Reviewed by: neil , from Bend

Summary:
FWIW, the section of this trail that encroached into the Three Sisters Wilderness was relocated before 1999. BTW, has anyone ever ridin to the summit of Cultus Mtn?

Recommended Route:
paper

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Gray Butte

Reviewed by: Schralper , from Sunriver, OR

Summary:
Avoid on weekends. Ride Lemish or Charlton lake loops instead. As with all the trails on the eastside, they are best during or right after a nice rain. Traction and no dust.
Cultus and little cultus lakes are real nice for a post ride dip.

Recommended Route:
Park off end of rd. 4635, just past lodge, near t.h. Ride the as an out and back, from Cultus lake. It's only 8.5 miles one way. This way you avoid the gravel road. Why would you wanna ride gravel when you can ride singletrack?

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Lemish/ Charlton loop

Reviewed by: jack rawlins , from chico, ca

Summary:
I love Bend trails, and this trail especially. After the gravel road it loafs through pretty woods past two pristine lakes ripe for picnicking, then wanders over to Cultus lake for a classic Bend-area roller coaster. Nothing technical--you can roll the entire trail--but very fun--fast, smooth, interesting, constantly changing. No climbing worth mentioning. Concerning the reviewer who slammed the crowds: I've ridden the trail twice, both times on weekdays in late June, and saw between three and ten humans on the entire loop. Most of the trail users are walkers coming from the campground, which is the last three miles of the ST if you're doing it my way. The people at Cultus Lake Resort are friendly, and the burgers and shakes are great--drop in wearing your bike jersey so they know that mountain biking brings them money. Two serpents in this paradise: 1) the mosquitos can be hell--I had planned to do lunch at one of the lakes, and instead I never put a foot down the entire way. I asked the locals if the skeeters were particularly bad (in June) and they told me they got worse later in the year. 2) The forests are being killed off by some beetle infestation, so the scenery isn't what it used to be--smell of death, anyone?

Recommended Route:
Park near the Cultus Lake Resort, along the road, and ride the loop clockwise, for two reasons: 1) clockwise puts the dull and boring gravel road at the start, when you're warming up, and 2) if you go the other way the one significant downhill becomes the one significant uphill.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Sisters Long Loop, Deschutes Trail, Phil's, Swede Ridge

Reviewed by: D , from Portland

Summary:
To offer some advice, do not go on a weekend. This area is potentially beautiful, but with hundreds of boats, jet skis, cars flying down dusty dirt roads, and screaming campground kids, it's like Oregon's own Wally World. If you are looking for a pristine area to enjoy some solitude, stay away. The trail is about 5 miles of road (gravel, paved and logging) then about 6 miles of nice single track. It really is a nice area, but heavily used. I even got chased by a trailer dog that looked just like Snots from National Lampoon's Xmas Vacation! Good luck.

Recommended Route:
Route is accurate.

Reviewed by: Astro , from Salem,OR

Summary:
This trail is mostly level and fairly short. It'd be a good trail for someone who is just getting into mountainbiking. The trail follows the lake through fairly small timber. The tread is fairly smooth with some spots of exposed roots and rock. It can be very windy on Cultus Lk so if the weather is poor, be prepared for the temperature to be cooler than you expect. There is a lodge at Cultus Lk with a resturaunt and small store.

Recommended Route:
I'd recomend parking at the day use area at Cultus lake off of Century Drive and heading due north though the campground to the trail-head. (This will make it very easy to find the head of the trail.) You could do an out and back on the trail, or if you would rather do a loop, continue on past Deer lake to Little Cultus and follow the dirt roads back to the paved road into Cultus. Just keep turning to the left and you'll hit it. Heading the reverse route will allow you to finish with the single track, but you'll just have to make sure you turn right just before Little Cultus to hit the trail at Deer Lake.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
This trail can be part of a much longer loop by turning right at Little Cultus and heading up to Waldo Lk. with both a dirt road or a trail option.