Originally constructed in 2009, the Sandy Ridge Trail System is one of the crown jewels of mountain biking in the Pacific NW. More than 125,000 mountain bikers visit the Sandy Ridge Trail System every year now, and the complex has become so popular that the U.S. Bureau of Land Management will soon add almost 200 acres of land, 2 miles of new trails and double the size of the parking lot to keep up with capacity The Sandy Ridge complex currently contains 10 separate trails totaling over 15 miles of single-track goodness at varying skill levels for your riding pleasure.
While the Sandy Ridge Trail System may be one of the best mountain bike draws in the United States, it's not the only "must-ride" destination for mountain bikers in the Sandy area. We are blessed with some incredibly picturesque mountain bike trails, from the fairly kid-friendly trails at Sandy River Park and Tickle Creek Park in Sandy, to the beginner/intermediate cross country mountain bike trail system around Government camp and Timberline Lodge, to the heart-pumping lift-assisted downhill runs at Mount Hood Adventure Park.
The City is currently not accepting new applications, while grant programs are being reevaluated.
The Tenant Improvement Grant Program is a City of Sandy matching grant program for restaurants and other food service businesses that was passed by the City Council in 2016. This program awards grant funding for 50% of eligible project costs (up to $30,000) for qualified projects. Tenant Improvement projects are subject to review and approval by the Urban Renewal Agency.
The City of Sandy has a population of 12,953 (U.S. Census 2022 population estimate) and is the commercial center of an eastern Clackamas County market area with a population of around 42,000 people. It is considered to be on the eastern edge of the Portland metro area and west of Mount Hood on the Barlow Road segment of the Oregon Trail, now known as U.S. Highway 26. Sandy has a thriving economic base, including many businesses serving visitors to the Mt. Hood Recreation Area.
The City of Sandy Façade Improvement Program is a matching grant program funded by the Sandy Urban Renewal Agency, and was approved by the Urban Renewal Board in May 2009. This program sets aside a portion of the City's urban renewal funds to assist building owners with upgrades to their buildings designed to incorporate Sandy Style elements to buildings.
The City of Sandy has two publicly owned parking lots in the downtown couplet that are absolutely free (see map below) for citizens and visitors alike.
Pioneer Parking Lot is an untimed parking lot on Pioneer Boulevard between Scales Avenue and Bruns Avenue. The lot is behind the white buildings on the south side of the street (i.e. Two Brothers Mexican Restaurant, Otto's Ski & Mountain Bike Shop, Pioneer Barber Shop, etc.) and can be accessed at Bruns Avenue.
Traveling to Sandy or the Mt. Hood area? All of the public transit resources in Sandy are bike-friendly! Whether you're mountain biking at Sandy Ridge or taking a relaxing country ride, please use this page as your public transportation resource.
