MCKENZIE BRIDGE — Demoralizing seems the best way to describe the 2,000-foot climb up the King Castle Trail.

But time can make you forget the difficulty of things in the past.

I last rode the King Castle and Castle Rock trails five years ago — just enough time to really remember only the downhill part.

Curious to see if I was in the same kind of shape at 38 as I was at 33, I made the 80-mile drive over Santiam Pass last week to McKenzie Bridge. The King Castle Trailhead is located just west of the small town, deep in the greenery of the Willamette National Forest.

The McKenzie River Trail is easily the most popular trail among mountain bikers in the area, while the King Castle Trail is lesser-known — perhaps because of the steepness of the 6-mile climb. The trail, usually enjoyed as an out-and-back ride, runs about 12 miles to the top of Castle Rock and back.

Starting out at the small trailhead through the lush, green ferns and mossy trees of the western slope of the Cascade Range, I began to climb — and climb and climb. Ascending 2,000 feet in 6 miles is no joke, but I knew I would be rewarded with dramatic views of the Cascade foothills and a thrilling ride back to the trailhead.

The shade of the dense old-growth Douglas fir forest gave me respite from the sun on the hot, midsummer day. The ride along the hard-packed singletrack became only more and more punishing, testing the limits of my leg muscles and my will.

I cannot lie — I hiked my bike in various steep spots along the way.

After about 3 miles, the old-growth trees gave way to much shorter second-growth trees, and I finally saw the sun. I took in the view of the Three Sisters before plunging back into the forest and continuing to climb the unrelenting switchbacks.

By the time I reached Forest Road 480, I made the decision to ride up the road instead of following the progressively steeper singletrack. The road dead-ended at the Castle Rock Trail, which would lead me to the top of Castle Rock in little more than a mile.

But that mile presented some incredibly precipitous switchbacks.

Near the top of Castle Rock, the trees gave way to open grass, and larger boulders dotted the landscape.

The summit included a few metal pipes emerging from the rock, the remains of an old fire lookout. I took in the mesmerizing panorama of the green McKenzie River Valley and the Three Sisters.

Viewing the Three Sisters from the west side is always an interesting experience, as I am so accustomed to seeing them from the east in Bend.

The descent of the Castle Rock Trail required some caution and patience to not be sent hurtling down the hillside. I had to dismount my bike on most of the sharp switchbacks. But by the time I connected back to the King Castle Trail, I was able to remain on my bike for most of the fast descent back to the trailhead.

New brake pads might be required now, though.

While the trail is not especially technical, I encountered a few rocky sections here and there. But after those sections, the downhill became a fun ride along smooth singletrack back through the thick, verdant forest.

The descent is similar to Lookout Mountain Trail in the Ochocos, but with much more green vegetation and a deep, dark forest feel.

I arrived back at the trailhead 3 hours, 15 minutes after starting — including about 20 minutes spent at the summit.

With just enough energy left for a few more miles, I drove a short distance to Paradise Campground to ride the McKenzie River Trail. I could not make this trip and skip out on the MRT, a National Recreation Trail.

Riding only about 3 miles, I certainly appreciated the relative flatness of the McKenzie path after such a grueling climb up Castle Rock.

Getting away from Central Oregon and onto trails like King Castle and the MRT offers mountain bikers a chance to experience a dramatically different style of trail.

While trails on our High Desert are enjoyable and diverse, it pays to get of town every once in a while and enjoy the greener side of the Cascades.

— Reporter: 541-383-0318,

mmorical@bendbulletin.com