Rabies Ridge area
Here are two of my favorite loops that don't involve a car. If it's going to be a hot day I recommend an early morning start. They can be ridden in either direction or combined to get a shorter or longer ride.
Driving directions:
Not necessary, easy ride from the Woodrat LZ or Cantrell Buckley Park.
The rides:
Blue dashes - Head west from Ruch on Hwy 238, after less than a mile turn right onto China Gulch road, after another mile the road turns gravel and a yellow gate will be seen blocking a dirt road on the right. Follow this road all the way around the ridgeline, approx. 4 miles, until you see a primitive road blocked with a mound of dirt on your left. This is a popular dirt bike trail so it's easy to spot. Then it's all downhill back to China Gulch road.
Red dashes - Pedal north on Hwy 238 and hang a left on Longnecker road, after a very short ways you come to a sign stating you are in Bunny Meadows. There are no bunnies and no meadow anymore, just a large gravel lot. Ride straight through the lot to a four way intersection, don't turn left or right, stay on the main gravel road, keep climbing and you eventually reach the saddle marked on the map. Head up the rutted dirt road on your left. As you approach Ruch start watching for a singletrack on your left, it's the only one so there won't be any confusion. Bomb down this obvious route and it gradually turns into a road that pops you out behind the Ruch store.
Grab breakfast or a beer - or both!
The blue track -
- and the red. Both are CCW.
And if you're looking for something a bit more challenging try this loop:
Follow the previous directions to the top of the saddle, then turn right and climb the steep 4x4 road - this part can be avoided by staying on the gravel road, but why? Follow the 4x4 road for approx. 1.4 miles and turn right onto a steep rocky singletrack. It climbs a short distance to the very top of a little knoll. There's a T here, check your brakes and dive off to your right. Parts of the trail are fast but other parts are very steep and technical. There are a few places where the trail crosses a road, look to your left to pick the trail up again. When you come to a gravel road and see a yellow rope blocking further descent then it's time to turn right and follow the road back to Bunny Meadows.
2006/06/23 - I cut the bushes back making this a much more pleasant ride!
Yep, that's snow.