Riding the Mrazek Trail

Published 8:00 am Thursday, October 15, 2020

By connecting multiple junctions, mountain bikers in Central Oregon can create any number of complicated loops. Sometimes, though, a simple out-and-back ride is the best plan for a day on local singletrack. On the Mrazek Trail west of Bend, an out-and-back ride is often the only option because the trail does not really link up directly to the nearby Phil’s Trail network. Mrazek is a 14-mile trail that connects Shevlin Park to upper-elevation areas such as Happy Valley and Trail 99 on the edge of the Three Sisters Wilderness.

Directions: From Bend, drive or ride 3.3 miles west on Newport Avenue as it turns into Shevlin Park Road. After crossing Tumalo Creek, turn left into the park and look for the trail on the left. Ride the Shevlin Park trails to the south end of the park, where Mrazek begins by following Tumalo Creek and then turns up and out of the park.

Trail features: A long singletrack trail that includes a gradual climb when ridden westward, and a long, sustained descent when ridden eastward.