Typically, I wouldn’t start an article about one mountain bike destination by talking about a different mountain bike destination. But I would be hard-pressed not to mention Ashland when discussing Southern Oregon mountain biking destinations.
However, ever since my last trip to Southern Oregon, I’ve found a new destination that I’ll happily choose over Ashland for future trips. It’s close, it’s a bit cheaper, has year-round riding, and a few centralized trail systems of its own.
I’m talking about a little place called Grants Pass, Oregon.
I’m staying in Grants Pass from now on…
Now, don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love Ashland. The town is funky, there is a lot of good food and beer, and the riding is phenomenal. Whenever I get the chance to head south (I live in Bend, Oregon) to ride the Ashland Watershed, I jump on it.
But, from now on, I’m staying in Grants Pass. Let me explain.
Grants Pass is a small town in Southern Oregon, roughly 45 minutes north of Ashland on I-5. The city sits in the Rogue River Valley, with Oregon’s Cascade and Coastal mountain ranges rising to the east and west.
As you can imagine, this creates excellent opportunities for mountain biking and other outdoor recreation. And, like so many other small communities around the country, Grants Pass is tapping into the recreation/tourism vein. The town now has three solid trail systems, and, as I already mentioned, is less than an hour away from the riding in Ashland.
One of those trail systems is brand-new, and the reason for my recent visit to Grants Pass. Dollar Mountain is roughly 1,200 acres just northwest of downtown. The trail system boasts nearly 1,000 feet of steep elevation and currently has around 12 miles of purpose-built trails.
With the opening of the new Dollar Mountain Trail System, Visit Grants Pass invited my family and me to visit. They partnered with the Redwood Garden Inn to host us, conveniently located in the heart of downtown Grants Pass, and within pedaling distance from Dollar Mountain. This refurbished motel offers single rooms, larger suites, and entire apartments, and is mountain bike-friendly.
Aside from being able to ride my bike to the trailhead, we were also able to walk from the Redwood Garden Inn to downtown’s breweries, cafes, and shops. The city is super accessible, with far less traffic than places like Ashland. And, if I’m not mistaken, when comparing prices in Grants Pass to times I’ve been in Ashland, it was also a touch cheaper to stay, eat, drink, and be merry in Grants Pass than its neighbor to the south.
And eat and drink (but mostly eat) we did. Visit Grants Pass was kind enough to set us up at some local spots like The Haul and Ma Mosa’s. Great burgers and beer at the former, phenomenal breakfast/brunch at the latter.
So, in the future, Grants Pass, and likely the Redwood Garden Inn, will be my home base for Southern Oregon adventures. Likely, I’d get away for a day spent riding and exploring Ashland, but the rest of my time would be in Grants Pass. Between the Mountain of the Rogue Trail System, Cathedral Hills, and the newly opened Dollar Mountain Trail System, several days can easily be spent on two wheels in Grants Pass.
Dollar Mountain is Good and Can Only Get Better
The Dollar Mountain Trail System stretches roughly 1,200 acres just northwest of downtown Grants Pass. Currently, Dollar Mountain boasts 12 miles of purpose-built singletrack, including a handful of directional, DH-only trails. While the entire system is open to hikers and joggers, these descending-only trails look to be just that—mountain bike descending only.
Dollar Mountain had some of the most unique soil I’ve ridden, and it was very unlike the dirt at the nearby Mountain of the Rogue Trail System. If you’ve heard the expression “kitty litter,” you’ll know what I’m talking about. The soil here is essentially pulverized granite that is both loose and provides an incredible amount of grip. The first few laps can be tricky, but after you get the hang of it, there is quite a bit of traction in the soil.
Our weekend in Grants Pass fell as fall came to an end and winter began to set in. This meant light rain mixed with heavy fog in the Rogue River Valley, creating a spooky mood and providing excellent trail conditions. The terrain is relatively steep and rugged, with a good mix of fast, flowy descents and a fair amount of chunk.
The climbing at Dollar Mountain is pretty straightforward. Any trail you cannot climb (DH only) is clearly marked, and all others can be ridden in either direction and will (likely) take you to the top. That said, there are quite a few existing social trails that cut across the mountain, and can make some junctions and areas a bit confusing. However, I found that if I just stuck to what appeared to be the main route, ten out of ten times, I found my way.
From where I started my day at the B Street Trailhead, the climb was just under 800 feet of elevation in about one and a quarter miles. This is the most direct route, but it’s a bit of a slog. Other climbs are more manageable, but double the distance as they meander more, cutting switchbacks back and forth to keep an easier grade.
While I explored nearly all of the 12 miles currently offered at Dollar Mountain, it was challenging to keep away from three tracks in particular. And, as you might guess, they were all the DH-only options of the mountain.
First was a flow trail called Down the Drain. Cutting half a mile and dropping 300 feet, the intermediate trail was fast with wallride-esque berms. It has several fairly forgiving tabletop jumps, but the real magic was in the trail doubles I began to spot and pull for. What might just look like two rollers can be linked together at higher speeds, kicking the trail up from a very manageable blue to something a bit spicier.
Fist Full of Dollars has numbers very similar to Down the Drain, but at a more advanced, black diamond level. This trail dropped off the opposite side of the mountain, and earned its advanced rating—higher speeds, off-camber sections, flat corners, and tricky root sections. Again, it was fun to find different gaps to pull for on Fist Full of Dollars, along with some of the mandatory doubles in the trail.
However, the trail I rode most and the one that was easily Dollar Mountain’s best is a little double-black offering called Debt Collector. Dropping nearly 400 feet in less than half a mile, Debt Collector is steep and loose, transitioning from high-speed, steep chutes to slower, technical descending, and then back again. The trail cuts through large boulder fields, offering different line choices, including some drops and a couple of jumps.
Best of all, Debt Collector runs into the end of Down the Drain, so you get some intermediate flow after hanging on for dear life. And, after a few hours at Dollar Mountain, I pedaled down and met my family at Growler Guys Taphouse for pizza and a beer before heading back up.
Other Grants Pass Trail Systems
The addition of Dollar Mountain easily establishes Grants Pass as a Southern Oregon mountain bike destination. You can easily spend a day at Dollar Mountain, maybe two, and at least a day at each of the other trail systems in Grants Pass.
Cathedral Hill is on the south end of town. While it is a bit further out than Dollar Mountain, you could still pedal to the trailhead. This trailsystem lends itself to intermediate riders, as it has roughly half the elevation and a good mix of greens and blues. The more advanced trails are in the middle of the trail system and tend to be quicker descents.
Likely the most well-known trail system in the area is the Mountain of the Rogue, just outside Grants Pass. From our room at Redwood Garden Inn, I drove to the trailhead in less than 10 minutes. Here, the climbs are longer, as are the descents—around three and a half miles each.
At the Mountain of the Rogue, everything is chunky and technical. The descending isn’t particularly steep, aside from some sections of the double black trail dubbed “No Joke” (appropriate name). However, the trails are bench-cut and narrow, with significant exposure in some parts. And there are quite a few technical maneuvers, be it over rock or roots, so line choice and bike-handling skills are a must.
Basically, these are pure enduro-style trails, and they are spectacular.
Add in a day down in Ashland, and I could easily see staying a long weekend—maybe even a week—in Grants Pass, riding the trails.
Year-Round Riding
Grants Pass has another allure that will pull riders like me to its trails. At the Mountain of the Rogue Trail System, the highest elevation is roughly 2,500 feet. At Dollar Mountain, the highest point is about 1,800 feet, and Cathedral Hills is 300 feet lower.
Due to its lower elevation and location in the Rogue River Valley, Grants Pass just doesn’t get a lot of snow. Sometimes none. In chatting with locals, they told me that when it snows, it might stick around for a day or so. It melts, then it is back to riding.
In fact, winter might be one of the best times to head to Grants Pass. The trails and city aren’t crowded, there is moisture in the dirt, and there aren’t triple-digit temperatures every day.
Yes, I’d head there in the summer, but don’t sleep on “off-season” destinations if you’re considering. In Grants Pass, there doesn’t seem to be an off-season.
I tip my hat to the trail builders for these descents, especially Debt Collector, which was phenomenal. Simply put, Dollar Mountain is a solid trail system. But this is only the beginning. The city of Grants Pass hopes to double the mileage at Dollar Mountain in the coming years.
Thanks again to Visit Grants Pass and the Redwood Garden Inn for hosting us. I’m looking forward to heading back!