Get stoked for the wide variety of mountain bike riding experiences available in Central Oregon. This includes the recently constructed Sunriver Trails, which can be accessed right across Cardinal Landing Bridge, or off of Forest Road #41. The network of six trails offers riding excitement for everyone, from easy family-friendly pathways to fast flow trails to advanced technical terrain. The Sunriver Trails, along with more than 500 miles of additional single track, were built and are maintained primarily by the Central Oregon Trail Alliance. Since 1992, the mission of COTA has been to develop, protect, and enhance mountain biking in Central Oregon. Whether you are new to the sport or an experienced mountain biker, COTA is a reliable resource to learn about the trails in Central Oregon. COTA provides a wide range of volunteer opportunities to build and maintain mountain bike trails. The Meetup app is the best way to sign up for trail work parties. You can participate in the activities in one of COTA’s six local chapters. Serving the Sunriver, La Pine and Three Rivers South area is the SoDeCo Chapter (South Deschutes County), founded in 2019. These volunteers constructed the 10-mile Sunriver Trails network, and they provide regular maintenance to keep the trails running fast and fun. Along with enjoying this nearby network of trails, riders can also connect directly from the Sunriver Trails to the Wanoga and Cascade Lakes Welcome Station trail networks, making for an epic day of riding. The SoDeCo Chapter works on the trails in La Pine State Park, the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, and the Cultus Lake loop, which are an easy drive from Sunriver. You can visit the three bike shops in Sunriver to rent gear, get your bike tuned up or repaired, and learn more about riding opportunities from the knowledgeable staff. Easy trails: Swan Song, Black Rock, La Pine State Park, Catch and Release, Ticket to Ride, Kent’s, Ben’s, or Maston. What trail should every mountain biker try at least once? Every rider will give a different answer, given the miles of mountain bike trails. Phil’s Trails network is a classic Central Oregon singletrack and a must-do destination for mountain bikers traveling to the area. The Deschutes River Trail is popular, beautiful, and can be accessed from the Sunriver bike paths. Within the Sunriver trails, try Royal Flush for a flowy ride with big jumps. Trails to explore during the four seasons: Summer: Sunriver Trails, Dinah-Moe Humm and Tyler’s Traverse, North Fork and Mrazek, Swampy Lakes, Peterson Ridge, Paulina Rim Trail, Mt. Bachelor Fall: All the summer trails plus Flagline and Met-Win. Winter: Wanoga Fat Bike Trails and Maston Spring: Horse Butte, Horse Ridge, Maston Recommended mountain biking resources: • Central Oregon Trail Alliance at www.cotamtb.com • Bendtrails.org for trail ratings, maps and current conditions • Trailforks is a good website to see the local developed trails • Mt. Bachelor Bike Park is a lift-served mountain bike park with downhill trails for all ability levels Photo courtesy of Mt. Bachelor Mountain Biking Trails for Every Skill Level 2025-26 | SUNRIVER MAGAZINE 42
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