What is your favorite type of riding? Epic XC or Freeride? Dirt jumps or wooden features? Groom-flow or chunk-gnar? Do you shuttle or earn your turns? Do you even Enduro? And, do you like spaghetti? Or, do you love it all?! And what if I told you you can have it all in one place? Would that stoke your spokes? Well, on the western fringes of Hood River, OR, between the walls of Post Canyon lies the epitome of trail networks where you can sample from the largest buffet of trail types within a relatively small geographic area.
The Ride
Writing all about the Post Canyon network would be like riding the Post Canyon network–it’d take days! Very few detailed maps–outside the one Hood River Area Trail Stewards (HRATS) provides–exist, and Post Canyon seems to be changing so often that the map you have is probably not accurate. The Singletracks topo map is a good start, but is limited to one strand of an entire plate of spaghetti. If you’re the type that needs to know the exact route before you roll and where you are with every turn of the crank, you’ll spend more time off the bike than on it. My suggestion for the best Post Canyon experience: get lost!
Unless you’re shuttling, the easy-grade roll out from the Seven Streams trailhead seems to be the most intuitive place to start Post Canyon. The Kleeway, a wide flow trail installed in late 2015, parallels Seven Streams, providing a safe, downhill finish where previous conflict between up and downhill traffic existed, as many loop options funneled through the close-knit enter/exit point.
As long as you’re riding in a south-westerly direction, you will climb deeper into the vast network of, trails intersecting with other trails every 100-200 yards. Likewise, most trails pointed north generally descend. I prefer to circle up clockwise through Family Man to warm up with some light stunt work, after which I climb the twisty 8 Track and twistier Upper 8 Track until the intersection of Extended Play, a series of advanced dirt jump lines; Riordan Hill Rd., a forest service road; and the first downhill option, Bad Motor Scooter (BMS). Again, due to a high concentration of trail intertwinement, yet not annoyingly so, it is beyond my capacity to describe every option; getting lost in Post Canyon is the best way to have a good time.
Other Worthwhile Options
- Climb Mobius and descend Mitchell Ridge
- Climb or descend Spaghetti Factory (link to BMS and Mitchell Ridge)
- Descend the entire Trail #170 to #140 to lower Post Canyon–most epic option!
- Descend Middle School from Family Man staging area to Seven Streams to Kleeway
Most mountain bike-specific trails lie within lower Post Canyon, while the outer reaches of the network allow motorized travel. Local MTB club, HRATS, diligently creates and cares for Post Canyon trails and, due to weather, trail work, or any other reasonable condition, may close some trails from time to time, so it’s best to check with them or Dirty Finger Bicycle Repair for the latest updates.
Shuttle Options
Three maintained forest service roads penetrate the Post Canyon network, giving rise to a number of shuttle options. While Post Canyon Rd. and Binns Hill Drive have a number of viable drop points, Riordan Hill Rd. is perhaps the most shuttle-friendly, striking through the heart of Post Canyon as well as providing direct access to the Family Man, Extended Play, and FMX freeride sections. My all-time favorite Post trail, and also the longest downhill run, Dirt Surfer (Trail #140), begins at the southern-most tip of Post Canyon and can be shuttled via Binns Hill Dr. Keep in mind, any trail in Post Canyon can be accessed by linking sections of singletrack with the occasional forest road.
StumptownRider’s Post Bike Bites & Beverage
No one knows Hood River post ride nutrition and hydration like long time local StumptownRider, who says Post Canyon pairs best with a visit to Double Mountain Brewery for pizza and a Vaporizer Pale.
Getting There
From I-84, take exit 62 and from Hood River, head west on Hwy 30 to access Country Club Rd. In about two miles, turn right onto Post Canyon Dr. and follow it until you arrive at the Seven Streams Staging Area.
Post Canyon
- Type: Network
- Difficulty: Beginner to Advanced
- Miles: 40+
- Elevation Gain (ft): 1,000 to top of lower Post Canyon; 2,400 to top of upper Post
The Hood Report is a series of ride reports on trails in the Mount Hood region located along the Mount Hood corridor through the Hood River Valley along U.S. Route 26 in north central Oregon. Read my introduction and overview on Hood-area riding here.
Thank you Nick Payne, Payne Media.
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Jun 16, 2016