Find the top rated trails in Altamont, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
The A Canal Trail offers a pleasant, paved route of just over 3 miles that connects the communities of Klamath Falls and Altamont in south-central Oregon. Traversing both urban and suburban settings,...
The Central Ashland Bikepath is a paved trail that runs alongside the active Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad. It stretches from Tolman Creek Road to 6th Street, passing through Garfield Park and...
The Bear Creek Greenway is an 18.5-mile paved multi-use trail that travels through creek-side woods and natural areas, connecting five communities and eight parks along its course. The main portion of...
The A Canal Trail offers a pleasant, paved route of just over 3 miles that connects the communities of Klamath Falls and Altamont in south-central Oregon. Traversing both urban and suburban settings,...
The Central Ashland Bikepath is a paved trail that runs alongside the active Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad. It stretches from Tolman Creek Road to 6th Street, passing through Garfield Park and...
One of the longest rail-trails in the country, the OC&E Woods Line State Trail stretches 109.9 miles through south-central Oregon. The route comprises two rail lines that once supported the region's...
The Bear Creek Greenway is an 18.5-mile paved multi-use trail that travels through creek-side woods and natural areas, connecting five communities and eight parks along its course. The main portion of...
One of the longest rail-trails in the country, the OC&E Woods Line State Trail stretches 109.9 miles through south-central Oregon. The route comprises two rail lines that once supported the region's...
The A Canal Trail offers a pleasant, paved route of just over 3 miles that connects the communities of Klamath Falls and Altamont in south-central Oregon. Traversing both urban and suburban settings,...
The Bear Creek Greenway is an 18.5-mile paved multi-use trail that travels through creek-side woods and natural areas, connecting five communities and eight parks along its course. The main portion of...
The Central Ashland Bikepath is a paved trail that runs alongside the active Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad. It stretches from Tolman Creek Road to 6th Street, passing through Garfield Park and...
We scouted this trail on a trip through the west when we had already gone a few days without getting on the bikes, and had a few more non-riding days ahead. The Pine Grove trailhead was convenient and had full facilities. Riding east from there to the end of the pavement showed us that we would not be going further; the gravel is too rough for my road bike with the widest tires that will fit, or my wife's hybrid with slick tires on it.
The 7.5 mile paved trail was in excellent condition, wide and flat. There was a nice mix of pedestrians and bicycles out on a weekday afternoon. The number of street crossings increases as you go deeper into Klamath Falls, but this being Oregon drivers are very accommodating. We passed Wiard Park which would also be a good place to start a ride, and the official trailhead in the city, which is actually a bit west of Crosby Av- the directions I found indicated it was adjacent. There was also another trail which crossed ours; I now know that it follows the bank of an irrigation channel for 4 miles, making possible a 23 mile round-trip on the two paved trails.
The paved section ends suddenly in the middle of a railyard. Too bad, as it would have been nice to ride further alongside the rails and end at a more dramatic spot, or at least a more logical one.
We admired an abandoned shoe next to the trail (who loses just one shoe?), watched a man picking up cans and bottles (single shoes not having much cash value, he left that behind) and rode back to the trailhead. Not an epic trek, but still a nice ride on a nice day in an area without any rural paved or packed stone trails to choose from.
Very windy ride coming back. Beautiful farm country. Not too crowded.
August 2014. Having completed the new roof on my house, my buddies and I decided to push our old disgusting bodies through the cinders at the northern extent of the OC&E Woods Line trail.
Our literature for some reason indicated that we should start our journey at something called "500 Transfer". Basically this is a siding where a few spur lines merge before they would have began the descent to Klamath Falls.
We camped at Horse Glade the first night and got an early start. It is a twenty five mile drive up the hill to the top end of the Sycan Marsh. Just north of our parking spot is the true start of the Great Basin in Oregon. Sycan is a remote and haunting landscape that is protected by the Nature Conservancy. I hope this is always true. It is exquisite. It is worth driving through just to look at it.
From 500 Transfer we began our downhill roll until we hit a meaningful fence at the north end of the marsh. Bad news. We should have known to ride the road (FR27)from that point. Evidently a trestle that used to cross the marsh was removed, and accordingly the hatched lines on the gazetteer also were removed between my 1991 copy and the new copy I bought after this trip.
We had seen a spur line about 3/4 of a mile back
so we came about--figuring that the trail had been rerouted around the marsh. It turns out that we couldn't have been more wrong. Climbing close to 13 miles in loose but decent cinder we finally reached a BPA power substation and the trail became increasingly more like a jeep road than a rails to trails type trail. No more cinders...no more evidence of a railroad (spikes etc). We bushwhacked up to a gravel road that got us down to FR28. By this point my 14 year old beagle was done for the day. My buddies decided to ride down the hill to get my van back at camp.
It turns out we were entirely upside down in our guess of whether it was further to get back to the car we parked at 500 Transfer or to get back to the camp. Data did not work, nor did the phone. Text was working for some reason so we were able to communicate.
I sat with my poor dog on the side of the road for almost 5 hours before a single person who wasn't on a motorcycle came through. A very sweet couple with a flatbed Ford.
Take it Easy...
They were kind enough to give me a ride back to the car at 500 Transfer. 26 miles by road. By now my buddies had ridden an additional 40, and were being picked up by a wonderful wife who drove out from Klamath Falls once they were able to get a mobile signal.
I found the "hide a key" under Ed's car and drove the tired beagle back down the hill to Horse Glade. Dinner ensued and we all slept well.
For the errors and bad research, we still got a good ride in. I'd actually do it again, but with intention and a GPS, and plan to cut over to Winter Rim. We were only 7 miles from Winter Rim when we realized we were no where near our target destination. From Winter Rim you can descend to Summer Lake Hot Springs for a bit of spa.
Next Morning.
Not to be defeated we got up early and rode from the south end of Sycan Marsh back to Horse Glade (about 11 miles). The trail was a standard mix of cinder with delightful compacted sections and other various laboring grind with weeds and agonizing cow destroyed nasty. Still, it is better than fighting traffic.
The trestle was cool, but the creek wasn't flowing. We saw four large Bucks running under the power lines.
After the ride I drove out to the north to retrieve a trailer we abandoned at 500 Transfer, then continued north past Thompson reservoir--almost empty. Drought. Yikes! From there I slid up through Silver Lake and West to 97 then South to my little hamlet of Klamath Falls.
Feeling sad the whole time. I always get a bit emotional in the Great Basin.
Last ride of the summer always makes me shed a tear.
I hope I get a couple in this summer. I'd like to knock out another section before I'm another year older. Perhaps my now 15 year old beagle will join me as long as I promise not to get us lost.
We started in Ashland (had trouble finding the start of the trail and where to park at first) and rode to Medford and back. I would say about 85% was very enjoyable and nice scenery. The other 15% was a little sketchy, but not enough to recommend against it.
We were staying at Running Y Ranch and spent one day in Crater Lake and one day riding the OC & E Trail. It was a nice quick 16 miles round trip and we had a nice lunch at Nibbley's Cafe afterwards.
Rode this section today and found it very pleasant. The first two miles have some repair going on and more root heave than the North half. The trail detours at Fern Valley Rd. due to construction but is easily navigated. After the detour, the asphalt is in good to excellent condition with a stretch of new concrete between mile nine and ten. There is much less traffic noise on this half. I would recommend riding southward first when doing an out and back, due to the gradual uphill grade traveling south.
Rode this today and enjoyed it thoroughly. The asphalt is in excellent condition and the scenery is great considering it's urban setting. The trail is completely paved now contrary to what their brochures say.
I would have rated it higher if not for the large amount of traffic noise in certain areas.
If you like coffee, stop at Bad *** Coffee Company. They have 100% Kona which is very hard to find.
I live right across the street from the trail, and use it a lot, both bicycle and walking. The last couple of years the cracks have gotten larger and rougher, to the point that I have broken several spokes on the larger(up to 6" wide cracks). This spring I started bicycle commuting to work but would ride the majority on the streets( even though the trail went a shorter distance to work) because of the rough ride. Then this year in august the ranger for the OC&E asked for volunteers to help repair the trail. I showed up on both friday and saturday along with about a dozen other volunteers we patched over 200 cracks and used almost two pallets of asphalt patch. The trail is not perfect, but I'm not afraid of breaking my bike either. The ranger (Shawn I think) was very nice and is planning more upgrades next year, so don't be afraid to give it a try. All the really bad cracks are filled so get out and enjoy the trail!!!
We spent a night in Klamath Falls and thought it would be nice to take our recumbents on the path to olene and back. Wrong. Didn't make it as far as olene because we couldn't stand the jarring bumps from the ruts in the trail every 10 to 50 feet
I enjoy the trail but believe it needs improvement.
1. Benches every 1 miles, older people that use the trail need support in someway.
2. Outdoor fitness equipment made of wood, most city parks have them. People that run and exercise use these to stretch.
3. A parking area. People that want to access the trail? Where do they park? On the edge of Wiard? Down at Hwy 39 is there another area?
4. Need access for handicapped carts - that want to utilize the Trail.
5. Need steps in areas of mud on the side of the hill where most used. Someone needs to do a walk through on trail ask questions.
It's a nice Trail but not for elderly,and handicapped -
Needs improvement on sides of Trail. Fresh mulch or pebble rocks for runners.
Lets have a can do attitude, it can always be better.
Thank You,
One of the best leisure rides with wildlife, creeks and shops to refresh along the way. However it's best to avoid the trail from medford south to central point (too many bums/druggies hang out around there), but medford to Ashland is sublime. I've been riding it over 8 years.
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