Two mountain bikers ride the Gray Butte Trail near Smith Rock State Park. 

Waking up to a dusting of snow on the ground in late October means it is most definitely shoulder season in Central Oregon. As we wait for the snow to pile up and ski season to start, mountain biking remains a viable option for those looking to enjoy the crisp, cold days of late autumn on the High Desert. Here are a few options for mountain biking in the late fall/early winter in Central Oregon.

Swamp Wells Trail

The Swamp Wells Trail southeast of Bend is a good spot to find some autumn solitude on a half-day ride. Just before the ponderosa pine trees give way to the sagebrush, Bessie Butte rises above the terrain off China Hat Road. On Saturday, I drove southeast down China Hat Road and parked at the Bessie Butte Trailhead. I started out on the Bessie Butte Trail, and after riding about a quarter of a mile east, I made a right on the Swamp Wells Trail headed south. Swamp Wells, which runs all the way to Newberry Crater more than 20 miles to the south, seems to be sort of an ignored trail among Central Oregon mountain bikers. From Bessie, the Swamp Wells Trail is a gradual climb toward Kelsey Butte, about 5 miles to the south. Such a moderate climb is good for mountain bikers of all skill levels. A few rocky sections add in some technical challenges, but they are few and far between.

Central Oregon Outdoors Conditions Report

Get the conditions before you head out

The Swamp Wells Trail stays in the trees until the tough climb up Kelsey Butte, where it leads to sprawling views of the vast forest and High Desert. As I continued through the forest, getting closer to Kelsey Butte, the trail became steeper and steeper. Eventually it turned into a seriously challenging climb, but one well worth the effort. The trail, with a couple of switchbacks, led me to the viewpoint about halfway up Kelsey Butte. From that perch, I could see a significant number of Cascade peaks to the west and north: Mount Bachelor, Broken Top, the Three Sisters, Mount Jefferson and Mount Hood. To the east were the Badlands and Horse Ridge. After the trail descended sharply down the other side of Kelsey Butte, I rode a couple of miles deeper into the Deschutes National Forest before deciding to turn around and head back to Bessie to make for about a 14-mile out-and-back ride. The downhill return was fast and flowing as I weaved through the forest along the pristine singletrack. I made it back to the Bessie Butte Trailhead in maybe half the time it took riding out to Kelsey Butte. Smith Rock State Park

As Smith Rock State Park becomes increasingly busy during the fall, rock climbers and hikers can feel the squeeze in the more popular areas of the park. One way to avoid some of the crowds but still enjoy the area’s dramatic scenery is to bring a bike. Mountain biking is not the activity for which Smith Rock is known, but the area is home to some pretty thrilling trails that can make for an ideal all-day fall outing. And a bike can get folks more quickly to some of the more remote and less-used areas surrounding the park, such as Burma Road, the Gray Butte Trail and the Summit Trail. These trails, combined with the Wolf Tree Trail and the River Trail, provide a thrilling 13-mile loop/out-and-back ride that includes all the things that most mountain bikers love: tacky singletrack, punishing climbs and amazing vistas. Riding in the area offers a chance for mountain bikers to enjoy trails that are vastly different from the forested singletrack closer to Bend.

Horse Butte Trailhead

Near Horse Butte southeast of Bend, the Coyote Loop Trail and Arnold Ice Cave Trail (Trail 63) form a loop of about 10 miles that can be ridden in either direction. The trails traverse the burn area where the 1996 Skeleton Fire charred 17,000 acres, leaving behind just a few bare juniper trees and creating far-reaching views in all directions. To the west are sprawling views of Mount Bachelor, the Three Sisters, Broken Top, Mount Washington and Mount Jefferson. The trails near Horse Butte do not feature significant climbing or elevation change, and they are not especially technical, making them rideable for all skill levels. Central Oregon Outdoors Conditions Report

Get the conditions before you head out

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Central Oregon Outdoors Conditions Report Get the conditions before you head out {related_content_uuid}bcb9bf50-d5cf-4e43-9e3d-4674159302e7{/related_content_uuid}

Waking up to a dusting of snow on the ground in late October means it is most definitely shoulder season in Central Oregon.

As we wait for the snow to pile up and ski season to start, mountain biking remains a viable option for those looking to enjoy the crisp, cold days of late autumn on the High Desert.

Here are a few options for mountain biking in the late fall/early winter in Central Oregon.

Swamp Wells Trail

The Swamp Wells Trail southeast of Bend is a good spot to find some autumn solitude on a half-day ride.

Just before the ponderosa pine trees give way to the sagebrush, Bessie Butte rises above the terrain off China Hat Road.

On Saturday, I drove southeast down China Hat Road and parked at the Bessie Butte Trailhead. I started out on the Bessie Butte Trail, and after riding about a quarter of a mile east, I made a right on the Swamp Wells Trail headed south.

Swamp Wells, which runs all the way to Newberry Crater more than 20 miles to the south, seems to be sort of an ignored trail among Central Oregon mountain bikers.

From Bessie, the Swamp Wells Trail is a gradual climb toward Kelsey Butte, about 5 miles to the south. Such a moderate climb is good for mountain bikers of all skill levels. A few rocky sections add in some technical challenges, but they are few and far between.

Central Oregon Outdoors Conditions Report

Get the conditions before you head out

The Swamp Wells Trail stays in the trees until the tough climb up Kelsey Butte, where it leads to sprawling views of the vast forest and High Desert.

As I continued through the forest, getting closer to Kelsey Butte, the trail became steeper and steeper. Eventually it turned into a seriously challenging climb, but one well worth the effort.

The trail, with a couple of switchbacks, led me to the viewpoint about halfway up Kelsey Butte. From that perch, I could see a significant number of Cascade peaks to the west and north: Mount Bachelor, Broken Top, the Three Sisters, Mount Jefferson and Mount Hood. To the east were the Badlands and Horse Ridge.

After the trail descended sharply down the other side of Kelsey Butte, I rode a couple of miles deeper into the Deschutes National Forest before deciding to turn around and head back to Bessie to make for about a 14-mile out-and-back ride.

The downhill return was fast and flowing as I weaved through the forest along the pristine singletrack. I made it back to the Bessie Butte Trailhead in maybe half the time it took riding out to Kelsey Butte.

Smith Rock State Park

As Smith Rock State Park becomes increasingly busy during the fall, rock climbers and hikers can feel the squeeze in the more popular areas of the park.

One way to avoid some of the crowds but still enjoy the area’s dramatic scenery is to bring a bike.

Mountain biking is not the activity for which Smith Rock is known, but the area is home to some pretty thrilling trails that can make for an ideal all-day fall outing. And a bike can get folks more quickly to some of the more remote and less-used areas surrounding the park, such as Burma Road, the Gray Butte Trail and the Summit Trail.

These trails, combined with the Wolf Tree Trail and the River Trail, provide a thrilling 13-mile loop/out-and-back ride that includes all the things that most mountain bikers love: tacky singletrack, punishing climbs and amazing vistas.

Riding in the area offers a chance for mountain bikers to enjoy trails that are vastly different from the forested singletrack closer to Bend.

Horse Butte Trailhead

Near Horse Butte southeast of Bend, the Coyote Loop Trail and Arnold Ice Cave Trail (Trail 63) form a loop of about 10 miles that can be ridden in either direction.

The trails traverse the burn area where the 1996 Skeleton Fire charred 17,000 acres, leaving behind just a few bare juniper trees and creating far-reaching views in all directions.

To the west are sprawling views of Mount Bachelor, the Three Sisters, Broken Top, Mount Washington and Mount Jefferson.

The trails near Horse Butte do not feature significant climbing or elevation change, and they are not especially technical, making them rideable for all skill levels.