Trail Description:
Can you say spectacular views? To the west the horizon is filled with the Olympic Mountains. To the northeast you can see Mount Baker. Look south along the Cascades until you spot Rainier, Adams and Saint Helens. Back north and you can see the southern most tip of Puget Sound. However the best part of this ride is the single track. Years of ORV use have carved out velvet smooth trails loaded with berms. Tremendous downhill with high berms that you can lean in to and rocket out the other side. Dirt is mostly hard packed red clay. In the summer it makes for awesome riding. When it is wet is sticks to everything and seriously beats up your bike. The red clay also stains your skin for a while. Seriously. Try washing off with soap. I mean scrub yourself raw and then dry off with a white towel. See what happens. The last time I raced at Capitol Forest about thirty riders were in a group as we hit the descent. The trail winds back and forth down the peak. We were riding tire to tire at insane speeds. The number of riders looked like a giant snake twisting through the forest. Way cool! This loop is not the same as Kikendale's. The forest is actually a tree farm owned by the state. The state grants contracts to private logging companies. One recently destroyed most of the upper part of the trail. Our loop is longer and double back on itself. However, the terrain going up is pretty good but going down it is ripping!!!
How to get there:
From Olympia take I-5 south to exit 95. Take route 121 to town of Littlerock. At "y' in road take a left on Waddell Creek Road. Follow for 4.4 miles to big paved intersection. Go left and head to end of blacktop. Take right and go 1 mile to Camp Bordeaux. Campground is closed due to transients but you can park next to yellow fence.
Additional Notes:
The trails get wet and sticky in the winter, but it's great riding June through October.
| Posted by: rhino7200 on 7/22/2010 |
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went for first time other day, luckily saw another biker who told us about the northback loop and it was the best riding ever! really big climb but its worth it, or catch a ride up but truck, ill try that next time
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| Posted by: Rachel on 1/9/2010 |
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for more riding info go to capitolforest.com or friendsofcapitolforest.org
trails for everyone.
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| Posted by: SpokesmanMechinac on 8/10/2006 |
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I usually head to the right at the big T and park in the atv lot. Get some weird looks but the middle waddell trail is a good workout. take a left at the old paved camp road and stick to the left all the way up the road to the trail back.
its mostly downhill with alot of ups and down.
just make sure your brakes work and you know how to corner at speed
because as my friends and I put it.
The trails at capitol forest don't let you ride them - they ride you.
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| Posted by: Jim on 11/25/2004 |
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Check out www.capitolforest.com for more information on riding here.
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| Posted by: Cutco on 10/25/2004 |
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Top rank Mountain Biking. For all ages. Experts to beginers will enjoy thier time out in Capital forest. Enjoy the rain.
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| Posted by: Jeff on 5/15/2004 |
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I don't think the directions are right my friend and I spent almost two hours trying to find this spot. If you go looking for this spot make sure you have a full tank of gas!
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| Posted by: Autonome on 7/31/2003 |
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Huge area with some very challanging terrain. Lots of shade. Not my favorite trail conditions. Seems to be either horse trails which are actually too tight and overgrown (wear long socks), or ORV trails that are deeply rutted out or reinforced with buried cement blocks set on edge in the steepest parts- rough. The hundreds of gravel logging roads are my favorite workout. Also look out for meth labs in the woods.
It's all we have around Olympia, though. You MUST have a map. DNR closed down the office that made it. It was free. Here is a 5Mb scan.
http://www.olywa.net/jpl/docs/images/capitol-forest.jpg
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| Posted by: Todd on 1/27/2003 |
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Looks like the state is selling some trees on these trails. Some trails have already changed and cleared on the next hill to the north. Sticks and rocks and water all over the place but, who cares when your bombing downhill!
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| Posted by: Rich on 12/13/2002 |
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Rode about ten miles of the upper end of this loop on Dec 7,02. Trail was in fantastic shape, new work done by State crews and very firm conditions.
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| Posted by: Yakkul on 7/2/2002 |
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Rode last Sat, 6/29 for the first time. Great area for anything from short to epic rides. All (or most) singletrack appears to be ORV trails, but still very fun. Mud wasn't too bad, but there are many, many large puddles. Beware of the fresh clearcut blocking the Mt. Molly-Porter trail on the west side of Larch Mtn. That section is great otherwise.
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