Review Date
September 24, 2011

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 4 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 2 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Reviewed by: mtbmc82 ,  Weekend Warrior

Summary:
Fun and fast ST. Nothing technical with the exception of a few tight switchbacks on some of the trails. However, bring your legs and lungs if you plan to experience what this trail system has to offer. The best trails in Missoula will be found in this area. I give these trails 5 flaming chilis not because any one of them is a 5 flaming chili trail, but they are all mostly 4 flaming trails, and when you can link together miles upon miles of 4 flaming chili trails the entire area is worthy of 5 flaming chilis. Aerobic difficulty I give a 4. If you follow my recommended route it is probably a 3 or 4 (as I beleive I've found the easiest way to the top). If you decide to climb the wrong trails though, you are easily looking at 5 flaming chilis.

Recommended Route:
If you've never ridden here grab a map (they are free at the trailhead). There are lot's of junctions out there. The easiest way I've found to the top is to ride out on the gravel road/trail along the creek. Bear left at juction B, left again at J. Take a left at junction T when the trail deadends. This short climb takes you out of Curry Gulch and over to Sawmill Gulch. Take a right at the end of that trail (not sure if it is posted but I think it's par of junction R). Stay right at all jujctions until you reach junciton M and go left. At the end of this trail you can turn left and choose your descent, or turn right and continue up. I reccomend turning left and bombing down 24.3 and looping back up, or bombing down 24.6 (my personal fav), or riding the fenceline all the way back down for a more mellow, varied terrain descent. And as previously stated the 24.2 trail that connects the parking lots is not to be missed. If you miss it your a sucker.

Oh yeah, do the woods gulch side too. So many good trails up there. Too many to even recommend a route. I like to access them from the Marshall Mountain side via FS roads though (much easier climbing).

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Pattee Canyon, Blue Mountain, Snow Bowl

Review Date
November 16, 2009

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 4 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Reviewed by: Mtn_times ,  Cross Country Rider

Recommended Route:
Silly geese - don't ride up Sawmill's sweet single track - ride down it. Ride up the kelly hump pocked Spring gulch trail - at the top, you have about 4 options for a descent, a few of which can extend the ride a bit if you head right around the top of the sawmill drainage, and come out the opposite side. Otherwise, choose the singletrack downhill, and be sure not to miss the singletrack that goes from the Sawmill parking lot to the main Ratt lot.

And while you're at it, ride to the trailhead - there's trail most of the way from the bottom of the Snake.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Woods gulch area via trail in corner of Aspen drive.

Review Date
July 19, 2009

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 4 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Ridden Once

Reviewed by: kayakjamie ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
Lots of mellow single track that have been cut on old logging roads. Less challenging than we were expecting. It was very easy on our tandem.

Recommended Route:
Head up sawmill gulch on the single track out the parking lot up the hill from the parking lot. We did a good loop up 108T to 24.1T then down 29.1T

Review Date
January 10, 2008

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 5 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Reviewed by: M_S ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
Nice area. You can ride from the University or Downtown along rattlesnake Drive. About 3 miles along the road yuo can cut through the suburbs on your right and take a fun trail that follows the creek up to the main trailhead. Area is not very technical but is STEEP and rather rocky.

Recommended Route:
If you just want an easy cruise you can take the main FS road straight ahead. You can only go about 13 miles, howwever, until you hit the Wilderness area, where bikes are not allowed.

Otherwise the best route is to head into sawmill gulch. This is mostly widish track for a few miles, and it gets STEEP. Volunteers recently cut switchbacks next to what used to be a climb of death, but the tread there as of now is very loose. Honestly the fastest way may be to hike your bike up the last half mile. After that the trails sort of meander around in the hills for a ways. Because of the climbing this can be an all day ride even if you don't go much more than 20 miles.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Patte Canyon/mount sentinel can be a good loop for a 'cross bike or 29er, starting with a road and FS road climb, and descent on gravel roads and singletrack.