It’s a recurring theme every year in Central Oregon as the holidays approach.

The skiing and snowboarding is typically prime, but I can’t bring myself to face the hordes of out-of-towners and interminable chairlift lines at Mt. Bachelor ski area. I would rather ride my bike in the woods somewhere.

One of the many benefits of living on the High Desert is that you can usually spend your free time in mid-to-late December mountain biking instead of skiing or snowboarding. And most of the time you do not even need a fatbike designed for snow.

The snowfall in Bend and Redmond the past couple of weeks has made it a challenge, but mountain bikers can usually find ridable trails all through the winter in Central Oregon.

One of the most reliable wintertime riding areas is Maston, located north of Bend between Tumalo and Eagle Crest Resort. The Maston area is a flat plateau just west of the Deschutes River that includes about 20 miles of singletrack with endless loop options. Most of the trails feature rolling terrain along sagebrush and juniper trees.

I made the 20-minute drive to Maston from Bend earlier this month before the snowfall arrived.

Conditions can change quickly

The dirt was firm and tacky, with no snow, puddles or mud, making for nearly ideal conditions. (For updated conditions, visit bendtrails.org. Do not ride in muddy conditions, which can leave behind ruts and damage singletrack trails.)

The Bureau of Land Management has designated Maston as a mountain biking area in the Cline Buttes Recreation Area Plan. Maston constitutes about 4,000 acres of the plan’s 32,000 acres (50 square miles), where trails are in the works for mountain bikers, hikers and horseback riders.

Over the last few years, the BLM’s development of Maston as a mountain biking destination has become evident, with trail junction signs and a trailhead with a map kiosk, restrooms and designated parking. There always seems to be at least a few cars in the parking area November through April. On weekends, it can fill up.

A variety of trail options

Maston offers a variety of loops, but do not expect much climbing or descending. The area is relatively flat, which makes it ideal for beginners, youngsters or anybody looking for an easier outing.

I typically ride the outer loop at Maston, and it works well in either direction. I started out riding counterclockwise on the outer loop, and it seemed as if I had the trail to myself.

I turned onto the Rockbar trail, which features rocky, technical terrain on the edge of the scenic Deschutes River canyon. At first glance, the trail appears an impossibly challenging jumble of rocks along the rim. But the rocks are perfectly positioned for mountain bikers to ride over while carefully sneaking glances of the river far below. And for those who would rather stop to take in the views, several viewpoints are located just off the trail.

The singletrack was mostly smooth and mellow all the way back to the main trailhead off Newcomb Road, as I rode the Talon, Fat Rabbit, Oregon Sunshine and Maston Outer Loop trails back to my car.

In all, the 14-mile ride took about 1 hour, 40 minutes and included about 500 feet of climbing.

After the holidays, I will certainly hit the slopes. But for now, I will enjoy the solitary Central Oregon singletrack.