more stats
4,908 ft
Distance
396 ft
Climb
-94 ft
Descent
00:27:32
Avg time
302 ft
Altitude change
831 ft
Altitude min
1,133 ft
Altitude max
831 ft
Altitude start
1,132 ft
Altitude end
6.2%
Grade
-29.9%
Grade max
40.4%
Grade min
3,530 ft
Distance climb
751 ft
Distance down
630 ft
Distance flat
00:27:32
Avg time

Shoestring Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Catherine Creek Recreation Area (Syncline)
    White Salmon, Washington
  • Difficulty Rating
    Blue Rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Black Diamond (1 vote)
  • Local Popularity
    50 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 5 in Trail Running
    • 65 in Hiking
  • Global Ranking
    #119475 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #137738 in Trail Running
    • #51174 in Hiking
  • Hiking SAC Scale
    T1 Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    XC
  • Direction
    Both Directions
    Popular In Reverse
  • Climb Difficulty
    Blue
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    No

A winding trail that climbs up the hill in long radiused turns.

Can be ridden top to bottom if coming over from the top of Hidden. After going down Shoestring this can be combine with the connector back to mid-Hidden for an option to the top section of Hidden.

Dropper post and Tecnu recommended in either direction..

Trail Supporters

  • USFS
    Land Manager
Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 0 rides
  •  
6 Months
  • 2 rides
  • 8 miles avg distance
All
  • 34 rides
  • Last: Apr 25, 2026
update trails status or condition

Shoestring Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Mar 28, 2026 @ 10:03am (America/Los_Angeles)
Mar 28, 2026
 A couple of down trees to deal with, and poison oak is just starting to come out. Perfect time to ride it.
Apr 7, 2024 @ 3:51am
Apr 7, 2024
 Early spring is the best time to ride this trail before the poison oak comes out. Great trail for testing your skills to ride a narrow trail on a...
Jul 16, 2023 @ 9:01pm
Jul 16, 2023
 It's really dry and has significant overgrowth throughout much of the top heading over to Catherine.
Apr 22, 2023 @ 12:06pm
Apr 22, 2023
 Rode top to bottom and then cut over to Hidden Canyon/Labyrinth. It is narrow and twisty and brushy in spots, pretty steep at the top, and overall...
Apr 23, 2022 @ 1:16pm
Apr 23, 2022
 “Rode it” bottom to top. A bit more of a “hike a bike”. Added some miles back to top of hidden, but will not do it again.
more »
Status:
on Mar 28, 2026
Ideal
Avg: 3.36 (2 votes)
Your vote: 0

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      Directions to shoestring trailhead (45.716290, -121.382070)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      4 more »
      mtb
      63 |
      Apr 22, 2023 @ 12:00pm
      Apr 22, 2023
      mtb
      53 |
      Apr 22, 2023 @ 12:00pm
      Apr 22, 2023
      mtb
      74 |
      Apr 22, 2023 @ 11:59am
      Apr 22, 2023
      hike
      48 |
      Feb 10, 2024 @ 2:34pm
      Feb 10, 2024

      Videos

      no videos have been added for Shoestring yet, add a video.

      Trail Products

      1.5 ★★★★★
      2 Ratings
      5 ★
      4 ★
      3 ★
      2 ★ 50%
      1 ★ 50%

      4 Reviews & Comments

      deanself
      Should not be listed as a trail. Goat path instead. Overgrown with poison oak and ivy, and I'm sure some snakes. Very steep.
      lbelair lbelair
      Nearly unrideable, really overgrown and covered in poison oak.
      MBWoody
      Description describes long radius turns. Nope, not at all. Very short radius turns. No flow. Not fun. Could be so much better.

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      Nearby Trails

      Catherine Creek Recreation Area (Syncline)

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Shoestring located?
      Shoestring is located in Catherine Creek Recreation Area (Syncline), White Salmon, Washington, United States. It is part of the Catherine Creek Recreation Area (Syncline) trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 45.71629, -121.38207.
      ▼ How hard is Shoestring?
      Shoestring is rated as Blue difficulty. The average grade is 6.2%. The climb difficulty is rated Blue.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Shoestring?
      Shoestring has 396 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 94 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 831 ft to 1,133 ft.
      ▼ Is Shoestring a point to point trail?
      Shoestring is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Shoestring?
      Shoestring is 4,908 ft long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Shoestring?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Shoestring. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ How do I access Shoestring? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Shoestring are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Shoestring?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 27 minutes to ride Shoestring. The trail is 4,908 ft long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Shoestring?
      Shoestring is a moderately popular trail. There have been 179 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 176 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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