2 miles
Distance
206 ft
Climb
-1,010 ft
Descent
00:28:28
Avg time

Cougar Ridge Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Galbraith
    Bellingham, Washington
  • Difficulty Rating
    Black Diamond rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Blue (4 votes)
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM
  • Trail Usage
    Multi-use
  • Direction
    Downhill Primary
    Popular direction shown
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    No
  • TTFs on Trail
    Berm, Bridge, Rock Face
  • Global Ranking
    #14716 in Mountain Biking
  • Local Popularity
    70 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 30 in Trail Running
    • 50 in Hiking

This is an epic trail - deep forest loam with some rocks/slabs and tricky bits. Kind of a nasty climb back up Road 4000, but I have heard of people hopping on the bus in Sudden Valley to get back to Whatcom Falls Park. Access is via the road past Whoopsie Woodle, go right at the Spacewolf turn-off, and the trail starts a little way down on the left. Take the right about a half mile down to get to Cougar Ridge, otherwise you are riding Waterfall Trail. Great to see it is now "official".

Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory
More Stats for Cougar Ridge mountain bike trail trail
  • Altitude change
    -803 ft
  • Altitude min
    833 ft
  • Altitude max
    1,742 ft
  • Altitude start
    1,636 ft
  • Altitude end
    833 ft
  • Grade
    -9.072%
  • Grade max
    -57.298%
  • Grade min
    31.307%
  • Distance climb
    2,408 ft
  • Distance down
    1 mile
  • Distance flat
    479 ft
  • Avg time
    00:28:28
  • Avg reverse time
    00:20:58
  • view trail stats
Status:
on Feb 26, 2021
Variable
Avg: 4.55 (23 votes)

view (1,350)
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  • Basemap 
  • Trail Style 
    • ?
  • Activity Type  
Trail Conditions
  • Unknown
  • Snow Groomed
  • Snow Packed
  • Snow Covered
  • Freeze/thaw Cycle
  • Icy
  • Prevalent Mud
  • Wet
  • Variable
  • Ideal
  • Dry
  • Very Dry
Trail Ridden Direction
Trailforks scans users ridelogs to determine the most popular direction each trail is ridden. A good flowing trail network will have most trails flowing in a single direction according to their intension.
The colour categories are based on what percentage of riders are riding a trail in its intended direction.
  • > 96%
  • > 90%
  • > 80%
  • > 70%
  • > 50%
  • < 50%
Trail Last Ridden
Trailforks scans ridelogs to determine the last time a trail was ridden.
  • < 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
Colors indicate trail is missing specified detail.
  • Description
  • Photos
  • Description & Photos
  • Videos
Trail Popularity ?
Trailforks scans ridelogs to determine which trails are ridden the most in the last 9 months. Trails are compared with nearby trails in the same city region with a possible 25 colour shades. Think of this as a heatmap, more rides = more kinetic energy = warmer colors.
  • most popular
  • popular
  • less popular
  • not popular
ATV/ORV/OHV Filter
Max Vehicle Width
inches

Radar Time
LEGEND
Trail Difficulties
  • Access Road/Trail
  • White
  • Green
  • Blue
  • Black
  • Double Black Diamond

Trail Report Status
  • Clear / Green
  • Minor Issue / Yellow
  • Significant Issue / Amber
  • Closed

  • Land Owner Overlay
  • Wilderness (typically no bikes in USA)
  • BLM (public)
  • USFS (Wildlife sanctuaries darker than usfs)
  • State land
  • Indigenous
  • Military
Trail Conditions
  • Unknown
  • Snow Groomed
  • Snow Packed
  • Snow Covered
  • Freeze/thaw Cycle
  • Icy
  • Prevalent Mud
  • Wet
  • Variable
  • Ideal
  • Dry
  • Very Dry
  • Map Markers
  • trail Trail Head
  • photo Photo
  • place Directory Listing
  • region Riding Area
  • TTF TTF
  • Parking Parking
  • Viewpoint Viewpoint
  • Information Information
  • Warning Warning
  • Directions Directions
  • Sight Sight
  • Restrooms Restrooms
  • eBike Charging Point eBike Charging Point
  • Water Fountain/Source Water Fountain/Source
  • Gate Gate
  • Trail Sign Trail Sign
  • Table or Bench Table or Bench
  • Ladder Ladder
  • Stairs Stairs
  • Bridge Bridge
  • Boardwalk Boardwalk
  • Camping Camping
  • Cabin Cabin
  • Lodge Lodge
  • Bear Cache Bear Cache
  • Dock Dock
  • Ranger Station Ranger Station
  • Summit Summit
  • Other Other
      Directions to cougar-ridge-50246 trailhead (48.702870, -122.377060)
      update trails status or condition

      Cougar Ridge Trail Reports

      statusdatedescription
      Feb 26, 2021 @ 12:40pm
      Feb 26, 2021
      		 Several trees cleared and blue line is 100% clear. A few puddles could use some clearing still. El Diablo drop has a tree uprooted partway down...
      Feb 8, 2021 @ 9:15am
      Feb 8, 2021
      		 reporter ACCESS LIMITED - Access to Cougar Ridge limited to Rufus Creek trail. The top of Cougar Ridge trail is closed due to logging in the area. No...
      Jan 16, 2021 @ 6:21pm
      Jan 16, 2021
      		 Rideable muddy but 3 or 4 trees down on hooty. 1 tree down on upper and 3 or 4 on lower cougar. Too far in/up to just walk in w chainsaw from...
      Jan 13, 2021 @ 5:13pm
      Jan 13, 2021
      		 Numerous large trees down across trail and a lot of branches/debris on trail from last nights' wind storm.
      Dec 5, 2020 @ 10:06am
      Dec 5, 2020
      		 El diablo has had a tree uprooted on the roll itself, it is unrideable at the moment.
      view all reports »

      Recent Ridelog Activity on Trail

      Past Week
      • 0 rides
      •  
      6 Months
      • 67 rides
      • 16 miles avg distance
      All
      • 1,318 rides
      •  

      Photos

      more »
      30 |
      Jan 13, 2021 @ 4:44pm
      Jan 13, 2021
      22 |
      Jan 13, 2021 @ 4:44pm
      Jan 13, 2021
      285 |
      Dec 3, 2019 @ 8:54am
      Dec 3, 2019
      475 |
      Oct 24, 2018 @ 3:41pm
      Oct 24, 2018

      Routes with this trail

      more »
      titleratingdistance
      Freehub Magazine: Cougar Ridge
      		2 miles
      Galbraith +
      		27 miles
      20M Galby+Cougar Ridge
      		21 miles
      Cougar Ridge
      		6 miles

      12 Reviews & Comments

      • + 2
      ashlemon (Oct 3, 2018 at 13:45)
       This is an epic trail! - deep forest loam with some rocks/slabs and tricky bits. Kind of a nasty climb back up Road 4000, but I have heard of people hopping on the bus in Sudden Valley to get back to Whatcom Falls Park. Access is via the road past Whoopsie Woodle, go right at the Spacewolf turn-off, and the trail starts a little way down on the left. Take the right about a half mile down to get to Cougar Ridge, otherwise you are riding Waterfall Trail. Great to see it is now "official".
      [Reply]
      • + 8
      DiveH Trailforks Pro Subscriber (Oct 9, 2018 at 17:35)
       Don't ride this trail. It sucks and you will be disappointed. If you get lost and end up in Sudden Valley, the locals will cannibalize you, sell the organs they don't eat to the Indonesian black market and burn your expensive ass carbon bike as a sacrifice to their pagan gods. Just stick to Galbraith people. It ain't worth your safety.
      [Reply]
      • + 0
      slayerdegnar (Nov 3, 2018 at 21:24)
       I don't think this is "official". Probably should take down if it not.
      [Reply]
      • + 2
      lostlunchbox (Nov 4, 2018 at 8:23)
       It's recently "official"
      [Reply]
      • + 0
      sngltrkmnd Trailforks Pro Subscriber (Dec 22, 2018 at 13:31)
       Closed. Dozens of blowdowns. Avoid til the sawyers can get in here.
      [Reply]
      • + 0
      rckwng Trailforks Pro Subscriber (Dec 23, 2018 at 10:46)
       1 big tree down on Hootie Hoot and several massive trees uprooted on cougar/el Diablo across the new trail work
      [Reply]
      • + 2
      i-g-o-r (Jan 5, 2019 at 23:14)
       The trail is now mostly a blue square with a few black diamond options Frown
      [Reply]
      • + 1
      BasedGawd Trailforks Pro Subscriber (Aug 1, 2019 at 12:00)
       Take the hard line. This is why you come to Bham.
      [Reply]
      • + 1
      trail-wraith Trailforks Pro Subscriber (Nov 17, 2019 at 0:07)
       Easiest way up is from the gate 9 parking lot in sudden valley. The Rufus creek trail will take you most of the way up. Nice trail. Black diamond options are fun.
      [Reply]
      • + 1
      ukducks Trailforks Pro Subscriber (Jun 29, 2020 at 19:31)
       This is a great trail. I take Whoopsie up then across per previous post. Before you even get to Cougar Ridge you get in some great single track - and will likely not meet another person. Cougar has some technical parts and drops in place (it is a Ridge). Nice descent down part of Rufus then start the grind back using Bottoms Up.
      [Reply]
      • + 1
      swartzie (Sep 29, 2020 at 12:17)
       So blue or black? Trail designation is blue, Trailforks shows black. Rides like a blue.
      [Reply]
      • + 0
      jgansler (Nov 21, 2020 at 16:34)
       One of my favorite trails I’ve ever ridden. Super fast, gnarly but manageable tech, plenty of optional side hits. Ride ittttt
      [Reply]

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