grass. It Ys off of Sand Blvd. and gradually ascends before gently dropping down to the four way intersection at the bottom of Donkey Hoh Tea. It continues uphill and eventually dead ends. At the end, head up the bank on your left (20 feet) to intersect the middle of Rock & a Hard Place.
Blonde Cedar Connector is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
As the name implies, Blonde Cedar Connector is a short trail that connects Cedar Grove to the east end of Blonde Jeans and the top (south) end of Fruitcake.
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Starting from Cedar Grove, head northwest down a path that is very bumpy (cow traffic) |
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Note that a split rail fence has been put across the trail ~ 1/4 mi from the Cedar Grove. You will have to heave your bike over (it's got a sign indicating no moto access to the Cedars' area) |
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Where the trail drops onto a road, turn left, then hang to the right side of the road |
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About 50 ft later, take the right path when the trail splits |
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Enjoy the descent with some fun water bars and an occasional water crossing. The trail ends where Blonde Jeans begins uphill to the left and Fruitcake continues slightly to the right down a rocky section |
Blonde Jeans is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
Blonde Jeans is a fun, not-too-technical trail with a lot of intersections—some of which are easy to ride right past.You will want to keep an eye on your cyclometer mileage and keep these directions with you the first few times you ride this. Blonde Jeans is the preferred way to get from the Cedar Grove (via Blonde Cedar Connector) back to Ridge Rd near the top of Nemesis.
From the Cedar Grove, ride down the Blonde Cedar Connector for 0.4 miles. The road will fork, with a steep climb 90° to the left, and a rocky descent slightly to the right. The trail to the left is Blonde Jeans (see image) and the descent to the right is Fruitcake (see image). Reset your mileage to zero to use the following directions.
- Begin by heading uphill to the left
- At 0.3 mi you will reach an intersection. Turn right at the fork, even though the fork to the left looks more established (see image).
- At 0.5 mi you will have just finished a short gradual descent. Look for a path coming sharply from your left (see image). Take the path to the left.
- At 0.75 mi the forest canopy opens up. Stay to the right in a large arc that will turn about 120°. Enjoy the shallow water crossing, which usually runs year-round (see image).
- At 0.83 mi there is another fork. Turn uphill to the left (see image). The trail starts to get a little wider from here onward.
- At 0.95 mi you may notice a smaller trail from the left merging with the trail/road you are on. Continue straight/right.
- By 1.15 mi the trail is definitely a wide logging road. Stay on this road until 1.65 mi where it intersects Ridge Rd. Look for the very old, small cabin on the right.
- At 1.65 mi you will reach Ridge Rd just above the top of Nemesis.
Where to go from here?
From here, if you head west on Ridge Rd, you will see a trail to the left at ~0.1 mi that climbs around a turkey filter. This has a beautiful view from a rock perch. It's a great place to stop and grab a snack.
At 0.15 mi past the end of Blonde Jeans, there is a parking area and a flat road to the left (also with some turkey filters). Nemesis begins down this road, immediately after the turkey filters on the right. Continue down this road for another 0.2 miles where you will see a steep drop to the right. Just prior to this drop, you will find the top of LaFortunes Flight on your right. This trail will take you past another great rock viewpoint (often referred to as the "climbing rocks").
Cabin Trail/Jump Trail is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
Cabin Trail/Jump Trail is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Cabin Trail is a beautiful, alternative route to riding up to Four Corners. It is on private land owned by the Warnick Family and is named for the Warnick Cabin midway up the trail. Drive about 3/4 mile up Warnick Road and look for a small log bridge on the right. There is a "No Trespassing" sign, but bikers/hikers are allowed. Ride up this singletrack trail, called Cabin Trail. The first part of trail is fairly steep, crosses a nice log bridge, and then flattens out as you near the cabin. Try to avoid using Cabin Trail for descents. We have built a new, two-way trail to the north called LaFortunes Flight and it's a blast. To find the bottom of it, ride Gemini (or the gravel road) past the bottom of Cabin Trail. Approximately 25 yards before the triangular outhouse, cross the road and climb. LaFortunes Flight will deposit you on the dirt road above Warnick's Cabin. The trail splits just before the dirt road, with the left fork joining up to Jump Trail (which leads you to Ridge Rd). The right fork leads you up the mountain toward the climbing rocks at the top of Nemesis Trail. To find LaFortunes Flight when descending, pedal ~25 yards along the dirt road that leads to Cabin Trail, then bear right onto LaFos Flight. If you must go down Cabin Trail, please keep your speed to 15 mph (slow on a bike, trust me) and stop if there is anyone at the cabin, say hello, be social. The Warnicks are amazing folks who let us cross their property; let's return the favor and descend of LaFortunes Flight whenever possible.
say hello, be social. The Warnicks are amazing folks who let us cross their property; let's return the favor and descend of LaFortunes Flight whenever possible. Jump Trail is an old logging road that hasn't been used in many years. Just past the Warnick Cabin, take a left on a road and continue for about 1/4 mile, looking for a singletrack on your right after the second corner. Follow the trail uphill for about 100 yards, then bear right after the berm. Continue up this trail, and stay to the left at the first intersection. Soon another trail will come up on your left that goes downhill. Ignore it. It is an alternate way back to Warnick Rd that is very steep and eroded. Keep straight and the trail will lead you to Ridge Rd, about 1/2 mile east of Four Corners. The trail ends with three large Turkey Filters that have been designed to keep motorized use off the trail. Directly across Ridge Rd to the north you will see Up & Over ascending on the left, and Lickity Split descending on the right. Also, on the same side of Ridge Rd as Jump Trail (south) and about 25 yards to the east, you will find the entrance to Nemesis. You can also ride Ridge Rd to the west to get to the Four Corners area.
Cave Connector is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
Cave Connector is the preferred route from the Dyer Meadow to Four Corners. From Dyer Meadow, head southwest on the main road for about 50 yds and look for the hidden trailhead descending to the right into a lush forested region. Cave Connector is a combination of highly grown-in road bed, and hand built singletrack, with some technical switch backs and climbs scattered throughout. The end of Cave Connector joins Lower Tusk. Take Lower Tusk to the left to join Four Corners. Lower Tusk to the right has been impacted by logging, but is rideable and ascends up a short, steep, loose climb back to Ridge Road just before the entrance to Upper Tusk.
Cave Trail is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
MAMBA's big 2004 project was construction of a new singletrack named Cave Trail. Cave Trail replaces the old "Sand Trail" that was turned into a logging road back in the late 90's. Thanks to the Al Dyer Family and Bennett Lumber for allowing MAMBA to build Cave Trail.
Cave trail is not for beginners and will probably frustrate a lot of intermediate riders as well. The middle section of the trail is very technical, but it can be walked by virtually anyone. There are lots of roots and uneven trail surface that will probably have you walking a good portion of that section.
The most common direction to ride Cave Trail is from west to east. However, if the weather is particularly hot, riding it in the opposite direction puts the steep climbs in the shade. The directions below describe how to find and ride Cave Trail from west to east starting at the east end of North Contour.
At the east end of North Contour, you are dumped on Meadow Trail—a dirt road about 1/4 mile north of Ridge Rd. Turn left (downhill) onto this road and descend over several fun jumps for about 1/3 mile to Homestead Meadow. Along the way, check out the thrilling sequence of TTF's in this section: a fantastic log ride, a rainbow bridge, a teeter-totter to a square log ride, and another rainbow bridge. If you look carefully when you reach Homestead Meadow, you can still see the old cabin logs on the left.
Follow Meadow Trail straight across Homestead Meadow bearing slightly right and continuing on. Do not drop down the steep motorcycle trail to the hard-right. Continue down the trail and ride over one small water bar, then slow WAY DOWN. Turn right onto the unmarked singletrack about 15 yards after the water bar. If you get to a log jump, you've gone too far. This unmarked singletrack is the start of Cave Trail.
In about 1/4 mile, you’ll come to an old road with a trail in each direction. Continue to the right, with many ups and downs in a generally eastward direction. The trail quickly becomes narrower and more challenging. Cave Trail gets much more difficult before it gets easier, so ride smart.
In order to get around a 50 foot tall cliff, Cave Trail follows a series of descending switchbacks. The surface of the tread alternates between new trail and older, overgrown skid roads. There are narrow, bridge-like log rides, rock gardens, and twisty turns. The skid roads are steep, but in order to keep erosion problems to a minimum—please try not to skid the rear tire. Precise use of your front brake is the best way to control your descent speed, as the use of any rear brake is likely to lock up and won't end up reducing your speed.
The "cave" for which the trail is named will be on your right when you’re on the second bridge. About this point, the hand-crafted singletrack eventually becomes a wider, machine-built trail contouring across a few skid roads. Eventually you’ll drop onto one of these skid roads and abruptly start heading up through a series of short, steepish grunts, interspersed with gentler sections.
Cave Trail pops out onto the middle of Whoop Dee Doo with the red gate at the Dyer Meadow about 1/4 mile uphill to the southeast.
Thanks to all the MAMBA volunteers for providing us with this amazing ride!
Cedar Grove Trail is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
Thanks to MAMBA volunteer Matt Hall for creating a beautiful new bridge over the creek near the ancient Cedar Grove. It is great when our members see and need and choose to fix! Bring along a snack and camera to see some absolutely breathtaking trees! Some are said to be over 800 years old.
The short road in the Hog Heaven Guide book that drops from Ridge Road to the grove of ancient cedars (near the east end of Moscow Mt) has been intentionally erased and gated by the land manager (The Nature Conservancy) in order to reduce damage from motor vehicles. The alternative route to the trees is a trail that is open to human-powered recreation (i.e. hiking and mountain biking). Cedar Grove Trail trailhead is about 1/4 mile farther east from the gate along Ridge Road. Look for a private driveway on the right (south) that climbs steeply (there is a X-C skiers sign up high on a tree on the left). The trail begins at the wide parking area across Ridge Road from this driveway. Sometimes there is a Nature Conservancy sign at the trailhead, but it is often vandalized.
To find the new Cedar Grove Trail from Tamarack, bike up Tamarack Road (ignore the giant new logging road that cuts diagonally across Tamarack grade about 2 miles up). At the top, 2.7 miles from the old ski area, go straight on Ridge Rd (the fork to the left goes to East Moscow Mt and the Wonder Dog loop). Descend gently for about 1/2 mile, whereupon the road flattens. Go about 250 yards. The trailhead is on the right (north) at the apex of a wide parking space, directly across from the driveway mentioned above. You know you're at the correct place if the driveway (which leads to a private residence) climbs very steeply.
Deep Vee Trail is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
Deep Vee is an old moto trail that’s had a rough life. It is an erosion nightmare, and thus, MAMBA provided an alternative route in 2006 called Flipside that we encourage you to check out. Riding up or down Flipside instead of (Deep Vee) will help reduce existing erosion problems.
The Deep Vee is the last short section of trail getting from Headwaters --> Southside --> Moose Marbles on your way to Paradise Point. In the uphill direction, the trail starts at the intersection at the top of Upper Moose Marbles and Switchblade/Liposuction. It is a short, but technical trail with some root steps, and (as the name implies) a deep v-shaped trail. No trails intersect this one, so once you're on it, you're going to end up at Paradise Point. Stop off there and enjoy the gorgeous view from the rocks, and hopefully a nice breeze.
Donkey Hoh Tea is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
Donkey Hoh Tea is a short, unforgiving climb full of sticks, pine cones, and no trees to shade the sun. Donkey Hoh Tea is mostly used to get from Alt Rock to the landing on Rock Creek Rd. Now that Rock & a Hard Place has been expanded, use of this trail has declined.
Flipside Trail is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
Flipside begins at the skid road on Wagon Trail and heads south (to your left if descending Wagon Trail). It’s an uphill grunt with some technical corners that connects with Deep Vee about 0.15 mile below Paradise Point. It can be used in conjunction with lower Wagon Trail to bypass the *ego-busting* portion of Deep Vee. Riding Flipside instead of Deep Vee will reduce erosion in that area. This end of the trail has a great rock pile with endless fun for adventurous bikers.
Fruitcake is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
Starting from junction of Blonde Jeans and Blonde-Cedar Connector, ride downhill (north, descending along Hatter Creek) on the dirt doubletrack for 0.15 mile.
At mile 0.15, bear left onto a nicer, shady dirt doubletrack. Climb gradually for about 0.1 mile, then descend to mile 0.4, where you will come to a grassy, low spot.
The trail appears to go straight, but that's a dead end to fake out the moto crowd. Instead, turn HARD right into an area that might appear to be overgrown. Be persistent though, because Fruitcake is right there.
Descend from mile 0.4 to 0.6 in a fun tunnel of greenery, then bear left at 0.6 (if you want a shortcut back to The Cedar Grove, turn right at 0.6)
At mile 0.65, see another minor side road on the right. Stay left and descend a few hundred yards into a grassy old homestead meadow.
Hug the left edge of the meadow, where you will find that Fruitcake continues descending, ever more steeply.
At mile 1.1, arrive at a wide dirt road. There is a sweet water hole on the left in the shade. This is Rolls Royce Trail. Turn left to travel on Rolls Royce and end up at Rock Creek Rd in a mile or so. Turn right to continue on Rolls Royce toward Jericho's Wall.
Gemini is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
GeminiWhen you park for Gemini Trail, please park on the long flat stretch of road just after the steep switchback gravel corners. There is a tree with the number 1 painted on it. This is known as the Moscow Mtn Parking area. Park there, due to the lack of room for safe turn around at the actual trailhead. From the Moscow Mtn Parking area, ride up Moscow Mtn Rd (gravel) 0.25 mile, looking on left side of the road for a single green fence post with lots of barbed wire strung across it. The wire is between two pine trees that have No Trespassing signs up high on them to deter motorized users.
This barbed wire fence is the Gemini Trailhead.
Go around the fence to the right. The trail is obvious.
Pedal 1.3 miles (all distances are from the parking area) on Gemini singletrack, then go around the blue gate. Ride another hundred yards or so, to where the trail descends onto the gravel. This is Moscow Mtn Rd. Gemini Trail continues on the downhill side of the road, just to the left of a small metal culvert.
The singletrack descends for 0.2 mile, then climbs and rolls to mile 2.5. To go to Cabin Trail, bear hard right while descending the off-camber turn that drops you onto Warnick Rd. To continue on Gemini, go straight at mile 2.5 and do not drop onto Warnick Rd.
There is a decrepit A-frame outhouse on your right at mile 2.7. (Don't look down the hole, because rule #1 in mtn biking is that your front tire goes where your eyes go!) To go to LaFortunes Flight, bear a hard right to descend onto Warnick Rd. Head southward down the road and you will come to the Warnick Road Parking Lot and LaFortunes Flight trail head on your right almost immediately.
At mile 2.8 there is a collapsed log cabin at the apex of a hard left switchback. Climb on!
The next half mile offers three nice rests on the flatter skid road sections, connected with steeper, new singletrack.
At 3.7 miles from the parking area, Gemini Trail emerges onto Moscow Mtn Rd. Ride DOWNHILL on the gravel for 35 yards, then hike-a-bike up the steep road cut trail on the right. Arrive at Four Corners approximately 4.1 miles from the parking area. An alternative to riding the last 0.4 mile of Gemini singletrack is, when you reach Moscow Mtn Rd, simply turn right and pedal up the gravel to Four Corners.
To ride DOWN Gemini from Four Corners, stand at the blue gate facing uphill. Go toward Four Corners. As you enter the flat area at Four Corners, bear HARD LEFT onto a sweet doubletrack dirt road. This is the upper trailhead for Gemini.
Headwaters is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
Headwaters is about a 5.5 mile loop from the parking area and is most commonly ridden/hiked in the counter-clockwise direction. It is a medium technical trail, so many beginner riders could be overly challenged by it. It is a popular ride because of its close proximity to Highway 95.
Ride ¼ mile further up Foothill Rd. You’ll come to a junction of many roads. Stay in the middle road (look for the big blue gate), walk around or under the gate and keep going on that road. Ride another ¼ mile past the gate to the entrance located on the right side and marked with a white “Headwaters” sign (about 100' past Pond 9). If you do the full Headwaters loop, you’ll exit the trail right about the same place except on the left side of the Foothill Rd.
Ride another ¼ mile past the gate to the entrance located on the right side and marked with a white “Headwaters” sign (about 100' past The trail is pretty easy to follow. However, a few miles in to it, you will pop up at an old road intersection in a clearing with lots of road choices. The first road to your left will take you back to Foothill Rd. The second trail (large hump at the bottom) is a steep, straight climb, eventually going to Southside Trail. The third trail should have a small sign for "Headwaters". This is the one you’ll want to take as it switchbacks up the hillside for another ½ mile (see image). The other two options are going straight on the road (which eventually just peters out) or a road to the right that’s blocked with logs. The trail to the right is on property whose owner does not allow biking/hiking. Please respect their request and privacy.
In another 1/2 mile, you will cross another trail (beginning of Southside trail). Head directly across this trail. You'll then enjoy a few downhill switchbacks, followed by eight challenging back-to-back uphill switchbacks. Once you at the top of the switchbacks, the rest of the trail is largely downhill—with just an occasional uphill burst. You’ll be on this section for ~2 miles. The trail drops onto Foothill Rd again when you’re finished with that section.
In another 1/2 mile, you will cross another trail (beginning of Southside trail). Head directly across this trail. You'll then enjoy a few downhill switchbacks, followed by eight challenging back-to-back uphill switchbacks. Once you at the top of the switchbacks, the rest of the trail is largely downhill—with just an occasional uphill burst. You’ll be on this section for ~2 miles. The trail drops onto Foothill Rd again when you’re finished with that section.Turn right and head slightly uphill across the road just a few feet (directly southwest from where you exited) for more singletrack (a Headwaters' sign and a Boy Scout sign are posted at the start of this trail). This section of the trail was built as part of an Eagle Scout project and has been nicknamed Boy Scout Trail. This section is shorter and then you'll be dumped on the main road directly across from where you first started the trail (near Pond 9). Turn right (downhill) to get back to your car.
This section of the trail was built as part of an Eagle Scout project and has been nicknamed Alternate Route: Ride the loop clockwise (starting to the left) if you want a tougher workout. It is somewhat easier to ride counter-clockwise.
Hey Noose is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
From the top of Headwaters, ride Southside Trail to the bottom of Moose Marbles.
Pedal up Moose Marbles 0.35 mile.
Approximately 60 yards before Moose Marbles temporarily flattens out on the ridge, turn left onto a gently descending singletrack. There are some small rocks placed strategically near the entrance that you can ride over.
Descend less than 0.1 mile, where Hey Noose will cross a grassy logging road.
There is a short log ride bridge onto the road, but you can bypass it on the right.
Drop off the wide road onto the VERY steep section of Hey Noose.
Please get your derriere (that's French for "butt") WAY BACK over the rear tire, in order to avoid skidding on the steep pitch.
Hey Noose ends at Southside Trail, approximately 0.3 mile east of the top of Headwaters Trail.
Jerichos Wall is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
Jerichos Wall begins at the bottom of Fruitcake. You gan get here by riding down (north) Fruitcake, or by riding out Rolls Royce (east) from Rock Creek Rd.
Jerichos WallJerichos Wall is the craziest, sloppiest, nastiest climb of all the MAMBA trails. If you think you are interested in riding this trail, you should probably have your head examined first. Assuming you pass the exam, here is what you can expect for this short, diabolical route.
Heading east along the road at the bottom of Fruitcake, continue for about 0.2 miles, looking for a smaller road forking uphill to the right. Turn right and continue on a mild, pleasant grassy/mossy road for about 0.5 mi. Here you will see a steep trail on your right. This trail would connect you back to Fruitcake. Continue straight for another 0.1 miles where you will see the road turn to the left. The left branch will eventually take you out to Hatter Creek Rd. Continue straight, where the path starts climbing. When dry, the ground is firm with lots of traction. When wet, the clay surface becomes like an inclined ice rink. In another 0.1 mi, you will encounter a beautiful water crossing. Take some time to take this serenity in, as it may be the last pleasant thing you do on this ride. Cross the stream and prepare to meet your doom. The next 0.15 miles of trail is the worst we have to offer. It has boulders, loose clay climbs, and baby head rocks. I'm pretty sure there are angry yeti in that neck of the woods too. After 0.15 miles of nasty trail, you will intersect the upper end of Fruitcake. You can choose to admit defeat and ride back down Fruitcake, or continue uphill where you will reach Blonde Jeans and the Blonde-Cedar Connector.
Alternatively, if you find the menacing section of trial too difficult, immediately after the water crossing take the trail to your right. This will take you to the middle of Fruitcake, above the worst part of the climb on that trail.
LaFortunes Flight Trail is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
Trail Description:
From the Warnick Rd Parking Area, enter the trail to the right side of the road and pedal uphill. At about 3/4 mile there will be a fork in the trail. The left fork takes you to the bottom of Jump trail. The right fork continues on LaFortunes Flight. Shortly after this fork you will cross a road that is just above the Warnick Cabin. About 1/4 mile after crossing the road, you will come to another fork in the trail. The fork to the right is the top of Private Lands Trail (completed September 2011). LaFortunes Flight continues uphill on the left fork. The trail switchbacks up a fairly steep grade on Moscow Mountain,
occasionally popping out into recently logged areas to provide gorgeous views of Moscow and the Palouse. As you get near the highest point of the trail, you will intersect a logging road. Turn left to continue the last leg of LaFortunes Flight, which takes you past the climbing rocks, and eventually ends at the top of Nemesis. Alternatively, if you ride the logging road you will rejoin Ridge Rd. in about 300 ft, just east of Blonde Jeans.
Trail Description:LaFortune Name:
LaFortunes Flight is named after Jim LaFortune who was the founding member of MAMBA. Back in 1995, Jim wrote and published the Mountain Bike Guide To Hog Heaven which helped grow a strong community of Mountain Bikers in this area. Jim died Nov 12, 2010 following a 14-month battle with brain cancer. LaFortunes Flight was completed in August 2010 and Jim was able to lead an emotional group ride to the top and back.
Jim's legacy lives on in the trails created for his and other's enjoyment. Without his vision and persistent efforts working with private landowners to enhance our local singletrack opportunities, we would not have access to the inner beauty (and convenience) of Moscow Mountain via the fantastic trail network in existence today. He was an amazing person whose love for the outdoors continues to give us all a gift.
Lickity Split Trail is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
Lickity Split is a short trail (~1 mile) constructed over two weekends by a shotgun crew of three people. It begins just across Ridge Road from the top of Jump Trail. Of the two trail options, Lickity Split is the descending trail on the right. It is an alternative means of getting from the Four Corners parking area (intersection of Ridge Road and Rock Creek Road) to Dyer Meadow (just north of Four Corners). It ends up near the same location as the Cave Connector. Typically this trail would only be ridden in the north direction (downhill) as there are a few steep climbs that would not be enjoyable riding uphill.
Liposuction is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
Liposuction is named for those that choose to do it in the uphill direction. Be warned that it is a steep climb! For those choosing to do it as a downhill, you will find an eroded plunge down the hillside that eventually drops on to Southside Trail. You should also be warned that it's a little grown in. Ever since Switchblade was created, it hasn't gotten a lot of use. Liposuction's erosion problems make Switchblade a better choice. The upper part of Liposuction is pretty mild, but as you keep going, it keeps getting steeper. After about a mile, you’ll drop down a sandy ramp onto a wider skid road singletrack. Bear hard right at the bottom of the ramp, which is the east end of Southside Trail. From here, you can continue on Southside and go back up Moose Marbles, or drop all the way down to Headwaters Loop.
Meadow Trail is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
Meadow Trail is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Meadow Trail is an old road that begins just across Ridge Road from Upper Tusk and heads down toward the north. About ¼ mile down, you will see the exit of North Contour on your left. Continue downhill and descend over several fun jumps for about 1/3 mile to Homestead Meadow. If you look carefully, you can still see the old cabin logs on the left.
Follow the trail straight across Homestead Meadow, bearing slightly right. Do not drop down the steep motorcycle trail to the hard-right.
Follow the trail straight across Homestead Meadow, bearing slightly right. Do not drop down the steep motorcycle trail to the hard-right.About 1/2 way down, there's a fantastic log ride (equally good in both directions) and a berm to a little jump off the corner. This is followed by another berm off the other side, then to pure bliss. There's a rainbow bridge, followed by a teeter-totter that drops onto a square log ride. After all that, you get another rainbow bridge and you're back on Meadow Trail. Thanks goes out to Jeremy Pinto, Rhonda Pinto, and Troy Hensiek for constructing the coolest sequence of TTF's we've had on the Mountain (TTF->Technical Trail Features). Definitely go out and play on these!!
Thanks goes out to Jeremy Pinto, Rhonda Pinto, and Troy Hensiek for constructing the coolest sequence of TTF's we've had on the Mountain (TTF->Technical Trail Features). Definitely go out and play on these!! After playing on the TTFs, you can head back up Meadow Trail returning to Ridge Road or continue down towards Cave Trail.
Moose Marbles is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
Moose Marbles is broken up in to two sections: Upper and Lower Moose Marbles. It is most commonly ridden in the uphill direction as a means of getting from Headwaters to Paradise Point. Lower Moose Marbles begins off Southside Trail, just after the recent logging roads put in on Jack Carpenter's property. Look for a trail heading uphill and to the left. Usually there’s MAMBA sign there, but don’t depend on it :o) Once on the trail, expect a steady climb for about a mile. When you reach a flat spot you’ll intersect a trail. To the right is Upper Moose Marbles, and going to the left will drop you on to Ridge Road about ½ mile later. Upper Moose Marbles starts out pretty flat, but just after a log crossing in the trail you’ll get a technical climb that’s about 75 yards long. At the top, you’ll find Switchblade/Liposuction to your right, and the bottom of the Deep Vee on your left. To get to Paradise Point, head up the Deep Vee.
Nemesis is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
Nemesis is a short singletrack trail constructed by MAMBA in 2005. Drive to Four Corners and take a right towards Rock Creek Rd. Park in the open area at the intersection of Rock Creek Rd and Ridge Rd. Hike up Ridge Rd. about 100' where the next intersection is. To your right, there should be a pile of large rocks. This is the trailhead to Nemesis. The trail itself is a little less than 2 miles in length.
There's a great rock lookout about 1/3 the way into the trail where you can see much of Moscow. The last 1/2 of trail winds around through several enormous cedar trees. There are many switchbacks, but they're less challenging and with larger spacing than the switchbacks on Headwaters Loop. The trail ends on the short road going to the climbing rocks. Follow this road ~150' to the left (north), through the Turkey Filters and you'll find yourself on Ridge Rd again.
Nemesis Landing Trail is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
After the Nemesis Landing area was logged, this trail was rerouted to avoid the large debris left by the logging operation. Begin at the parking area at the top of Nemesis looking west down Ridge Rd. You should see an old road with a blue gate across it, and a trail heading uphill to the right through the trees. The trail through the trees is a short bypass around the blue gate (if you don't feel like ducking under it). Continue northwest down this road. About 1/4 mi in you will notice a road coming in at your right. Continue past this road another 1/10th of a mi. Here you will see a big pile of debris blocking the original route, and a road heading to the right. Turn to the right and head slightly uphill for just over 1/4 mi. You will merge with another road. Turn sharply to the left and head downhill. In about 3/4 mi, you will reach the landing on Rock Creek Rd with Donkey Hoh Tea starting on the other side.
Continue northwest down this road. About 1/4 mi in you will notice a road coming in at your right. Continue past this road another 1/10th of a mi. Here you will see a big pile of debris blocking the original route, and a road heading to the right. Turn to the right and head slightly uphill for just over 1/4 mi. You will merge with another road. Turn sharply to the left and head downhill. In about 3/4 mi, you will reach the landing on
North Contour is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
North Contour is one of the most popular of all mountain biking trails on Moscow Mountain. It is a swoopy and smooth singletrack built on an old section of logging skid road that is rideable by virtually all skill levels and is enjoyed by beginners to advanced riders. It is short, but worth a frequent visit as part of your trail ride.
The most common direction to ride this trail is from west to east (downhill), but two-way traffic is often present so ride accordingly. To get to North Contour trail, begin at Four Corners (intersection of Moscow Mountain Road and Foothill Road) and head west up Ridge Road (Foothill Road).The trailhead is about 1.25 miles from Four Corners. About 0.5 miles from Four Corners, you will see a small road with a blue gate off to the right. This is where you will return to after the trail is over. As you keep riding on Ridge Road, you may be able to see the trail if you look down off the north side. As you get closer to the trailhead, the trees on the right get thinner. Look for a soft drop to the right off of the road and enjoy a mile of beautiful singletrack. When you get to the end, turn right at the road. In about 1/4 mile, you will reach the blue gate you passed on Ridge Road.
Several other trails exist around this location. Advanced riders will enjoy continuing on Cave Trail back to Four Corners. More novice riders will enjoy a trip out to Paradise Point and the Radio Towers prior to heading down North Contour.
Over Easy is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
Over Easy is a self-contained loop of about 5.5 miles on overgrown skid roads north of Four Corners and Sand Boulevard. It is a non-technical ride that would be an ideal beginner loop if it was closer to a parking area, but it is a bit of a grunt to climb back up to Ridge Road. Suggestion: be strong enough to complete a two hour (total length) ride before you descend into Over Easy.
Access to the start of Over Easy was formerly via a dirt road heading north directly out of Four Corners. That road has been destroyed by the landowner in an attempt to curb motorized use/abuse. MAMBA volunteers, with landowner permission, have built a singletrack called Cave Connector that allows us to access Over Easy and several other trails.
Here's how to find Over Easy: from the main crossroads at Four Corners, head west on Ridge Road (toward North Contour Trail or Pond 9). The big flat area at Four Corners narrows to a one land dirt road. About 30 yards after it narrows, look for a singletrack on the right, approximately 5 yards off the road. The entrance to this trail is left intentionally hidden in order to discourage motorized access, so please do not remove branches or filter logs.
You are now on Lower Tusk. Pedal about 1/4 mile. Just before the wooden bridge that spans a fallen log, look over your right shoulder for the hidden entrance to Cave Connector Trail. This superb new singletrack leads you about 2/3 mile to Dyer Meadow at the west end of Rock and a Hard Place.
From Dyer Meadow, go through the red gate and north downhill the Jump Trail for about 1/2 mile to Sand Boulevard. Turn right and ride about 0.3 mile to an open, white sandy area. Bear left in a sweeping, descending turn to begin Over Easy. This first half mile of Over Easy is now a logging road. Approximately 0.5 mile after leaving Sand Boulevard come to a Y-junction.
Bear right (the new logging road continues to the left; you'll be returning on the left fork). Enjoy the next 1.6 miles of swooping, gradual downhill, most of which is remarkably smooth.
The most important junction is at approximately mile 2.1, about 50 yards after the overgrown skid road changes character to a more recently bulldozed road. The change is subtle, so pay attention. Turn hard left onto a descending road, which is often a bit overgrown. You'll know you've made the correct left turn if there's a wooden rail fence next to this road. Descend briefly, cross a small stream, climb steeply for about 100 yards, then bear left as you pop out on top. Climb less steeply, with some rolling sections, for the about 2 miles. This part of the route needs a Good Samaritan to give it a bad haircut with loppers. Somewhere in this section the singletrack becomes a road....simply stay on the main road. The only turn to worry about comes when you bear right, headed back toward Sand Boulevard on the same road you rode at the beginning of Over Easy.
Private Lands Trail is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
Private Lands TrailWhen you park for Private Lands Trail, please park on the long flat stretch of road just after the steep switchback gravel corners. There is a tree with the number 1 painted on it. This is known as the Moscow Mtn Parking area. Park there, due to the lack of room for safe turn around at the actual trailhead. From the Moscow Mtn Parking area, ride up Moscow Mtn Rd (gravel) 0.25 mile, looking on right side of the road for the Private Lands Trail which is directly across from the trailhead for Gemini. Private Lands Trail was completed in 2011 and is a great singletrack route that connects to LaFortunes Flight just above the Warnick Cabin. The route is relatively easy to follow and has many great bridges and awesome views of Moscow and the East/West Twins. The trail cuts in and out of some recently logged hillside and through some lush wet cedar forest. Along the way, it crosses several logging roads. If you come to a road, look across it for the trail to continue on the other side.
About 3.75 mi after you begin, you will reach the middle of LaFortunes Flight. You can continue up LaFortunes Flight for another 2 miles, bringing you to other trails like Nemesis and Blonde Jeans. Alternatively, you can ride down LaFortunes Flight with the option to continue up the mountain via Jump Trail. At the bottom of LaFortunes Flight, you can take Gemini either uphill to Four Corners, or downhill back towards the Moscow Mtn Rd Parking area.
Ridge Rd to East Moscow Mountain Lookout is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
East Moscow Mountain Lookout is a must see destination any time you're headed to that side of the mountain. This got its name from old lookout was at the top of Tamarak ski hill (closed in the early 90's). The location offers spectacular views in all directions.
Head east from Four Corners on Ridge Rd (Foothill Rd).When you get to the Rock Creek Rd intersection at Four Corners' parking area, continue east on Ridge Rd. It will climb steeply for the first 0.75 miles. (Advanced riders will prefer to ride Nemesis, which joins Ridge Rd at the top of this climb.) About 1/8 mile after this climb, stay right at the Y (Blonde Jeans is to the left). About 1/2 mile after the climb, stay left at the Y (blue gate to the right). Another way to remember...head uphill for the first two Y's. The road continues a gradual climb for the next 1/2 mile, then has a gradual descent for another 1/2 mile. At this point, there will be an uphill driveway on your right and the parking area for the Cedar Grove on your left. Continue past these for another 1/2 mile where there will be a blue gate and a long sweeping corner to your right. Take the sweeping corner to your right and ride up this road—staying right at the intersection ~1/3 mile later as well. This will lead you to the East Moscow Mountain Lookout about 3/4 mile later. Have a seat on the rocks and enjoy the breathtaking view and cool breeze!
This ride is all on doubletrack, so is great for "fit" beginners. For some extra fun, take Wonderpup and Wonderpup Ridge Rd Connector on your way back. If you know your way around, continue onto Cedar Grove Trail, Blonde Cedar Connector, and Blonde Jeans before returning to Four Corners.
Ridge Rd is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
Paradise Pt is a must see destination any time you're headed that direction. From Four Corners, most beginner riders can make it there and it's a great place for a break, taking in the views, and maybe have a snack (please pick up your wrappers though!).
To get to the trailhead, go west from Four Corners on Ridge Rd (Foothill Rd). It will climb gradually for the first 1.5 miles. Continue slightly downhill for the next 1/2 mile until you're in much more of an opening. Look for a small trail off the left side near the end of the clearing. The trail has been opened up into more of a road recently, but is still rideable...just not as technical as it used to be. The trail gains in elevation all the way to the top (~1/4 mile). When you reach the top, look for a large pile of rocks to your left. This is Paradise Pt. Have a seat on the rocks and enjoy the breathtaking view and cool breeze.
**Warning** A few people have spotted a cougar or cougar tracks around Paradise Pt. Be careful if you plan to bring young kids or animals to the location...keep them near you and don't let them wander off on their own.
If you know your way around, the path that continues to the west will eventually get you over to Headwaters...but if you don't know the way, you'll probably get lost trying it on your own. Otherwise, head back the way you came up, and be sure to hit North Contour and Upper and Lower Tusks on your way back to Four Corners.
Rock & a Hard Place is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
The west end of Rock & a Hard Place is at Dyer Meadow. To get here, ride down either Cave Connector or Lickity Split. Once in Dyer Meadow and looking north at the red gate, you will see two overgrown skid roads to the east. Rock & a Hard Place is the one along the fence line, while Lickity Split is the other. Follow this overgrown skid road ~2/3 mile where it will end with an abrupt rock/dirt face to climb. From there, it's all singletrack through a somewhat-recently logged wonderland.
At about 3/4 mile, you will have the option to leave the single track trail to the left and join Alt Rock. To continue on Rock & a Hard Place, stay to the right and enjoy the beautiful views created by the 2006 clearcut. The top of the trail joins Lickity Split near the Four Corners parking area.
Rolls Royce is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
Rolls Royce can be used to connect the bottom of Fruitcake to Rock Creek Rd. The west half of Rolls Royce is an active logging road. At the bottom of Fruitcake, turn west (left) where you will soon climb a short steep hill. Once at the top, follow the main road all the way downhill to the blue gate at Rock Creek Rd. An alternative to riding up Rock Creek Rd. is to jump on Sand Blvd. located across and slightly downhill on Rock Creek Rd. Take Sand Blvd., Alt Rock, and half of Rock & Hard Place to get back to Four Corners.
Sand Boulevard is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
Sand Boulevard is the lower part of the sweet single track previously known as Sand Trail (reference Hog Heaven Guide). The west end begins at the bottom of Meadow Trail; however, the last 50 yds. of Meadow Trail has a lot of debris across the trail. An alternate route is to ride the first 1/4 mile of Cave Trail, then drop down an old skid road to the left which connects to Sand Blvd. Sand Blvd. can be used to bypass most of Cave Trail. You can connect back to the climb on the east end of Cave Trail about 0.7 mi later. If you choose to stay on Sand Blvd., at about 1 mi from the start you will come to an intersection with Whoop Dee Doo heading uphill to the right. About 1/4 mi later you'll come to a large sandy intersection. The start of Over Easy is downhill to the left, while Sand Blvd. continues to the right. About 1 mi later, if you look behind you and to the right you'll see the entrance to Alt Rock. If you continue on Sand Blvd. you will reach Rock Creek Rd. about 1 mi later.
The start of From the end of Sand Blvd. you're only options back to Four Corners include some steep climbs. You can ride Rock Creek Rd. which is covered in gravel and quite steep for the next 0.6 mi. Alternatively, you can ride Rolls Royce, then climb (quite steeply) up Fruitcake (hence the name), and continue on Blonde Jeans and Nemesis back to Four Corners.
Southside is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
Southside used to connect to Ridge Rd (and technically still does), but is now most commonly accessed from the middle of Headwaters Trail. To get to the beginning of Southside, head counterclockwise on Headwaters up to the first landing (see image). Continue ~0.3 miles up Headwaters where you cross another trail (see image).This is the lower end of Southside. (You may want to zero your trip meter.)
Turn right off of Headwaters onto Southside. Continue 0.1 mile and veer right when you meet a larger dirt road (Velo Rd). Note: Going left on either Velo Rd or the singletrack on the left side of the road take you back to Ridge Rd.
- About 100’ down Velo Rd, look for Southside to continue off the right side of the road.
- About 0.2 mile (and a little climb) later you will hit Velo Rd again. Stay to the right. Note: You will see the bottom of Hey Noose on the left side of the road.
- About 0.3 mile later (~1 mile from the start of Southside), there is a large road going uphill to the left. Continue to the right.
- About 0.1 mile later, you will come to an intersection. Follow the gradual turn to the left (see image).Note: Very shortly after this turn you will see the bottom of Moose Marbles heading uphill to your left (see image).
- About 0.2 miles later (1.25 miles from the start), you will see a road coming in from the left. Continue on the main road bending to the right (see image).
- Another 100’ later will be another road coming in from the left. Stay to the right (see image).
- About 0.3 mile later, you should see an overgrown singletrack to your left (see image). Note: This is the bottom of Liposuction…only the cruel consider riding *up* this trail.
- About 0.3 miles beyond Liposuction (~1.85 miles from the start), you will reach a switchback (see image). This is the end of Southside and the bottom of Switchblade.
Switchblade Trail is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
Switchblade is one of the sweetest narrow singletrack trails on the mountain. Unfortunately, it is for sale to the highest bidder. It is possible an out-of-town buyer will clear-cut it and run, so if you just happen to have a cool quarter million you don't know what to do with, call MAMBA as soon as possible!
Switchblade is an alternative to Moose Marbles as a route between Paradise Point and Headwaters Loop. The tread is nicely packed and the switchbacks are rideable in both the uphill and downhill directions. It is mostly ridden downhill, but it is plenty rideable in the uphill direction as well. You can help by riding up or down Switchblade instead of the old trail (Liposuction), as this will reduce erosion on the old trail. If you're heading down the Deep Vee from Paradise Point, just after you drop off the third root step, you'll reach a corner. Upper Moose Marbles is to your right and is a much larger trail. Switchblade is slightly overgrown and to the left. This section of trail is also shared with Liposuction, so be watching for a critical turn off of the trail in the first 1/4 mile off to your left side. Take this trail and enjoy many switchbacks that cross Liposuction over and over. The trail eventually drops you back on an old logging road, which is the east end of the Southside Trail. From here, you can continue on Southside and go back up Moose Marbles, or drop all the way down to Headwaters Loop.
Triple Crown Trail is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
Triple Crown consists of three short, interconnected loops off the north side of Ridge Road near West Twin.
Begin at Four Corners and head west. Ride up Ridge Road toward Paradise Point. After passing the gate on the way to Paradise Point, look for an over grown dirt road descending to the right.This is the entrance to the West Crown. Turkey Filters (huge dirt piles to keep motorized vehicles out) block the entrance, but mountain bikers are allowed to ride there. When you come to a new logging road, temptation is to turn to the first right, but just continue straight on the road (bearing neither left or right) and you’ll be back on singletrack in no time. To head back to Ridge Road after completing the West Crown, just keep heading uphill and you’ll hit it eventually. If you decide to ride Middle Crown, look for a singletrack descending on the left during the climb back to Ridge Road.
The Middle Crown starts with a singletrack descent with a small water crossing at the bottom. Currently the water crossing has no bridge across it. The most daring can ride it, but most will opt to dismount and hop across the water though. As you emerge from the singletrack, you will find logging roads. Turn uphill (to the right) on the main road. If you intend to do the Third Crown, take your first left. If you’re heading back to Ridge Road, just keep heading uphill.
The Third Crown was logged in 1997 and is just starting to come back. If you’re heading over to North Contour though, or are just looking for a sinister climb, then it’s still worth riding. Take the first left off the uphill road at the end of Middle Crown. About 75 yards later, you’ll come to another intersection of skid roads. Take the one going downhill with a slight curve to it. After a few turns you should find yourself going by an old dwelling. Right about there you start heading uphill again. You’ll pass an outhouse, then will enjoy another 75 yards of uphill. There’s a small turkey filter at the top, making it an extra challenge. There’s another landing/intersection at the top. Take the road that’s on the left and you’ll find yourself on Ridge Road again about 50 yards from the beginning of North Contour.
The Tusk Trails are located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
An alternative to riding west on Ridge Road from Four Corners is a small trail called Lower Tusk. It is named for the alder that has grown out from the bank in the shape of an elephant's tusk. To find the trailhead, go west on Ridge Road from Four Corners. About 100' from the main clearing, look for a small opening in the brush on your right that drops fairly steep. You will want to walk the first part. Almost immediately there is a log dropped across the trail. We leave this log in place to keep the motorized access minimized (landowners do not allow motorized use on Moscow Mountain trails). From here, the trail is pretty self explanatory. About 3/4 mile along the trail (where trail opens up due to recent logging), you will see the west end of Cave Connector on the right. After this, the trail ascends up a short, steep, loose climb back to Ridge Road. About 50' to the west on the left side of the trail is the entrance to Upper Tusk.
After this, the trail
ascends up a short, steep, loose climb back to Ridge Road. About 50' to the west on the left side of the trail is the entrance to Upper Tusk.Along with Lower Tusk, Upper Tusk provides an alternative to riding Ridge Road when heading west from Four Corners. If you didn't take Lower Tusk, head west on Ridge Road from Four Corners for about 0.2 miles. Look for a trail off the left side going slightly uphill. This is the entrance to Upper Tusk. The trail is pretty well defined and just contours Ridge Road on an old logging road. The majority of the trail is quite easy, but the end will probably be walked by most beginners. It drops steeply back on to Ridge Road. Directly across from the trail end is a blue gate that begins Meadow Trail. Ridge Road will be on your right and left.
Up & Over is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
Just across Ridge Road from the top of Jump Trail is Up & Over. Of the two trail options, Up & Over is the ascending trail on the left side. It is an alternate singletrack route to Four Corners. There is a steep climb with rutted switchbacks. Nice view to the north at the top. The descent to Four Corners has some nice jumps. The trail is less than 1/2 mile long.
Wagon Trail is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
Starting on the uphill trail to the east of Paradise Point, Wagon Trail begins about 100' up the trail off the right side. After about 0.3 mile, you come to an old skid road. Wagon Trail continues across this road (and slightly to the right) for another 0.2 mile of winding downhill, ending in the middle of Upper Moose Marbles (UMM). If you're riding up UMM, look for a trail on your left right before the log across the trail (just before the last climb where UMM would intersect Deep Vee and Switchblade).
Whoop Dee Doo is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
If you're looking for a fun, fast decent with some perfect jumping water bars, Whoop Dee Doo is for you! You'll have so much fun going down, you'll forget you have to ride back out. Starting at the Dyer Meadow (Cave Connector, Lickity Split, and Rock & a Hard Place intersection), go past the red gate and head downhill on doubletrack. The east end of Cave Trail starts about 1/4 mi down Whoop Dee Doo on your left. Whoop Dee Doo continues downhill for another 1/4 mi where it intersects Sand Blvd. Whoop Dee Doo is commonly used to get from Four Corners down to Over Easy. From the end of Whoop Dee Doo, take a right on Sand Blvd for about a 1/4 mi, then head downhill, and to the left at the big sandy intersection to get to Over Easy.
Wonderpup Trail is located on Private Land. Please tread lightly. More on Trail Etiquette...
Wonderpup is a smaller, cuter, and clumsier version of Wonderdog (which is closed due to active logging). From the view at the sign on East Moscow Mountain Lookout, head up the rock pile 50 ft to your right. Gradually descend for about 300 ft, staying to the left side, look for a singletrack that winds down through the pine trees. The first 0.6 mi is all singletrack which descends (steep at times) through lush, green, ground covered forest. When you drop onto the doubletrack, turn right and gradually climb for about 0.3 mi. Just before you reach Ridge Rd, look for a short bypass dropping (free falling?) to the left which will take you around the brush pile used to keep motorized vehicles off the doubletrack. Wonderpup joins Ridge Rd about 200 ft east of the Cedar Grove trail.