Hansen Ridge is the first segment in the new South Fork Snoqualmie riding area. Evergreen has been working on this project for 15 years, and as of September, 2009, the first 4 mile section of trail is ridable! Evergreen, in partnership with the US Forest Service and Mountains to Sound Greenway, secured grants to remove the first series of roads from the system and convert some of them into singletrack. Additional sections of trail will be converted as funds become available, eventually resulting in a 30 mile trail system.
Hansen Ridge trail is just over 4 miles each way. The climb is nice up the trail, and most will choose to do this ride as an 8 mile out-and-back, resulting in a total accumulated climb of about 1300 ft. The trail flows nice, and is a bit loose in places. The character of the trail will improve as Evergreen does trail finishing and maintenance. The trail is a comprised of two converted roads that connect with a trail about half way. The converted road/trails were made to simulate a trail out of a straight section of road and wind around from left to right with some small rollers and sections of rock and trees. The views from along the trail are spectacular, particularly on the upper segment.
The trail head is one of the most popular target shooting "pits" in the region. You will hear a lot of gunfire at the trail head.
Good for an alpine fix without driving too far. Phase 1 and 2 to Gardner road were in great shape last weekend. Fall colors are out, and snow visible at higher elevations. Get it while its good...
| ThankIf you want both a workout and a view, this is as good as it gets. The scenery is so good that it almost gets in the way. The parking lot, however, is still used as a shooting range so be prepared for them kind of apples.
| ThankThis trail is fantastic. Smooth flow for the most part, with some nice rocky technical sections. Lots of loose rock and gravel, but the views are spectacular on a clear day. Please note that the last 1.6 miles of Forest Road listed in the directions are currently closed (as of July 3, 2013). I'm not sure why because the road is in good shape. Just park your car by the little shooting range at the road closure and ride up to the trail head. The first mile of Forest Road is a tough slog uphill, but the last .6 is flat and fast. Adds about 20-30 minutes to your total ride. And adds about 5 minutes on the way back... it's fast! I wasn't able to finish the trail itself because of the unexpected time it took to ride up to the trail head. But the 2/3 of it I did do were an absolute blast! The Forest Roads leading to the shooting range are okay, but allow extra time if you have a small car like me. If you're driving an SUV or a truck, you're fine, but my Honda Fit took a beating.
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