This is one of our favorite rides in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest and what we consider part of the Mt. St. Helens backcountry riding area. This ride begins at Elk Pass, off the 25 road and traverses the National Forest all the way down to the Lewis River. We begin by heading east on the Boundary Trail, heading towards Badger Peak and Badger Lake. Badger Peak is a great out and back we like to include on this ride. This peak offers a great POV and a chance to observe your surroundings and a glimpse of the terrain you will be traveling on throughout your ride. For those interested in a more relaxed kind of day, kick back and relax at Badger Lake, a crystal clear private lake worth a dip and a nap.
We’ll collect ourselves back at Badger lake and continue our journey on the boundary trail heading East towards our second landmark, the fin shaped Shark Rock. Another incredibly beautiful Rock Outcropping with a great view point and a look into the expansiveness of the Gifford. We’ll continue to head east until we hit Craggy Peak, the first large chunk of descending we’ll do as we make our way off of the ridge and down to the valley floor. Craggy eventually runs into the Wright Meadow Trail where we will finish our ride. Wright Meadow is your quintessential PNW Loamer and photogenic trail. Huge trees and roots, amazing soil type, and a trail design that is super playful and a great way to end your day. The van will meet us at the Trailhead, we’ll hop back in after we’ve had the chance to clang some cans and cheers to a great day on the bike!
2023 TRIP DATES:
Landslide on Road 25, Closed For the Season.
1 Day Guided Trip
$149
Per Person / Per Day
E-BIKE FRIENDLY
Distance
(per day)
Ascent: 3,500’
Decent: 6,000’
Estimated Mileage: 21 Miles
Day Trip Includes:
- Professionally guided tour of remote single track
- Shuttles
MAKE IT A WEEKEND
Pair this with Strawberry Mountain the Day Before
Meeting Spot
Elk Pass Trailhead
Shuttle Departure : 9:30 AM
Please arrive 15 minutes early.
CELL PHONES: DO NOT WORK HERE, Have an offline MAP available for reference.
MAP: 822 :: Mount St. Helens, Mount Adams [Gifford Pinchot National Forest]
PURCHASE MAP – CLICK HERE
Our History
with Mt. St. Helens
This was a huge project during the summer of 2018. Over 3000 hours of volunteer labor that uncovered 52 miles of newly logged out and brushed out backcountry singletrack. Our friends at Santa Cruz Bicycles come up at least once a year to attend a 4 day work party to help the cause and throw a shovel in the dirt. They wrote about their experience attending this year’s work party along with some great photos that highlight the area. Click here for the full details.