A Dream Ride - Mary's Peak Loop

Living in Corvallis puts some great rides at in your back yard.  One of those is the Mary's Peak Loop.  This ride has it all, and it is more like a "triangle" which starts at the end of Woods Creek road.  From there is about a 3 mile ride up the log road to the East Rim trailhead.  Then it is a 2 mile climb to the "top" parking lot.  From there it is a 5 mile decent on the North Rim trail.  This ride has it all stunning views, miles of single track, rocks, roots, drops, logs, and fast decents.  There is even a "trials" type log ride at the end.  If you like to mountain bike, this is a ride you have to do.  Once you arrive at the "top" parking lot, you can also continue on the gravel road up to the very top (about 1/2 a mile) where on a clear day you can see the Cascades and the Pacific Ocean.

If you are not such a great technical rider, then instead of going down the North Rim trail, ride back down the East Rim trail and then the road back to the car.  You can also drive up the paved Mary's Peak road and park and the mid-way parking lot at the East Rim trailhead and ride it up and down.  The North Rim trail also continues down along Woods Creek Road if your more single track.

One more point of advice, this trail is best enjoyed when it is dry.  There are a lot of root crossing and they get very slick when wet. We did this ride in 1.5 hours and the distance was 10 miles and 2,300 feet of climb. If none of this makes sense, here is a trail map (note the 2005 road is the Woods Creek Road) http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/siuslaw/recreation/tripplanning/maryspeak/index.shtml#trails

Picture Point - East Rim Trail

Among the Tall Ones - East Rim Trail

Brothers at the Top