The addition of a ride like Fuji Mountain Trail in a mountain bike book causes trepidation among Forest Service personnel. They fear that the mountain biker riding a trail adjacent to a designated wilderness area will not be able to resist the temptation of entering it. In some areas of the country even trails near Wilderness are closed to bikes. This is not the case in Lane County. Access to rides such as Fuji Mountain depend on the mountain biker riding responsibly.
See Waldo Lake Highway for directions to the trailhead. The trailhead is 2 miles north of Highway 58. The ride is described as a loop starting at the Mt. Ray trailhead and riding counter-clockwise ending at the Fuji Mountain trailhead. The first 2 miles of the Mt. Ray trail climb nearly 500 feet per mile providing for some tough riding conditions. At 2 miles the trail crosses the South Waldo Trail. This trail, which heads north, and the trail leading west enter the Waldo Lake Wilderness Area. Go left heading south to the Upper Island Lakes. This portion of the ride becomes more casual as the terrain flattens into a lake filled plateau.
At 4.8 miles, the trail comes to another junction. If you are tired now, you may wish to return to your car as the ride progresses from hard to harder.
For those with the stamina to continue, go right (west) .07 miles to the next trail junction. Here you can either ride/push your bike the rest of the way to the summit or you can stash your bike and walk the final 1.3 miles to the summit. Either way, get to the summit because awaiting is a fabulous view of the heart of the Lane County Cascades.
Be careful on the descent; it is steep with many blind corners. This is a popular hiking trail so you are likely to meet hikers along the way. Descend slowly down the 5.5 mile Fuji Mountain Trail to the Waldo Lake Road. Once at the road it is 1.8 miles north to your car. If you are interested in riding single-track back to your car, cross the highway and pick up the Gold Lake Trail running north back to the Mt. Ray trailhead.
Keith Nelson
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