Starting 5/31, segments of Marvin's Garden, KGB & COD Trails will close Mon.-Fri. for public & operator safety during mowing operations. 
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The following trail segments will be closed Monday through Friday:

• Marvin’s Garden Trail from the intersection with KGB north to the intersection with Forest Service Road 4604-031.
• KGB Trail from the intersection with Marvin’s Garden Trail east to the National Forest boundary.
• COD Trail east from the intersection with Marvin’s Garden Trail to the junction with Cascades Lakes Highway.

See map below for details.

The work includes mowing and mastication of brush and small trees. The primary objectives are to help maintain and restore forest and ecosystem health while reducing hazardous fuels loading in the wildland-urban interface.

Removing excess vegetation increases firefighters’ opportunities for success in stopping a wildfire should it start in this area. This work will help to create a forest that is more resilient to fire, insect infestations and disease.

COTA is a 100% donation based non-profit that plans, builds, and maintains 500 miles of singlettrack in Central Oregon. As trail work season kicks off, we want to hear from riders like you! Please take a second to fill out our first annual rider survey. 

We'd appreciate feedback from the entire mountain biking community so we can get a full sense of what is expected of our work. Thank you to all volunteers, members, and trail lovers who make this possible. 

Sections of the Cline Butte trail system are currently closed for eagle nesting. These sections will be closed until August 31st, or until the nest is determined no longer active. Which ever comes first. 

See the map below for details!

Beginning Thursday (03/10/2022),  some trails and roads on the Deschutes National Forest will be closed to all forest users while timber operations continue. 

Trail Closures:

• Lower Whoops
• Pine Drops 
• EXT
• Storm King from FS road 4615 to the junction with Phil's Trail
• Phil's Trail from EXT junction to the junction with Pine Drops, Skyliners, and Upper & Lower Whoops 

Forest Service Road Closures:

• 320
• 322

These closures will be in place on Mondays beginning at 12:00 am  through Fridays until 3:00 pm.

See the map below for reference, and click here for more information. 

Find the full pdf version here. 

For those who don't know, non-system trails are social trails made by individual people that were not approved by the Forest Service. These trails have a significant impact on archeological, geological, and natural resources. It is extremely important to only use designated trails to ensure our wildlife impact is at a minimum. We can only continue to build more trails when our impact is at a minimum! 

COTA's staff, board, and volunteers work tirelessly to maintain and build new trails to enhance the mountain biker experience of Central Oregon. It takes several years to go from a new trail idea, to implementing a building plan, to a new trail ready for use. When non-system trails are created, our resources have to be diverted to closing the social trail, as opposed to working on building more!

Our Executive Director Emmy spoke on the issue with KTVZ News last night, Feb 15th 2022. 
Find the whole video on non-system trails here. 

Our vision is to create a robust and diverse mountain biking experience that will endure for generations. We need your help to make sure that happens by staying off non-system trails, and reporting them to COTA, or USFS. This way, our resources stay focused on creating new trail systems!

Bend and Springfield, Ore. —  Today, the Deschutes and Willamette National Forests announce changes to the Central Cascades Wilderness Permit System.
The changes are designed to improve the permit system following last summer’s first year of implementation. The changes will increase permit opportunities for the public and simplify the permit system.


NEW CHANGES:

• Permit Season from June 15th to October 15th
• Day use permits only available on a rolling basis 
• Most trailheads will have increased quota for day use 
• Overnight permit quota now based on date of entry 
• Overnight permits will be available April 5th, with 60% of permits being available on a 7-day rolling window 
• Hunters can use tag as a valid wilderness permit

Find a full detailed outline here, or view the official USFS press release below. 

Every year Central Oregon Association of Realtors asks our local community members to nominate those who are Building a Better Central Oregon in various categories such as Best Overall Service to the Central Oregon Community, Outstanding Contribution to Youth Achievement, and Best New Recreation Option.  

BBCO's main purpose is to recognize worthy residents who have enhanced their community with outstanding new or renovated residential, commercial or industrial buildings. Projects are judged on economic impact, neighborhood improvement, unique design or use of materials.

Our SoDeCo Chapter (South Deschutes County) earned the Best New Recreation Option by working diligently with the US Forest Service to gain approval for new trails, and then by joining forces with local individuals and businesses in the Sunriver area to design and build over 10 miles of singletrack mountain bike trails. These new trails, complete with informational kiosks, connect the Sunriver area to the Wanoga network of trails near the Cascade Lakes Highway.

Dan Youmans, our SoDeCo Chapter Representative, has been instrumental in making mountain bike trails in the Sunriver and LaPine a reality. He's also excited about adding more trails to the Newberry Crater trail network, and the possibility of extending mountain bike trails from Sunriver to La Pine State Park to the City of La Pine. If you'd like to reach Dan, please email him here.

Building a Better Central Oregon: Best New Recreation Option
COTA South Deschutes County Trails
Central Oregon Trail Alliance
Sunriver, OR

To learn more about other BBCO award winners, click here.

Central Oregon Trail Alliance (COTA) has been awarded a generous grant from the Bend Sustainability Fund to assist us with building the Stinger Trail in the Cascade View trail system near Cline Buttes and Eagle Crest Resort. 

Our Statement of Success: A new trail with beautiful mountain views in a less crowded part of Central Oregon that primarily appeals to mountain bikers but is also open to people on foot and draws locals and visitors to get fit, happy, connect with nature, and experience the beauty of Central Oregon.

The Bend Sustainability Fund invests in projects that protect, steward, and create sustainable recreational resources and outdoor experiences in Bend’s backyard. Their motto, Taking care of the places that take care of us by investing in what makes Bend such a special place, exemplifies their mission perfectly.

COTA's Cascade View Trail Construction project was one of eight projects reviewed by Visit Bend staff and the BSF Advisory Council, presented to the community through the Community Ballot, where they received nearly 1,800 responses in support of these projects, and approved by the Visit Bend Board of Directors.