New to the area?
Where to ride?
This question often involves how experienced you are to mountain biking. For riders with some experience, just check out the trails section of this website and choose an appropriate trail for your riding ability. For new riders, it is generally best to explore the gravel trails around Bald Hill and the McDonald Forest first. After becoming familiar with your abilities then you can try out Alsea Falls and Mary’s Peak.
If you are an out of town visitor, looking for the goods, then your best bet is the Alsea Falls area.
What gear do I need?
Again, this depends on the type of riding you are trying to do. At minimum, you will need a helmet, gloves, appropriate clothing, and we recommend light knee and elbow pads for some of our trails, like Alsea Falls. Always bring water, and your favorite trails snacks.
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In general, you do not need a lot of $$$ to ride. There are many good used mountain bikes available in the area. Big box store bikes (Huffy, Schwinn, etc.) may be used on the easy trails, with some caution. These bikes should be serviced first. Another option is to rent a proper bike from Peak Sports Rental, they offer some nice bikes for daily rental.
How do I get involved?
There are as many ways to contribute. Becoming a Team Dirt member is a good place to start. Here's other ways to chip in:
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Attend a Build Event, see our calendar here.
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Help one of our key projects:
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General Fund
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Insurance (General Liability, Van, Equipment)
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Social Gatherings
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Training
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(Chainsaw, first aid) and Education (trail summit, and advancement of building techniques) Donate money (we are a non-profit)
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Donate food at one of our build events.
Trail Etiquette
In general, if your goal is to go out and have a good time with a happy disposition, most of these guidelines fall into place. There has been contention in the past between hikers, equestrian riders, and mountain bikers, especially on shared access trails. For hikers, simply slowing down and waving has the desired effect. For equestrian riders, you typically need to dismount and stand aside, preferably on the downhill side of the trail.
Knowing who the land manager (BLM, Starker Forests, OSU, etc.) is for your current riding area and abiding by their rules also helps.
Ride Conditions (when not to ride)
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Do not ride during heavy rain.
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If it has been raining for multiple days on end, do not attempt to ride until 2 days after it has stopped raining.
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If you notice that your tires are leaving ruts, consider turning back and heading home.
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Update the trail status on TrailForks so that other riders know the current condition.