Sandy Ridge has a super fun assortment of mountain bike trails about an hour drive east of Portland. The mountain bike trail system at Sandy Ridge has a full progression of trails from beginner and intermediate flow trails to expert downhill trails. The expert trails have some epic exposure and gnarliness that will challenge even the most advanced riders. In general, the trails climb on roads and descend on singletrack. Sandy Ridge is a must-ride area on an Oregon mountain biking road trip, or a great option for Portland based riders looking for fun downhill mountain bike trails.
Hide and Seek
Intermediate | 3.1 Miles | 1,444' Descent
Hide and Seek is a fun intermediate downhill mountain biking trail that weaves its way down through the forest at Sandy Ridge. The trail is mostly buff with smooth rolling berms. There are occasional side jumps and features that more advanced riders will enjoy in addition to the high speed and flow.
Video: Outdoor Soul Adventures
Follow the Leader
Expert | 1.5 Miles | 464' Descent
Follow the Leader starts weaving through the woods, with some optional side jumps, before working into the trail’s many technical sections. The rocks and features here a big and burly, riding the full trail cleanly is definitely an accomplishment. After some tight and techy turns the trail gets faster and smoother as it continues down a long descending traverse. Riders should be careful heading out of the forest into the open portion of the trail where the technicality gets turned back up. The scree field here will certainly make the whole body work hard.
Communication Breakdown
Intermediate | 1.1 Miles | 215' Climb | 288' Descent
Communication Breakdown climbs from Rockdrop up a set of sweeping berms then descends down more berms. The trail is mostly smooth with some rocks, and the climb is well worth the descent.
Quid Pro Flow
Intermediate | 1.5 Miles | 154' Climb | 275' Descent
As the name suggests, Quid Pro Flow is a super flowy and fun mountain bike trail. The trail is filled with berms stacked one after the next. Many have optional jumps at the exit of the berms, and there are some tabletops, too. The rhythm of this trail is all-time.
Two Turntables and a Microphone
Advanced | 1 Miles | 611' Descent
Two Turntables and a Microwave is a short and flowy trail that connects Quid Pro Flow (via Three Thirty Eight) to Hide and Seek. The trail is mostly buff with great berms and some rolling jumps. The later part of the trail is straight and fast.
Flow Motion
Intermediate | .7 Miles | 284' Descent
Flow Motion connects Follow to the Leader to lower Hide and Seek. This trail is buff and fast, with big bermed turns and rollers that intermediate riders can ride over, and advanced riders can jump. Flow Motion may not be long, but it’s fast and fun.
TNT
Expert Freeride | .55 Miles | 297' Descent
TNT is a super fun jump-focused mountain bike trail at Sandy Ridge, with fast flow and nice gaps. Almost all of the jumps are gaps, so riders should be totally comfortable with airtime before hitting TNT. While it flows nicely, TNT is definitely not pedal-free. The gaps are mostly between 5-10’.
Driving, the Sandy Ridge mountain bike trail system is about 60 minutes from Portland on the Mount hood Highway, Highway 26. From the town of Sandy continue on Highway 26 east for 13 miles then turn left on Sleepy Hollow Dr. after .3 miles, take a right on E Barlow Drive and continue to the parking lot.
Sandy Ridge is located at a low enough elevation where it rarely sees snow. This means that the trails can be ridden all year long, however, they can get pretty wet and muddy in the winter. The spring and fall are the best riding seasons at Sandy Ridge, with tacky dirt and nice temperatures.