Mountain Bike Trail Guide

Editor’s note: Mountain Bike Trail Guide, by Bulletin outdoor writer Mark Morical, features various trails in Central Oregon and beyond. The trail guide appears in Adventure Sports on alternating Fridays through the riding season.

CULTUS LAKE —

I swear I love mountain biking. But some days it just seems more enticing to be lying on an inflatable recliner in the middle of a mountain lake, cold beer in hand.

Such was the case last week as I trudged on my bike along the Cultus Lakes trail, sweating and grunting as hundreds of carefree campers frolicked in the water on a day when temperatures reached the high 80s.

Oh well, I told myself, I was getting a workout.

Cultus Lake is far better known for camping, water skiing, wakeboarding and jet skiing than for mountain biking.

And, truth be told, those pursuits looked a lot more fun than riding my bike on such a hot day.

But the Cultus Lakes trail is well worth the one-hour drive from Bend — and you can take a dip in the lake after your ride to cool off.

I started at the Winopee Lake trailhead just north of the main boat ramp and the entrance to Cultus Lake Resort. The trail can be ridden as a loop, but a bumpy dirt road — Forest Road 4630 — must be ridden to complete the loop. I decided to stick to the singletrack trail with an out-and-back ride: I would ride counterclockwise to Little Cultus Lake and then ride the trail back.

The trail winds through thick woods, and Cultus Lake, at an elevation of 4,668 feet, pops into view just a mile or so in. The path is fast, even while riding uphill from Cultus Lake to Little Cultus. Plenty of straight sections allow bikers to let it all out. Some rooty, rocky portions of the trail are challenging, but riders encounter nothing too technical.

I barreled downhill onto the west shore of Cultus, which resembled a tent city. Hundreds of campers were swimming, boating, or just soaking up the sun. Joyful screams could be heard from those out on the lake enjoying various watersports thrills.

But following the trail just another mile or so, I went from a crowded campground to absolute solitude.

Cultus Lake might be one of the busiest high Cascade lakes during the summer, but Deer Lake, just 1 1/2 miles away along the trail, might be one of the most serene.

I stopped to eat my lunch at tiny Deer Lake, where the whine of boat motors was nonexistent and I was the only person around.

But the mosquitoes found me quickly. Bug spray is a must when riding a trail near numerous lakes. I didn’t notice the bugs much as I rode, but every time I stopped they seemed to find me, despite having covered myself with repellent before the ride.

From the west end of Cultus, the trail, in this section called the Many Lakes trail, rises up past Deer Lake and Little Cultus Lake. The climb was taxing but not extremely difficult. The singletrack ends at the east end of Little Cultus. From there, bikers can take Road 4630 back to Cultus, or they can hook into other trails.

A dirt road west from Little Cultus Lake ties into the Charlton Trail, leading to Lemish and Charlton lakes. Bikers can also hook up with the Clover Meadow Trail or the Metolius-Windigo Trail for a longer ride. They can even go all the way to Waldo Lake if so inclined.

I elected to go back the way I had come, and the downhill from Deer Lake to Cultus was fast but forgiving.

Much of the trail is littered with broken pieces of logs, so riders should be careful not to get wood chunks stuck in their spokes or derailleur.

Parts of the Cultus Lakes trail were somewhat dusty during my ride, but other sections were firm and fast.

Bikers should ride with caution, as the trail is popular with hikers and horseback riders. The trail becomes even more crowded on summer weekends. On my ride, I came across a dozen or so hikers and only two other mountain bikers.

It took me about three hours to finish the out-and-back ride.

The Cultus Lakes Trail offers a unique option: a high-country trail that passes several lakes and is free of snow only in the summer and fall. Late summer and early fall might be the best times to ride the trail, before the snow returns and the trail becomes inaccessible.

Overall, I would rate this trail intermediate: challenging in some sections, but easily ridable by bikers of just about any age or skill level.

Riders can just enjoy the flow of the trail and not have to worry about technical rocky sections or hellacious climbs. But the two- to three-hour jaunt still feels like a decent workout.

And, yes, I took that dip afterward — a refreshing way to end a hot but fun ride.