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Tags:
Level: Intermediate
Length: 75 mi (120.7 km)
Surface: Singletrack
Configuration: Loop
Elevation: +1,377/ -1,410 ft
Total: 119 riders
Mountain Biking Capitol Forest
#27 of 1,216 mountain bike trails in Washington
The trail goes both ways. The easiest ride is towards Camp Wedekind. There are a couple of rough sections but this is mostly an easy grade. The upper end close to Camp Wedekind is on an old narrow gauge railroad bed. To the east the trail east starts out across the road/creek from Falls Creek CG. The trail should be signed. The trail does a loop. To the left it is steeper and gains elevation through a bunch of switchbacks. To the right it follows along the river for a couple miles before hooking to the left and climbing gently through a creek bottom. It curves more to the left until it tops the ridge above Falls Creek CG and drops down into the valley via the switchbacks you encounter immediately if you turned left instead of right. On this loop is another interconnecting loop to Margaret McKinney Campground.
First added by searsandrewj on Jan 1, 2003. Last updated Apr 30, 2020. → add an update
Before you go
- Drinking water: unknown
- Lift service: unknown
- Night riding: unknown
- Pump track: unknown
- Restrooms: unknown
- Fat bike grooming: unknown
- E-bikes allowed: unknown
- Fee required: unknown
This trail information is user-generated. Help improve this information by suggesting a correction.
ACCESS: Go south on I-5 to exit # 104 and take "HWY #8. In about 1.8 miles take the Black Lake exit and then turn left onto Black Lake Blvd. and cross under highway #8. Follow Black Lake Blvd. for about 4.3 miles and turn left onto Delphi Road and go about 2.1 miles and turn right onto Waddell Creek Road (this turn is easy to miss). Follow Waddell Creek Road and keep to the right at the first intersection. It helps to have a map of this area. At the end of the pavement keep left up the hill and follow the gravel to a left turn signed to Falls Creek. Drop down into the Sherman Valley area and falls Creek Campground is on the right just after crossing the bridge.
System trails (6)
Has it all. Some portions of trail are shared with horses and others with motos. Lots of climbing with numerous fire roads for easy access to downhill trails.
| ThankSuper muddy and lots of ice. Not a good day to ride this trail
| ThankGood clear skies. Still lots of snow on the back side of the mountain. Got my wife a new bike so we just went for it. Made it to Mima Falls before she felt uncomfortable with the snow.
| ThankPorter Trail. Nice, a few wet spots but hardly any mud. lots of pine needles. snow at the 2100 trail so had to go down the road a bit and cut in through the clear cut.
| ThankMost of the trail is getting a good pack, but when you come to a muddy spot, it's muddy.....
| ThankSo, the directions on google maps is wrong. While driving up to he Capital Forest road I got to a point where it told me to turn right where there was no right turn. I continued straight instead and never found a trailhead. The road took me to hwy 12 where google maps found the road again and then directed me to a private road. I just gave up and drove back home. Now I am sad, because from all of the great reviews it sound like a great ride.
| ThankI took the wife and kids (8&10) out 4Jun16 for a quick loop. We entered at the Mima Trailhead, went up Mima Falls Trail East, to Mima Tie, & back down McKenny Camp Trail to the Mima Trailhead. Great ride. 50/50 Uphill/Downhill. Trail was dry and a little dusty. Kids complained about the road-apples but that was about it. Great ride for beginners. Took us about 2hrs in 85 degree weather with LOTS of water breaks.
| ThankWent to the peak, this is now my second trip. My usual ride is Sylvia Lake area. I wanted to ride a certain trail in capital forest. I was told that there was a good technical trail called green line # 6, from the peak down to the green line tie, then to the C-line and back on Crestline to the parking area. This is probably one of the most fun areas I have ridden in a while. I would really recommend this trail. When getting back to my truck, from that incredible ride, I saw a couple of guys going up this other road. I asked them where it led and they said it went to the peak trail. Hey, if you think that green line # 6 was fun try this one. You drop-off in back of the radio towers, down some great single track, then out to the road, turn hard right, down the twin peaks trail to the divided trail South. Watch out for the occasional motor bikes coming up the trail. The first main road you come to will be the c-7000, go up it and you're back to your rig. Again, this is a real fun and fast line. I would recommend both these trails to anyone. You too, would have your own controlled or out of control roller-coaster ride. Ride safe and have lots of fun.
| ThankThis will very quickly become one of my favorite trails. Great place to put in long XC miles but has the downhills to make your day exciting and to give a reward for all of the hard work that you put in while climbing. Great views
| ThankOutstanding conditions! Well groomed trail.
| Thank(Be aware that there is a closure on the Porter trail for logging.)
Capital Forest has some great trails...best ones not listed yet :-). Avoid going when its rainey...sticky mud
| Thankgreat trails and getting better all the time thanks to local bike clubs.
| ThankGreat trails when dry. Gets really muddy after it rains. Watch out for horses and hikers. Green line is a great down hill trail.
| ThankSouth area of Capitol Forest is non-motorized, North end allows ATVS. Trails are swooping, sweet singletrack, Climbs and downhills are moderate. Can be muddy after rains. Multi user traffic.
| ThankDid the Green Line #6 to the Waddle Loop and back. It was a very nice 13k ride consisting of all manner of trail, though none of it was overly challenging (never tapped once). Flats & short climbs. Dusty to mucky and lots of in-between, but all good tread. Even the mucky sections had firm gravel underneath for excellent traction. Some fast straight running & spaghetti curves. It winds through thick old growth forest, second growth, and some clear-cut areas, all providing a nice setting and view when you can look up from the trail to enjoy it. I would not classify this part of the trail as a ‘moderate’ level of difficulty. It was more on the upper side of ‘easy’. A beginner level rider would enjoy the whole ride with only a few places that they might find challenging. The trails are all very well marked with signs and mile markers at key locations. Even if you don’t have a map (though you should), if you can remember the name of the trailhead where you started, there are signs to point you back. I’m sure that I just scratched the surface of this whole trail system, with multi-day rides possible on dozens of miles of trail, never seeing the same place twice. I’m looking forward to more.* Review edited 10/8/2010
| ThankSweet trail wish they had some video of the green line 6 though. And why is this trail rated so low?
| Thankgreat trail, never been on a loop shared with horses, makes for a muddy time in spots. Good scenery all the time and lots of options on where and how far you want to go.
| Thankthis is a nice trail for people who are not looking for an extreme downhill. however there is always horses on this trail. even weekdays. the first bridge described in the description is washed out. the creek is shallow in the late summer and with enough speed and no worry of getting a little wet is passable.
| ThankIf you go, go during the week. Went on a Sunday and there were horses up and down the trail. I prefer to ride on trails with no horses or motorbikes.
| ThankWent on the trails for the first time. And if you go at this time of the year after days of rain, then go on clear day, I recommend you to bring extra change of clothes, as you will come off the trail cover in mud LOL. It's fun, challenging, and great work out.
| Thank