New to the Area?

Where to ride?

This question often involves how experienced you are to mountain biking. For riders with some experience, just check out the trails section of this website and choose an appropriate trail for your riding ability. For new riders, it is generally best to explore the gravel trails around Bald Hill and the McDonald Forest first. After becoming familiar with your abilities then you can try out Alsea Falls and Mary’s Peak.

If you are an out of town visitor, trying to get your itch scratched for riding, then the best bet is the Alsea Falls area.

What gear do I need?

Again, this depends on the type of riding you are trying to do. At minimum, you will need a good helmet, gloves, and some appropriate clothing (mountain bike shorts), light knee and elbow pads are recommended. Most of the riding does not require hard shell pads, but this depends upon your ability. All of these areas don't have potable water on tap, so make sure to pack your pre-filled water bottle.

In general, you do not need a lot of $$$ to ride. There are many good used mountain bikes available in the area. Big box store bikes (Huffy, Schwinn, etc.) may be used on the easy trails, with some caution. These bikes should be serviced first, since the mechanical hardware is typically not properly torqued (see, this video). Another option is to rent a proper bike from Peak Sports Rental, they offer some nice bikes for daily rental.

How to get involved?

There are as many ways to contribute as you can imagine. The key is to find something about which you are passionate.

  • - Attend a Build Event, see the main page.


  • - Help one of our key projects:



  • - Donate money (we are a non-profit)


  • - Donate food (build parties)


  • - Donate equipment, services, materials, you-name-it

Trail Etiquette

In general, if your goal is to go out and have a good time with a happy disposition, most of these guidelines fall into place. There has been contention in the past between hikers, equestrian riders, and mountain bikers, especially on shared access trails. For hikers, simply slowing down and waving has the desired effect. For equestrian riders, you typically need to dismount and stand aside, preferably on the downhill side of the trail.

Knowing who the land manager (BLM, Starker Forests, OSU, etc.) is for your current riding area and abiding by their rules also helps.

Ride Conditions (when to ride)

  1. Do not ride during a rain storm
  2. If it has been raining for multiple days on end, do not attempt to ride until 2 days after it has stopped raining.
  3. If you notice that your tires are leaving ruts it is time to pack it up and head home
  4. If you are riding in wet weather conditions you should strongly consider volunteering regularly to repair, enhance, and to help build a legal trail system in your area.
  5. Update the trail status on TrailForks so that other riders know the current condition (see, the trails area page).