Sandy Ridge Trail System

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. Partial or full-suspension mountain bikes are recommended -- if you don't have a bike with suspension, see below.

How to get there by car: From downtown Sandy, head east out of town on US26 for 11.4 miles. Turn left on E. Sleepy Hollow Drive (note: This is the second turn-off for E. Sleepy Hollow Drive!) soon after passing Windell's Camp on the right hand side of the highway - look for the brown sign that says "Sandy Ridge Trailhead" with an arrow on the right hand side of the highway. Go 0.3 miles, take your second right onto E. Barlow Trail Road and go over the Sandy River. After about 1 mile, look for the trailhead signage on your left hand side.

How to get there by bus: Board the MHX with your bike at the Sandy Transit Center at Centennial Plaza and get off the bus at the Hoodland Senior Center stop in Welches. Walk your bike across US26 and head west, turning right after a few hundred feet onto Brightwood Loop Road at the arrow sign for Brightwood. Ride 1.6 miles and take a hard right onto Brightwood Loop Road at the arrow sign for Brightwood. Follow Barlow Trail Road for almost 1 mile until you see the trailhead signage on your right hand side.

Hours and fees:

The Sandy Ridge Trail System is open year round from dawn 'til dusk and is completely free.
Fees required: A day pass is $5 for a passenger vehicle, $10 for a van, and $20 for a bus and annual pass is $30. The annual pass is a district-wide pass for the whole Northwest Oregon District, except Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area. All transactions can be done through Recreation.gov (https://www.recreation.gov/activitypass/3cefe3e8-a497-11ec-b62f-c2ab5ba94e1f) or by downloading the Rec.gov app (https://www.recreation.gov/mobile-app) prior to arrival.

Don't have a mountain bike with suspension?: To get the full experience at Sandy Ridge, it's best to ride a bike with either partial or full suspension. Fortunately, you can rent a variety of mountain bikes for daily rates at Mt. Hood Bicycle in Welches (68220 E. Highway 26 in Welches - days and hours vary depending on the season) just a few miles from Sandy Ridge. Choose from a variety of full suspension bikes by Intense, but call early for reservations as they go quick! For rental reservations, call Mt. Hood Bicycle at (503) 564-9086.

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