One of the finest recent additions to the Redding area’s trail inventory is the 16-mile trail system developed during the last few years at the Swasey Recreation Area. Located on Bureau of Land Management holdings roughly 4 miles west of Redding, the Swasey trail system has become a hot spot among mountain bikers, equestrians, trail runners and hikers.
Now, the Swasey trail system is about to host its first major organized event, the Blazing Saddles Mountain Bike Race Series. The first-year event is scheduled for five consecutive Thursday evenings starting on May 21 and concluding June 18. Registration starts at 5 p.m. each day, and pedals starting cranking at 6 o’clock.
The new mountain bike series is an ideal way to feature a trail system that truly has something for everybody: Grinding climbs, rapid descents, gently rolling hills, gnarly single track, wide dirt roads, a few minor creek crossings and – if you take the time – fantastic views of Lassen Peak.
“We ride all the trails out there,” says Therese Conner, a member of the Shasta Orienteering and Adventure Racing team and a Blazing Saddles organizer. “We love those trails a lot, and we thought it would be good to let other people experience them.”
I live near the Swasey Recreation Area, which was little more than a handful of dead-end dirt roads and a few very rough horse trails when I first started heading over there about seven years ago. Most of the users at that time were target shooters at the range and hunters. Since then, the BLM – with yeoman assistance from the California Conservation Corps, the local mountain biking community and others – has built not only a sweet collection of trails, but a crucial trail link to Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, which abuts the Swasey property. Nowadays, the shooting range is usually quiet (it’s due to close next year), and I seldom see hunters. Instead, I encounter people on horseback, foot and bicycle, often with dogs in tow. It’s not unusual to see a dozen cars in the main parking lot.
“It’s very close in to a lot of people,” Bill Kuntz, the Redding BLM office’s supervising outdoor recreation planner says of the Swasey system. “There’s a large population of folks who are that clientele out there – a lot of folks out there with horses and mountain bikes.”
Trail planners and builders had quite a bit to work with, as old mining roads and old water ditches cross the property, Kuntz explains. Pay attention and you’ll see remnants of the area’s mining history. You’ll also find several strategically placed picnic tables, and from February until about this time of year, glorious wildflower displays. Wildlife is plentiful, too: I’ve seen bear, fox, coyote, deer, bobcat, several species of snake, wild turkey, quail and more.
The BLM’s long-range plan is to connect the Swasey area with a new trail over Mule Mountain and down to Clear Creek, according to Kuntz. There is also discussion of an official trail connection to the Westside Trails above Mary Lake. (Yes, a connector trail already exists, but it crosses private property, and some of the property owners are not appreciative.)
The near-term plan is for dozens of mountain bikers to enjoy the Swasey trails on Thursday evenings. The Blazing Saddles series will offer a 10-mile course for expert and sport riders, and a gentler 5.5-mile loop for beginners. The crux of the longer course is a long climb up the Escalator Trail, followed by a how-fast-do-I-dare-take-this descent of the more technical Mule Mountain Trail -– although Conner promises to reverse the direction of travel at least once during the series.
“The beginner course is a true beginner course,” Conner adds. “If you have any amount of fitness and skill, you’re just going to fly on that course. If you’re not a true beginner, you’re not going to want to ride the beginner course.”
Conner, an operating room nurse at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Red Bluff, and co-organizer Tracy Evans, a childcare provider a SOAR teammate, promise a “festival-like” atmosphere,” with homemade food, music, prizes and raffles each week. Organizers will hand out series-long awards on the final night. Conner makes no apologies for grabbing every good idea she could steal from the Shasta Race Series, the thriving wintertime cyclecross series. The weekly fee is $20, or you can register for the whole series for $80.
To reach the Swasey Recreation Area from Redding, head west out of town on Placer Road. About 3 1/2 miles past Buenaventura, you’ll see Grant School at the corner of Placer and Swasey Drive. Turn right on Swasey and head north nearly a mile. The recreation area entrance is on the left, across from the Straight Arrow Bow Hunters’ range. There is a pit toilet in the front parking lot, but no water.
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Kudos to Penguin Paddlers, The Bike Shop and others who helped produce Human-Powered Sports Day at Whiskeytown last Sunday. Hundreds of people took advantage of the opportunity to test kayaks and bicycles, chat with representatives of local outdoor and fitness organizations, and collect free schwag. I was lucky enough to spend half an hour in the saddle of a Gary Fisher Roscoe I mountain bike, which confirmed the inadequacy of my existing ride. <
And congrats to the approximately 85 people who competed in the Whiskeytown Off-Road Duathlon the previous day. Dave Hackett of Davis won the men’s solo event, covering the 14-mile run-ride-run course in 1:20:03. SOAR team member Stephanie Ksenzulak was the top female finisher.
Paul Shigley has plenty of room for a new dual suspension mountain bike in his garage in Centerville. You may reach him at paulshigley@sbcglobal.net.
