Mountain Biking Comlara Park- Northern (Hillside) Trails

Another part of Comlara's mountain biking trail system includes "Hillside" which is considered by most to be the "downhill" section of the CORBA trails. To get to Hillside, you have 3 main options: 1- park at the main trailhead that starts you at trail #4 and ride the single track from trail 4 to trail 1. Trail 1 ends at Evergreen Lake Road (Route 8) and then you simply cross the road and you are at the trailhead for Hillside. Option 2 is to ride the road from the main trailhead to the Hillside trailhead. And Option 3 is to park on the side of the road next to the Hillside trailhead. I normally go with option 1 because the Hillside trails aren't very long and I like to stretch my ride out by doing the southern trails first. 

Bovine Trailhead

There are 3-4 main parts of Hillside depending on how you interpret the map. The first part you gain access to once you cross Evergreen Lake Road is called Bovine. You can take Bovine either to the left or the right, and each of these directions will lead you downhill. However, if you take the trail to the left, there is a section that is fairly steep and has three different jumps on it. This part is considered part of the "downhill" course. Once you reach the bottom of the Bovine trail, there is a small stretch of double track that will lead you to the back side of Hillside that is more heavily wooded and technical. This part of the trail is called Downhill and it as some very steep and narrow single track. There are also a few stunts along the Downhill trail such as platforms, long ramps, jumps and a teeter totter. Downhill eventually leads to a trail called Prelude. This trail is very narrow and is carved into the side of a hill so it can seem a little sketchy at first. You may want to take it slower than usual on the first try to avoid sliding off the side of the hill.

Back side of Hillside and Prelude trail

Pros of Comlara Hillside Trails:

- fun alternative to the flatter southern trails

- great place to test your downhill skills with jumps and stunts

- very pretty area with lots of trees

- varied level of difficulty among trails

- good for bikers who really love to climb and then descend at the speed of light

- different kinds of stunts compared to the stunt course in the southern trail system

Cons of Comlara Hillside Trails:

- they are not very long so you may have to repeat them a few times for a longer workout

- some parts of the Bovine trail are grassy with deep ruts that are easy to get stuck in

- the Prelude section of the trail can be a little dangerous for new riders with narrow, slanted trails and steep drop offs 

For more information about the whole Comlara Mountain Bike trail system, visit CORBA's website at: http://comlaramtb.com/

Here you can find maps of their trails, as well as information about the CORBA club, group rides, races, events, other clubs in the area and much, much more!