Fall is Truckee-Tahoe’s relaxed season. Nature and the town itself let out a sigh and a peacefulness sets in. While evenings are cool, afternoons are still warm with temperatures averaging mid-70’s in September to 60’s in October. It’s the perfect time to go for a mountain bike or gravel bike tour of the Sierra. And with the aspens beginning to “bloom” their fall colors and festivals such as Oktoberfest kicking off, you have no reason not to visit Truckee-Tahoe this time of year.
Truckee-Tahoe Singletrack Report
Find out what conditions are like and which trails are firing before your ride! Listen to the weekly singletrack report from 101.5 Truckee Tahoe Radio, our local station, for the latest update on trail conditions.
Donner Lake Rim Trail
Distance: Up to 15+ miles one-way / Climbing Varies
MTB Project (Castle Valley Segment | Northwood Blvd Segment) | Trailforks
Throughout your journey on the Donner Lake Rim Trail (DLRT), you’ll find stunning views of Donner Lake, Mount Rose, and the Pacific Crest. For mountain bikers, this well built singletrack is normally done as a shuttle starting at the Castle Valley trailhead and enjoying the primarily downhill descent to the Wendin Way Trailhead. This section features a beautiful granite garden to tackle. For gravel grinding with less rough terrain yet still challenging, consider trying the Northwoods Blvd Segment as an out-and-back ride.
Sawtooth Trails
Sawtooth is an extensive trail network with a huge variety of mountain bike, e-bike, and gravel riding trails to choose from. There’s even an all-inclusive loop, the Compass Skills Loop, that is suitable for adaptive riders and great for kiddos or beginners looking to work on riding skills. Take a relaxed gravel ride down the forest road, do a couple laps on Happy Face, enjoy a chill cruise on Gentle Jeffrey. There are plenty of options for all riders, and many ways to connect Sawtooth trails for a longer ride.
Commemorative Overland Emigrant Trail
Distance: Up to 15 miles one-way / 900’ Climbing
Not a gravel road but 100% singletrack adventure. A perfect introduction to gravel grinding off the road or a great spot for a flowy, beginner-friendly mountain bike ride. Expect lots of smooth rolling singletrack, short but punchy climbs, swoopy turns, and drops to practice not braking. You’ll find lovely meadows, pine forests, and a lake at the far end. And as much distance as you can handle.
Flume Trail
Distance: Up to 14 miles one-way / 1,100’ Climbing
Part gravel road, a healthy dose of singletrack, and a day filled with some of the best bird’s-eye views of Lake Tahoe, the Flume should be on everyone’s bucket list. Words don’t do it justice and pictures only provide an inkling of what you’ll see. It isn’t until you see it for yourself will you understand. While you can do it quickly, you’ll want to set aside a full day to ensure you have enough time to really appreciate the views. There are a variety of ways to ride the Flume Trail but most do it by taking a shuttle from Flume Trail Bikes. And that option still has 1,100’ of climbing. Here’s a close look of what to expect for each mile of the Flume Trail.
Prosser And Stampede Reservoirs / Henness Pass
Distance: 51.4 Miles / 3,086’ Climbing
The best part about gravel riding in Truckee is you can start in town and create a loop of your own. The amount of fire roads, old gravel highway passes, and singletrack all connect in an infinite amount of ways. A good example of this is this Truckee Gravel Tour. Starting from town, it takes the bike paths to Dog Valley Road which becomes a gravel road. It then connects multiple gravel roads that undulate through the Sierra and give you a gravel bike tour around both Stampede and Prosser Reservoirs. While there is 3,000+ feet of climbing, it's spread across the entire length with none exceeding 3.6%.
Fire Roads, Trails, and Plenty Of Scenery
While Truckee-Tahoe is widely known as a mountain biking mecca, it’s also home to endless gravel riding. Gravel riding in its soul is about riding everything. Focusing on taking the less traveled paths which include gravel roads, singletrack, and even a few sections of smooth pavement. Truckee has endless options from short quick outings to multi-day gravel bike tours. To learn more about other routes, our local bike shops, and how to get started, explore our Gravel Grinding page.
