Bishop Ridge Orv Tr272
Overall: 6
Aerobic: 6
Technical: 7
Steepness: 6
Flow: 6
Singletrack: 100%
The Randle Washington Bishop Ridge Trail and portions of Valley Tr270 combine with Blue Lake Rdg Tr271, Hamilton Buttes Tr118, Blue Lake Butte Tr119 or Yozoo Tr276 into several loop and lollipop options.
Type
Loop
Length
Avg: 13.7mi
Ascent
Mt Goat
Elevation Change
TH:1500'
Avg Ascent:4800'
Ascent Incline
16%
Duration
Avg: 3hr
Weather
Forecast
NOAA
popup
USFS
The downside of this entire trail system is that it is shared with ATVs, and is very popular on the weekends during peak summer months, so wait for the Spring melt then maybe try this one out in late July.
Valley Tr270 gets the most ATV use, with the upper 10mi open to quads, so should just be used for access.
The lower Bishop Ridge Tr272 TH is accessed from the Valley Tr270 Horse Creek TH on FR23.
The trail climbs steadily for 3.5mi to a semi open ridge on the south side of Bishop Mountain, with several miles of rocky cliff exposure.
Hamilton Buttes Tr118 ascends through old growth and second growth forests before reaching open fields on top of the butte, with views of Mt. Adams and the Cispus River.
The trail follows the ridge through open meadows, to the intersection with Blue Lake Rdg Tr271 and Yozoo Tr276 near FR78 and FR7807.
Subalpine Yozoo Tr276 parallels FR78 through timber harvest units alongside Timonium Creek before crossing FR78 near Robber Creek, then ascending steadily into the Grouse and Yozoo Creek basins before joining with Bishop Ridge Tr272.
Moderate ride option: Bishop Ridge Tr272 starts with a 3.5mi, 15% ascent (3300' climb), but FR7802 can also provide access to the top of the ridge, eliminating most of the climbing on this ride.
The use of FR7802 also creates several good shuttle options, ending in a downhill ride to one of the Valley Tr270 trailheads.
Starting from the southern Valley Tr270 TH also reduces the climbing effort considerably.
This trail system is large enough that the southern approach is covered on the Valley Tr270 page.
The 14mi option is Bishop Ridge Tr272 to Jumpoff Tr271A to Blue Lake Rdg Tr271 to Valley Tr270 and back to the TH.
The 36mi (10,000' ascent) epic option is Bishop Ridge Tr272 to Blue Lake Rdg Tr271 to the southern Valley Tr270 TH, then Hamilton Buttes Tr118 to either Blue Lake Butte Tr119 or Yozoo Tr276, then backtrack on Bishop Ridge Tr272 to the TH.
Blue Lake Butte Tr119 shortens this loop by 3mi but does not change the elevation gain, since most of the climbing is at the north and south Bishop Ridge TH.
Directions: Go on SR12 to the center of Randle then go south on combined FR23/FR25. Go 1mi then bear left on FR23 and go 12.9mi to the Bishop Ridge TH. The FR7802 TH is accessible from FR22. View Larger Map. No Map?.
Loop Directions
blue yozoo
- TH: From the Horse Creek TH, go south .4mi on Valley Tr270 to Bishop Rdg Tr272 and begin the steep 3mi switchback ascent to the top of the ridge.
- 3.4mi: Reach the top of the ridge then ride undulating terrain to the peak at 5.9mi, just past the Yozoo Tr276 TH.
- 6.6mi: Go right onto Jumpoff Tr271A and descend moderately to the Blue Lk Rdg Tr271 intersection at Blue Lake Creek.
- 7.9mi: Go right onto Blue Lk Rdg Tr271 and descend steeply to Valley Tr270, with the last 2mi descent at a 20% slope.
- 10.5mi: Go right onto Valley Tr270 and return to the TH.
Trail Index
This Ride
Bishop Ridge Trail 272, Blue Lake Ridge Trail 271, Jumpoff Trail 271A, Valley Trail 270, Yozoo Tr276
Area
Blue Lake Butte Trail 119, Boundary Trail 1, Cispus Lookout Trail 127, Dark Meadow Trail 263, Dry Creek Trail 125, East Canyon Ridge Trail 265, Hamilton Buttes Trail 118, Green Mtn Trail 110, High Bridge Trail 293, High Lakes Trail 116, Juniper Ridge Trail 261, Keenes Trail 120, Klickitat Loop Tr7A, Klickitat Trail 7, Pompey Peak Trail 128, Spring Creek Trail 115, Tongue Mtn Trail 294, Wobbly Creek Trail 273
Campgrounds
Adams Fork Campground, Blue Lake Creek Campground, Cat Creek Campground, North Fork Cispus Campground, North Fork Group Campground, Spring Creek Campground
Trail Rankings
Ranking consistently applied to all of the listed trails.
- Overall Rating: Ride quality and challenge
- Aerobic: Ascent challenge
- Technical Difficulty: Terrain challenge
- Steepness: Average incline
- Flow: Uninterrupted riding
- Elevation Change: Total elevation gain
- Ride Difficulty: Terrain challenge
