more stats
2.1 miles
Distance
307 ft
Climb
-503 ft
Descent
00:19:51
Avg time
-197 ft
Altitude change
3,425 ft
Altitude min
3,754 ft
Altitude max
3,622 ft
Altitude start
3,425 ft
Altitude end
-1.8%
Grade
-28.6%
Grade max
34.2%
Grade min
3,435 ft
Distance climb
1 mile
Distance down
1,457 ft
Distance flat
00:19:51
Avg time

Cedar Ridge (Upper) Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Winter Fat Bike
    • Horse
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
    • Snowshoe
  • Riding Area
    Cedar Flats
    Columbia Falls, Montana
  • Ref Number
    FS38
  • Difficulty Rating
    Blue Rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Blue (2 votes)
  • Local Popularity
    95 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 95 in Trail Running
    • 90 in Hiking
    • 5 in Horseback
    • 5 in Snowshoeing
  • Global Ranking
    #5534 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #1037 in Trail Running
    • #4136 in Hiking
  • Hiking SAC Scale
    T2 Mountain Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Snow Grooming
    Backcountry
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC, Fat
  • Direction
    Both Directions
  • Climb Difficulty
    Blue
  • Physical Rating
    Hard
  • Trail Visibility
    Always easy to follow
  • Season
    Summer, fall, winter, spring
  • Family Friendly
    Yes
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    No
  • TTFs on Trail
    Berm
  • Year Opened
    2023
  • Land Owner
    Flathead National Forest

The term "earn your turns" definitely applies to this trail. If climbing is your jam, ride this trail counterclockwise. If you want to take full advantage of the fast and flowy features that this TerraFlow machine built trail has to offer, ride it clockwise. If ridden clockwise, there will be a couple of pitches that you are going to encounter. These pitches are short in length and strong riders will be able to gut it out and get up them, but some may find themselves doing the ole hike-a-bike. Whatever method you choose to get up these pitches know that, if ridden clockwise, you will soon be rewarded with a fast, flowy, downhill rip that will have you grinning from ear to ear as you serpentine your way down the hill.

Trail Supporters
Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 1 rides
  • 11 miles average
6 Months
  • 90 rides
  • 12 miles avg distance
All
  • 374 rides
  • Last: Sep 5, 2026
update trails status or condition

Cedar Ridge (Upper) Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Mar 28, 2026 @ 9:24am (America/Denver)
Mar 28, 2026
May 16, 2025 @ 3:42pm
May 16, 2025
 Excellent as usual. Thanks to Gateway to Glacier! We are very fortunate to have this trail system in the area, and it is soon to be expanded! Be...
Apr 5, 2025 @ 1:11pm
Apr 5, 2025
 The switchbacks are good for this time of year, the fire road in the North side of the ridge has some snow from early in the week that has not melted.
Mar 29, 2025 @ 1:44pm
Mar 29, 2025
One root ball partially blocking trail in Upper 1/3. Otherwise clear he mindful the soil is slow and soft but not muddy by any means.
Sep 22, 2024 @ 3:11pm
Sep 22, 2024
 Logging operations have concluded, the machinery has moved off the site, the trail is now open so go outside and ride your bikes!
more »
Status:
on Mar 28, 2026
Ideal
Avg: 3.91 (7 votes)
Your vote: 0

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Trail Conditions
  • Unknown
  • Snow Groomed
  • Snow Packed
  • Snow Covered
  • Snow Cover Partial
  • Freeze/thaw Cycle
  • Icy
  • Prevalent Mud
  • Wet
  • Variable
  • Ideal
  • Dry
  • Very Dry
Trail Flow (Ridden Direction)
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The colour categories are based on what percentage of users are riding a trail in its intended direction.
  • > 96%
  • > 90%
  • > 80%
  • > 70%
  • > 50%
  • < 50%
  • bi-directional trail
  • no data
Trail Last Used
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  • < 2 days
  • < 1 week
  • < 2 weeks
  • < 1 month
  • < 6 months
  • > 6 months
Trail Ridden Direction
The intended direction a trail should be ridden.
  • Downhill Only
  • Downhill Primary
  • Both Directions
  • Uphill Primary
  • Uphill Only
  • One Direction
Contribute Details
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  • Description
  • Photos
  • Description & Photos
  • Videos
Trail Popularity ?
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BC Backroad Status

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Slope Aspect
Direction the slope faces
Flat N NE E SE S SW W NW
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        Directions to cedar-ridge-upper trailhead (48.431840, -114.183890)
        View on Discover Map

        Photos

        26 more »
        mtb
        61 |
        Aug 17, 2026 @ 7:47pm
        Aug 17, 2026
        mtb
        88 |
        Jun 16, 2024 @ 6:53pm
        Jun 16, 2024
        mtb
        108 |
        Oct 11, 2023 @ 9:02am
        Oct 11, 2023
        mtb
        102 |
        Oct 11, 2023 @ 9:00am
        Oct 11, 2023

        Videos

        1 more »
        Cedar Ridge Arial Shot
        mtb
        0:20 | 98 | Oct 11, 2023 , Columbia Falls

        Technical Trail Features (TTF)

        Routes with this trail

        79
        Cedar Flats Enduro Featured
        ★ 4.0 • 12 miles • 1,319 ft • 16 • Loop •
        This is a route that gives you a comprehensive tour of all the elements of the Cedar Flats riding complex....

        Links

        4.0 ★★★★★
        7 Ratings
        5 ★ 57%
        4 ★ 14%
        3 ★ 14%
        2 ★
        1 ★ 14%

        9 Reviews & Comments

        NWMTrider
        Per the Forest Service, you need to update your activities list on this trail to include horses, as this trail is 100% legal for horses to be on. Also, mountain bike groups should be better educated on the definition of multi-use when it pertains to horses and what is legal or not. Harassment of horseback riders is a poor representation for the community and gives mountain bikers a bad rap.
        JeffVonKiper JeffVonKiper
        Yeah, I struggled with rating this trail. From a tech standpoint, it's definitely green. From a climbing standpoint, it's blue...or worse. Fortunately, on the web version, there's a stat box that allowed me to rate the trail green, rate it blue and hard for climbing.
        LaraShortall
        Ran this trail counter-clockwise today….oof! Lots of climb but oh so beautiful!
        There was a tree laying across the trail about 1.5ish miles around.

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        Frequently Asked Questions

        ▼ Where is Cedar Ridge (Upper) located?
        Cedar Ridge (Upper) is located in Cedar Flats, Columbia Falls, Montana, United States. It is part of the Cedar Flats trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 48.43184, -114.18389.
        ▼ How hard is Cedar Ridge (Upper)?
        Cedar Ridge (Upper) is rated as Blue difficulty. The physical rating is Hard. The average grade is 1.8%. The climb difficulty is rated Blue.
        ▼ What is the elevation gain for Cedar Ridge (Upper)?
        Cedar Ridge (Upper) has 307 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 503 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 3,425 ft to 3,754 ft.
        ▼ Is Cedar Ridge (Upper) a point to point trail?
        Cedar Ridge (Upper) is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
        ▼ How long is Cedar Ridge (Upper)?
        Cedar Ridge (Upper) is 2.1 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
        ▼ Are dogs allowed on Cedar Ridge (Upper)?
        Yes, dogs are allowed on Cedar Ridge (Upper). Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
        ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Cedar Ridge (Upper)?
        Cedar Ridge (Upper) is best visited during: Summer, fall, winter, spring.
        ▼ How do I access Cedar Ridge (Upper)? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
        The closest parking and trailhead locations to Cedar Ridge (Upper) are: View all parking locations in the area.
        ▼ How long does it take to ride Cedar Ridge (Upper)?
        The estimated time to ride Cedar Ridge (Upper) is approximately 20 minutes. The trail is 2.1 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace.
        ▼ How busy is Cedar Ridge (Upper)?
        Cedar Ridge (Upper) is a very popular trail. There have been 845 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 869 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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