A new mountain bike trail complex featuring 30 miles of trails is being proposed for south Tillamook County, just north of Whalen Island. The Tillamook Off Road Trail Alliance (TORTA) is leading the project, which aims to provide a diverse range of biking opportunities in the area.
Ron Baker, the secretary of TORTA, presented the group’s vision to the Tillamook County Board of Commissioners during their July 24 meeting. He outlined TORTA’s past accomplishments, including the completion of a 1.2-mile bike path in Pacific City and ongoing efforts to expand biking skills for young people in partnership with the Nestucca Valley School District.
Since its formation in 2016, TORTA has been dedicated to enhancing local biking infrastructure. They recently awarded the Nestucca Valley School District a $10,000 grant, enabling a staff member to receive specialized training in teaching students to ride. This initiative allows students to start learning to ride without pedals in kindergarten or first grade, progressing to riding with pedals by fourth or fifth grade.
TORTA’s efforts extend beyond just training. The group has also collaborated with the school district to build a skills park for students behind the elementary school and is planning to construct a pump track—a track that can be navigated without pedaling—behind the school. Additionally, they aim to establish a link from the school to Cloverdale through private timber lands.
Baker highlighted the lack of suitable mountain biking facilities in Tillamook County, noting that current options are limited to either beginner-level skills parks or an expert-level trail near Gales Creek, with nothing in between. To address this gap, TORTA has partnered with the United States Forest Service to develop a comprehensive trail system on forest service land located a quarter mile north of Whalen Island, east of Sandlake Road.
While the plan is still in its early stages, TORTA envisions building the trail complex in phases, eventually offering trails suitable for all skill levels. The project has already secured $270,000 in grant funding, with $200,000 from the state’s recreational trails program and $70,000 from the county’s transient lodging tax.
As TORTA continues to collaborate with the Forest Service on an operation and management plan, Baker emphasized the group’s cautious approach. They are proceeding deliberately to address concerns from nearby residents about potential overcrowding, with the goal of making the project a long-lasting asset for the community.
related topics:
