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Ride Summary:
When I want to take my out of town friends on the best combination of incredible views & 18 miles of incredible singletrack pleasure, I take them on this ride
Trail Description:
Views of Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Adams, Mt. Rainier and the Eastern Oregon plateau. After an initial 7+ gradual climb is followed by the best singletrack, buffed-out, roling terrain descent within a 200 sqare mile area ... no kidding! I know ... I have wriiten two books on mountain biking in Oregon titled, "The Singletrack Anthology Series" with two titles available - Hood River and Central Oregon.
Leave the Knebal Springs CG and climb for just over 3 miles on paved FSRD 4420. Junction with Knebal Springs Trail on your left. Continue another 2 or so miles climbing on singletrack, then enjoy 2+ miles of rolling and descending terrain to Bottle Prairie. Follow signs for 8 Mile Trail from Bottle Prairie, heading left (clockwise) on the trail with a brief climb followed by 4 ephoric miles of buffed-out singletrack fun descending to 8 Mile CG. From here, follow trail climbing 2 miles upstream following 8 Mile Creek (the trail's namesake) just over 2 miles back to Bottle Prairie. Head clockwise again, however at previously mentioned fork, bear left and head for Knebal Springs CG (where you parked). Just ahead ... the most fun singletrack descent in the area. Gradual, brake free cruising through old growth pines and mountain hemlock back to Knebal Springs CG completing the ride.
How to get there:
From Hood River, head south on Hwy 35 approximately 24 miles to FSRD44. Go left on RD44 approximately 7 miles to a 90 degree right turn in RD44. Continue straight heading for Knebal Springs Campground, about 3 miles. Ride starts at the Knebal Springs CG.
| Posted by: oregon111 on 10/4/2009 |
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knebal just by itself is a classic and is plenty enough riding (unless you are really fit) / 8 mile is a little short so i recommend doing it as an out and back - start at low end (east) on south trail & get on north trail until get to high point - then backtrack
overall riding - good as bend with no crowds (except a few hikers on 8 mile)
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| Posted by: Will on 5/30/2007 |
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I've ridden this trail a bunch! The start is a ways back up the road. Park in the campground and in the shade...it gets so hot!!
Pick up the map from Adventure Maps at your LBS. It has good directions and linking it up with 8-mile is easy (with the map).
Go with someone else since this place is so far out of the way...you never know. Don't try to do any of the stunts unless you don't mind riding the rest of the ride with a sprain or some bruises...hahaha.
Anyway, this ride can be really, really dusty. I was once in a group of 4 guys on this trail. You'll have to space it out like 25 yards (at least) in between each rider just so you don't choke to death on the downhills.
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| Posted by: yzgvr aqch on 3/9/2007 |
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| Posted by: Bill on 7/12/2002 |
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Trail head is in campground. If you stand in front of the outhouse, look sharp left and you will see the sign, set back about 100 feet from the road, hard to see. This is just a short trail back to the road, so its just a warm up for the 2 mile road trip to the main trail head, but is nice. Trail is dusty for this time of year, and first part is STEEP (after 2 mile raod part). Save yourself the pain and just walk the first quarter mile of singletrack. Down hills are a BLAST. I road this with my 11 year old son and he did fine (better than I) so most folks can do it, you will just need to walk some of the steeps. 8 mile loop section crowded on weekends.
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| Posted by: Joker on 7/23/2001 |
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Again the author is correct......the trail head IS in the campsite. It starts between two campsites right across from the outhouse. It's a great ride.
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| Posted by: Dave on 5/30/2000 |
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You're all wrong - your directions are screwy:1) The starting trailhead is not in the campground, it's a couple miles up the hill on FSRD44 (paved); like she said, just park in Knebal if you're not camping; the exit trailhead is in the campground on the opposite side from where you entered by car; yes, it's probably often obscured between two campsites.2) Once you hit Bottle Prarie, the two 8-Mile Trail loop entry points are right next to the stream by the road and the other is about 100-feet or so up the trail (ignore the fire road in between them); take the upper entry; you'll come back on the trail by the stream; it's easy to miss the upper entry point on your way down.3) Once you're climbing up out of Bottle Prarie on the 8-Mile loop, you'll see signs for Knebal Springs Trail - you'll take this on your second time up this part of 8-Mile Trail, for now stay on 8-Mile
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| Posted by: Mark Emry on 8/17/1999 |
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Trailhead IS in the campground as the author says. You must look for it near where you came into campground by car and usually there is a camper or horse trailer in front of the sign.
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| Posted by: Emily Darrow on 7/15/1999 |
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A group of friends and I tried to follow these directions and we got a little confused and were not able to make it to the trail. However, after riding other trails in the area we stumbled upon it. So, here's some clarification for the other directions:1. The Knebal springs campground sign is facing the traffic coming from the other direction. So, if you get to another crossroads, turn around, you've gone too far.2. The trailhead is not at the campground. You are just parking here because this is where you will end up.3. Once you park, head back out the way you came on FSRD 4420. Then like he said, after 3 miles be on the lookout for the trailhead on your left.By the way there's a bunch of other singletrack in that area too to explore! Very nice.
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