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Quail Creek North Lakeside Trail
The north Quail Creek trail is under construction. At the time of this
writing (January 30, 2020) three miles of the route can be done as a
6-mile out-and-back. But it is NOT actually open for riding, so I'm asking
you to check in at Over The Edge in Hurricane for permission. Ideally, you
could combine your ride with a trail workday. It should be considered an
"adventure ride." View
west toward the Pine Valley Mountains. This trail report based on
exploration ride by Bruce on January 20,
2020. |
| The trail begins at the narrows where Leeds Creek enters the
reservoir. There's no formal parking, and there are no signs to show you
where to go. Pull off Highway 318 as it approaches a T intersection with
Old Highway 91. Park there. Find the path heading northeast, then east
along the creek. The creek crossing is 1/4 mile from parking, where the
creek widens and enters the reservoir. (You're there if you see a rope
swing.) At lower water, there may be a pallet or something else to help
you across. At high water, you'll need to cross the creek on a couple of
downed trees. The tree crossing is tricky if you're packing a bike without
another rider to help.
The creek crossing. This picture misses 5 feet of
water closer to shore before the tree even clears the surface.
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Once you've found the trail, just head east. The trail starts as red dirt studded with volcanic boulders.
This persists through the first couple of meanders.
A 6.5-mile out-and-back will have 950 vertical feet of climbing. It
will be more work than you'd expected.
Looking back west just after starting the ride. |
| After around 0.5 mile the trail reaches white clay. Now it
dips and rolls as you follow the contours of multiple drainages. The
riding is similar to nearby Twist & Shout
and lower Rhythm & Blues, but harder --
both in effort and skill level.
As the trail meanders around, there will be some spots where a
gooseneck brings two sections of trail close to each other. Do not, DO
NOT, cut through to make a shortcut. Stay on the official path.
View to the south.
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The trail repeated descends as it approaches the lake, then
turns and climbs along the edge of a wash. Some of the trail feels "finished"
while other bits are quite raw. These are intermixed along the length of
the trail. Plush stretches are stuck between unfinished parts that are little more than
flag-line. It's unlikely you'll do the whole thing without walking over
several "to be fixed later" spots.
At mile 3.5 from parking, the trail dead-ends (January 2020). |
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Getting there:
Take the Highway 9 (Hurricane) exit from I-15. Drive 3 miles east. Turn left on Highway 318
(at the traffic light) toward Quail Creek State Park. Drive north, all the
way past the end of the
reservoir. Just as you approach the T intersection with Old Highway 91
near the Harrisburg KOA, find a
parking spot on your right. Follow the path downhill then east 1/4 mile to
a broad area along the creek with a rope-swing. That's the creek crossing.
The trail is on the other side.
Track file (from secondary one-car trailhead): Quail
North
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