The smell of ocean air flowed across the trail as a gust of wind ripped through the forest. The creaking of tall trees filled the quiet and serene environment. A couple of cheers echoed in the distance as other groups of mountain bikers wound and dipped through the forest.
At Whiskey Run, more than 30 miles of adventure lies in a trail system nestled between Bandon and Coos Bay. Known as the crown jewel of coastal mountain biking, Whiskey Run is putting Oregon's south coast on the map for singletrack recreation.
“There's something there for everybody: great trails that families and young kids can ride with confidence and feel pretty safe. There's the really tight single track that will keep even professional riders out there on their toes," said Zack Martin, communications director for the Wild Rivers Mountain Bicycling Association, a local volunteer group.
Navigating the Whiskey Run mountain bike trail system
At Whiskey Run, the options are endless. With 63 trails and more than 30 miles to choose from, the creativity for routes are up to the rider. This trail system, built specifically for mountain bikers, first opened in 2017. It has playful turns and intentional terrain changes.
There are two different places to park and access trails. The main trailhead, in the middle of the trail system, is equipped with a map, two pit toilets and a bike maintenance station.
Riders can choose a route or from a variety of trails that fit their ability level and desired number of miles. It's important to note that some trails are two way while others are one way, downhill travel only. One-way trails are marked with "do not enter" signs at the exit.
The system is designed in a stacked loop, a series of looped trails with several interconnected trails. There is minimal climbing and the elevation from the bottom to the top is only about 500 feet. Taking a wrong turn won't force a huge climb.
Ride ribbons of clay in cool coastal air
The mild temperatures and cool, clear air on the south coast is something people enjoy.
"I'd say the best part of it is that it's always nice and cool, it's very rare that we get above 75 degrees at the trail system," Martin said.
The trails change from sections of dark forest with clay-filled soil into exposed areas on sandy straightaways next to bright green ferns and Douglas firs lining the trails.
"The soil is a bit clay-like, sandy, loamy in some sections for sure in kind of the older forest. A lot of the sections that have been logged in the past several years have clay upturned in the soil and it's quite a bit different," Martin said.
This trail system is possible to ride year round even during the winter months. Unlike other places, this area does not see many heavy rainstorms and snow.
"There's a variety of different dirt trails but most of it sheds dirt or absorbs dirt really well. There are some sections that have more of a clay type dirt that gets really slippery that doesn’t absorb well but for the most part it's all really good in the rain," said Dave Lacey, south coast destination coordinator of the Oregon Coast Visitors Association. "We recommend people don’t ride after heavy downpours for at least 24 hours. Normal Oregon rains come and go. But if there's a heavy storm with strong winds and inches of rain, then stay off of it for a day."
Lacey was involved in the early stages of building the trails. The Oregon Coast Visitors Association, Travel Oregon, Travel Southern Oregon Coast and other associations identified a need for mountain bike specific trails in the area.
Whiskey Run is geared toward tourists
The Whiskey Run trails air on the easier side, which is done with visiting riders in mind.
"We are a big tourist area so they are not going to be familiar with the trails. We like to say ‘hey, if you are comfortable riding a blue you will be comfortable riding this trail' and that’s how we frame it," Martin said.
The trails in the system are shorter and the quantity is much higher. Riding on a route requires a lot of different trails connecting from one to another in order to get some miles in. But, it allows people to test out what they are riding and get a sample of everything in small doses.
"It's nice because they are the rolling smaller, coastal mountains. It's not like an Oakridge type ride where you are going to ride 3,000 or 4,000 feet up and you are going to want to take a shuttle. You can definitely ride from top to bottom three or four times in a day and still feel pretty energized to do some laps," Martin said.
Whiskey Run beginner trails good for any rider
Many of the green trails, for beginners, can be enjoyed by any rider. These two-way trails can be used for a beginner who is learning to develop mountain bike skills. Green trails in the system vary between ascending and descending with a smooth track underneath. There are very few rocks and roots on these trails.
Hollerback, a green trail that leaves from the main parking lot, winds through dark parts of the forest with berms and rollers on a hard clay surface. The trail is bench cut in an old burned part of the forest before crossing through vibrant green sections of the route. This side of the trail system is quiet and chilly when the wind creeps through the trees.
"I wouldn’t shy away from the green trails either, they are a lot of fun and are going to connect a lot of the blue trails," Martin said
Copperhead Road, a green trail that leaves from the main parking lot, is primarily used as a climb trail. At multiple points this trail opens up at higher elevations and comes out of the thick wooded areas. Viewpoints along the side of the trail showcase sweeping views of the surrounding valley full of dark green trees.
Whiskey Run blue trails
The blue trails, for intermediate riders, range from two-way open trails with view points to one-way trails full of twists and rollers.
Well Shot is a blue one-way trail off of Hollerback after a quick pedal uphill and is rewarded with a few minutes of classic flow turns and rollers. This trail gets fast right off the bat after dropping in and through clay berms. Along the trail there are places to catch some optional air while winding and dipping on a wooded rollercoaster. After only 0.6 miles this trail connects back to Hollerback, begging for another lap.
Whiskey Run black trails
The black diamond rated trails are best for advanced riders but in some cases an intermediate rider can enjoy the features. Many of the advanced level trails in the system are short and are surrounded by blue and green trails used for access.
"There are definitely people who are confident riding blue trails that could ride some of our black trails and be like ‘OK, that was fun I can do this,'" Martin said.
Gnome Wrecker, Loam Wrecker and Blind Tiger are among the favorites for local riders.
"Gnome Wrecker and Loam Wrecker: no mandatory features everything has a ride around, except one foot drop. Those are two quintessential Whiskey Run trails that are pretty close to the parking lot," Martin said.
Loam Wrecker is an adrenaline packed trail with more speed around every corner. The trail is completed within a few minutes at 0.7 miles but descends fast with over 400 feet of elevation loss. This trail can be handled by an intermediate rider who is comfortable at speed and making quick decisions based on changing terrain ahead.
The surface is softer than some of the other trails, but take the turns with caution on the first ride through. This is the kind of trail to do many laps on. More familiarity with the route means more speed and more fun.
Stacked loops
Families or groups of different skill levels can go together and either ride the same trails or take different routes that end up in the same place.
"It's just a whole bunch of stacked loops and some of them are easier and some are difficult so you could be riding with people who have different skill levels and break off onto these different trails and connect again in like a half an hour," Lacey said.
Coming to a fork in the road is a reality while cruising along the Whiskey Run trails. But don't panic. Due to the stacked loop and two-way construction of the trails, there is always a way back to the starting point.
What stands out at Whiskey Run
What Lacey has heard from people after visiting the trail system is nothing but positivity. He said what stands out to people is: different trail types and conditions, not seeing many others on the trail and the accessibility to other recreational activities in the area.
"They love the diversity of the different types of trails. You’ve got some really good jump lines, and some fast flowy stuff and then some trails that just feel like old school backcountry," Lacey said.
Martin said the biking community on the south coast is strong despite the small community.
"You'll always run into people on the trails and everyone's always very friendly to stop, talk and help each other out if you are stopped with a mechanical problem. That’s one of the best part. Which is very common in rural communities, everybody is very tight knit," Martin said.
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Why Whiskey Run is the crown jewel of Oregon Coast mountain biking
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