Wanoga Fat Tire Snow Bike Trails Formally Added to the FS Winter Trail System

We’re thrilled to announce that after years of advocating for winter fat bike trails out of the Wanoga Snow-park, the project has moved from a trial basis to permanent status at the Forest Service.

​COTA board members Bruce Schroeder and Woody Keen, along with our very own Winter Trails Coordinator, Gary Meyer, have been instrumental in getting this project through the system.

The USFS final decision is as follows:

​‘After an interdisciplinary team review and scoping, I (Kevin Larkin) have decided to implement the following actions:

• Incorporating approximately 1 mile of snowshoe trail and 2 miles of ski trails into the FS winter trails system for non-motorized, multi-use.

• Incorporating 6.7 miles of fat tire snow bike trails into the Forest Service winter trails system for non-motorized, multi-use.

• Grooming ski trails when sufficient snow is present to a width of approx 10-12 ft or 15 ft in open areas using a 6 ft wide implement towed behind a snowmobile.

• Grooming fat tire snow bike trails when sufficient snow is present to a width of approx 6 ft using a 3 ft wide roller towed behind a snowmobile.

​• Installing a metal donation tube (“Iron Ranger”) in the Wanoga Sno-park parking lot along with additional signage at the trailhead. Donations will go to COTA to support grooming and maintenance activities.'

We sincerely thank Bruce, Woody and Gary for their dedication to this project, Kevin Larkin, Forest Service District Manager, and Lauren DuRocher, NEPA Planner for the Bend Forest Service office.

To read the complete decision memo from by the local USFS’s Deschutes Nat’l Forest District Ranger, Mr. Kevin Larkin, click here. 

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