The ongoing heat in Central Oregon can make it difficult to find motivation for long mountain bike rides.

But one option to make riding cooler and easier is to shuttle. Get a ride in a friend’s vehicle or a shuttle bus up to higher elevation trailheads then ride mostly downhill singletrack all the way back to Bend.

Here are a couple of options for shuttle rides to help skip the climbs, beat the heat and feel the wind in your face:

Wanoga Sno-park to Bend

Mountain bikers can start at Wanoga Sno-park, about 15 miles southwest of Bend off Century Drive, and ride the Tiddlywinks, Kiwa Butte, Tyler’s Traverse, Catch and Release and COD trails back to Bend.

The 8-mile stretch of singletrack that includes the Dinah-Moe-Humm and Kiwa Butte trails was designated a state scenic trail by the Oregon Recreation Trails Advisory Council and the Oregon Parks and Recreation Commission in 2014. The section of trail was completed in 2011 and on clear days includes numerous views of snow-covered Cascade peaks.

The Kiwa Butte Trail connects with Tyler’s Traverse, which has both uphill and downhill routes. The Central Oregon Trail Alliance has done a remarkable job over the past few years of implementing a directional trail system with signs that are clear and unmistakable. While most singletrack mountain bike trails in Central Oregon remain open to two-way travel, a select few are designated as uphill or downhill.

The sustained downhill on Tyler’s Traverse makes this more of a free-ride trail, but its features are modest enough that intermediate riders should feel comfortable on it. But it is fast and does require some technical free-riding skills. One stretch in particular is quite steep and includes an array of banked corners and medium jumps.

Tyler’s Traverse connects with Afternoon Delight, a free-flowing trail with some fun jumps but much tamer than Tyler’s. From Afternoon Delight, mountain bikers can take Catch and Release to the tunnel that runs under Century Drive, then ride the COD trail back to west Bend.

Try these cool rides for hot summer mountain biking

This ride is about 25 miles and three and a half hours from Wanoga to my house in southeast Bend, and descends about 2,000 feet in elevation.

Swampy Lakes Sno-park to Bend

Just a couple of miles up from Wanoga is Swampy Lakes Sno-park. This gives mountain bikers access to singletrack trails north of Century Drive and allows them to descend into the Phil’s Trail Network and back into Bend.

The predominantly downhill route — featuring 2,200 feet of elevation loss — is doable for even inexperienced mountain bikers.

From the sno-park, at an elevation of about 5,800 feet, riders can take the South Fork Trail toward Tumalo Falls, which leads them to Skyliner Trail and the Phil’s Trail network, or head toward Swede Ridge, which will lead them back to the Phil’s system via the Sector 16 and Whoops trails, which is my preferred route.

From the sno-park, the Swampy to Swede Tie (SST) Trail includes densely wooded sections, tight corners and fast descents. At Swede Ridge Shelter, mountain bikers can enjoy stunning views of Broken Top and South Sister.

From Swede Ridge, riders can connect to the Sector 16 Trail, which cuts sharply through thick forest. Sector 16 leads to the lightning-fast singletrack and flowing turns of the Upper Whoops Trail. Riders should be wary of some rutted, sandy sections caused by lots of braking.

Upper Whoops connects to Lower Whoops, Storm King and Skyliner trails. Lower Whoops has undergone a transformation over the past 10 to 15 years, much to the delight of high-flying free-riders. Thanks to the efforts of Central Oregon Trail Alliance volunteers, the once-natural dirt jumps have been transformed into tabletop behemoths.

But the fast, rolling trail is a blast even for the less-aggressive biker, who can cruise over the jumps without going airborne and speed around the numerous berm-lined corners.

Lower Whoops takes riders to the new EXT Trail and then to Phil’s Trail and back toward Bend.

This ride is also about 25 miles and requires about three and a half to four hours.

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Shuttle options

If you want to do a shuttle mountain bike ride but can’t get a ride up Century Drive from a kind friend or family member, you still have options.

Cog Wild offers shuttles to Swampy Lakes and Wanoga sno-parks for $17 every day at 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and noon. Cog Wild is at the edge of Bend at 19221 S.W. Century Drive. Shuttles are also offered to Dutchman Flat Sno-park ($22). For more information, visit cogwild.com.

Cascades East Transit also now offers $5 rides Wednesdays through Sundays starting at 9 a.m. from the Columbia Street Park and Ride in Bend to Mt. Bachelor, with stops at the Cascade Lakes Welcome Station, Wanoga, Swampy Lakes and Dutchman Flat along the way. The buses include full-size bike trailers that can carry up to 20 mountain bikes.

For more information, visit cascadeseasttransit.com/transittotrails.