If you're ever in Modoc County (northeastern corner of California) and are searching for a place to mountain bike, here is a route I talked my husband into going on with me last Tuesday, July 1st.
We stayed in Adin, CA where I grew up. Adin is 3 hours northeast of Reno (take hwy 139) or 2 hours north of Redding (take hwy 299). Adin is the closest town for beginning this adventure.
We stayed in Adin, CA where I grew up. Adin is 3 hours northeast of Reno (take hwy 139) or 2 hours north of Redding (take hwy 299). Adin is the closest town for beginning this adventure.
Since this is a very remote area, please stop at the Forest Service office in Adin or elsewhere and pick up a map of the Modoc County Forest or use GPS. Barb is the person I talk to there and is very knowedgeable. Here's a good website for the Modoc Forest: http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/modoc/recreation/index.shtml
THE RIDE:
The goal: Finding and following the Red Tail Rim Trail (RTRT) (17 mile singletrack).
Actual ride: My mom and friend Joyce Woods drove us to the Rd 22 gravel fireroad off hwy 139 between Adin and Canby. Joyce leant us her tiny but very nice Kodak camera. The case even had a nice hook that worked well on the camelpack! We were told the first section of the RTRT was difficult to ride due to loose dirt and very steep (about 2200 ft in 8 miles) so we decided to take this fireroad up, which climbs 8 miles to a Lookout, which sits at just over 7000 feet. Jim had just one day of rest from racing the Cream Puff 100 mile mountain bike race in Oakridge, Oregon, so we didn't want to get too crazy.
You will see the RTRT signs. After taking the 1 mile section from the Lookout to the Rd 22 crossing, there were about 6 downed trees. Then, we lost the trail. With no trail to follow, we ventured down Doe Springs Road (a nice dirt road) until it dead ended at Rd 22 again and we went right as advised by a team of Forest Service people we surprised while on Doe Spring Road. You will go about 10 miles on this road and it goes to Ash Creek campground. Soak your feet a little and enjoy the scenery.
Then, continue on this Rd 22 until you get to Ash Valley Road. Go right and this will take you to Adin. It's 8 miles on a nice gravel road.
There you have it. We were disappointed to not have a singletrack to follow, but the scenery was so beautify and serene and roads so quaint and untraveled it turned out to be a very nice ride. The ride with a lot of stops to take pictures and chat with Forest Service people took us 5 hours. This ride could easily be done in 4 hours, expecially since you have the route. The whole ride was about 32 miles, all on the dirt.
The picture above is of of Ash Creek. It felt awesome to put a ice cold helmet back on, and soak the feet. I think it got me energized for the rest of the ride. There was not a sole person there. Just us. Very nice.
THE RIDE:
The goal: Finding and following the Red Tail Rim Trail (RTRT) (17 mile singletrack).
Actual ride: My mom and friend Joyce Woods drove us to the Rd 22 gravel fireroad off hwy 139 between Adin and Canby. Joyce leant us her tiny but very nice Kodak camera. The case even had a nice hook that worked well on the camelpack! We were told the first section of the RTRT was difficult to ride due to loose dirt and very steep (about 2200 ft in 8 miles) so we decided to take this fireroad up, which climbs 8 miles to a Lookout, which sits at just over 7000 feet. Jim had just one day of rest from racing the Cream Puff 100 mile mountain bike race in Oakridge, Oregon, so we didn't want to get too crazy.
You will see the RTRT signs. After taking the 1 mile section from the Lookout to the Rd 22 crossing, there were about 6 downed trees. Then, we lost the trail. With no trail to follow, we ventured down Doe Springs Road (a nice dirt road) until it dead ended at Rd 22 again and we went right as advised by a team of Forest Service people we surprised while on Doe Spring Road. You will go about 10 miles on this road and it goes to Ash Creek campground. Soak your feet a little and enjoy the scenery.
Then, continue on this Rd 22 until you get to Ash Valley Road. Go right and this will take you to Adin. It's 8 miles on a nice gravel road.
There you have it. We were disappointed to not have a singletrack to follow, but the scenery was so beautify and serene and roads so quaint and untraveled it turned out to be a very nice ride. The ride with a lot of stops to take pictures and chat with Forest Service people took us 5 hours. This ride could easily be done in 4 hours, expecially since you have the route. The whole ride was about 32 miles, all on the dirt.
The picture above is of of Ash Creek. It felt awesome to put a ice cold helmet back on, and soak the feet. I think it got me energized for the rest of the ride. There was not a sole person there. Just us. Very nice.
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