Most forest roads do not receive heavy vehicular travel in comparison to streets and highways. Even on a holiday weekend, an encounter with a dozen vehicles on a 20 mile ride within the forest would be unusual. Greenie Peak and Trail Canyon in the areas around Red River are the only exception; ATV and jeep traffic is heavy in those areas.If you are interested in staying away from areas where vehicles are permitted, check the Carson Travel Guide and Map available at any Forest Service Office. Road Grades. Forest roads are generally less steep than forest trails. For beginner and intermediate bikers, forest roads are easier to ride than trails.
Road Surface
Road or trail surfaces can change instantly from rocks to sand, rutted to smooth, wet spots to dust. Please be cautious with speed; surface conditions change depending on the weather. Drought or rain can turn a beginner trail into an expert trail.Forest Trails
Some trails receive considerable horseback and foot travel. Please be considerate when overtaking these visitors.Trail Grades
Trail Grades are generally much steeper, often greater than 10%. Trails are generally for more advanced mountain cyclists.Trail System
Trails are indicated by the single dashed line on the map. Some trails are old roads which have been closed to motorized use; these trails are easier to negotiate.Degree of Difficulty
The "degree of difficulty" is in the eye of the beholder. A route noted as intermediate may appear expert to a beginning cyclist or easy to an expert cyclist. In addition , the route may contain variable surface conditions. During drought, the road can be quite dusty and traction difficult. Freshly graded forest roads have many small rocks on the surfaces of steep slopes - even expert cyclists may have to walk on these stretches. Thus, route conditions can turn a beginner route into an expert route.Even beginner routes require the cyclist to be in reasonably good condition and acclimated to the high elevation. You will be the best judge of difficulty; these ratings are just one persons opinion.
(Information courtesy of U.S. Forest Service.)
