Elk Creek MT

Top of the Hogan Cr Trail.

CDT becomes singletrack at Gibbons Pass.

Elk Creek has a good singletrack trail along it's length that can be ridden as part of two loops. If ridden up, the climb is relatively gentle.  If ridden down, it can be as fast as you want.  There are a few water crossings but overall this trail is A-1 fun.  Elk Creek flows into Trail Creek and is accessed from MT43 about 5 miles east of the Chief Joseph Pass.

The Hogan Loop climbs Elk Creek Trail, then joins Road 1295 for 1/2mi, descends Hogan Creek Trail then follows Trail Creek Road to complete the loop.  This loop is about 11 miles and has 1100' of vertical.  Ride this loop in either direction, but know that Hogan Creek Trail is steep.
--Download the Hogan Loop GPX file for your GPS here .--

CDT to Elk Creek is the other loop and is 20 miles with about 2000' of vertical.  This loop seems best to ride Trail Creek Road first, as a warmup, to Gibbons Pass.  Then join the Continental Divide Trail and finish by heading down Elk Creek Trail.
--Download the CDT - Elk Cr Loop GPX file for your GPS here .--

All of these trails were clear of deadfall with the exception of the mile long section of trail connecting the CDT to Elk Creek Trail.


Chief Joseph Pass mountain biking trails

       

This section of CDT passes through
areas recovering from the 2000 fires.

Elk Creek Trail

Disco Firmed Up

The Discovery Hill loops have firmed up nicely from last Sundays torrential evening rains.

While the trails are not as smooth and fast as they get in mid-spring, they are in greatly better shape then they were earlier this summer.  The rain smoothed the powdery dust back down into singletrack and washed away most of the manure.  Rough hoof-prints are gone and the cows have been moved to upper pastures.

So if you have been avoiding the Disco Trails because they were hammered, get back up there when you have time to bust out a couple quick laps.  And remember how lucky we are to have these trails so close to town for a  single-track fix.