more stats
1,260 ft
Distance
9 ft
Climb
-125 ft
Descent
00:03:55
Avg time
-117 ft
Altitude change
1,100 ft
Altitude min
1,225 ft
Altitude max
1,225 ft
Altitude start
1,109 ft
Altitude end
-9.3%
Grade
-24.1%
Grade max
9.8%
Grade min
125 ft
Distance climb
984 ft
Distance down
151 ft
Distance flat
00:03:55
Avg time

Vader DH Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Hixon Forest - Lower and Upper
    La Crosse, Wisconsin
  • Difficulty Rating
    Double Black Diamond Rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Double Black Diamond (1 vote)
  • Local Popularity
    30 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 25 in Trail Running
    • 5 in Hiking
  • Global Ranking
    #116704 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #117801 in Hiking
  • Hiking SAC Scale
    T6 Difficult Alpine Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    DH
  • Direction
    Downhill Only
    Popular Direction Shown
  • Physical Rating
    Extreme
  • Trail Visibility
    Always easy to follow
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    No
  • TTFs on Trail
    Berm, Drop, Jump, Gap Jump, Rock Garden
  • Year Opened
    2019
  • Land Owner
    Outdoor Recreation Alliance "ORA Trails"

Vader is the latest creation by Rock Solid Trail Contractors, completed in July 2019. This trail is raw and chunky with a filter feature rock drop at the start to set the tone for the trail. This is a double black diamond DH Only trail that features rock drops, rock berms, rock gardens, rock gaps, and rock steps.

Disclaimer

This is a DH Trail that is difficult - Look before you leap!

Trail Supporters
Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 1 rides
  • 6 miles average
6 Months
  • 12 rides
  • 12 miles avg distance
All
  • 148 rides
  • Last: Sep 17, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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update trails status or condition

Vader DH Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Jul 1, 2025 @ 9:36am
Jul 1, 2025
 Tree down on Vader gap
Apr 23, 2025 @ 1:24pm
Apr 23, 2025
 Please do not leave ruts
Nov 18, 2023 @ 2:44am
Nov 18, 2023
Aug 23, 2023 @ 3:19am
Aug 23, 2023
Jun 11, 2023 @ 3:55am
Jun 11, 2023
more »
Status:
on Jul 1, 2025
Dry
Avg: 4.13 (1 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (1,165)
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      Directions to vader-dh trailhead (43.824010, -91.185400)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      8 more »
      mtb
      700 |
      Dec 16, 2020 @ 9:47am
      Dec 16, 2020
      mtb
      724 |
      Aug 13, 2019 @ 4:06am
      Aug 13, 2019
      mtb
      262 |
      Oct 16, 2022 @ 7:43pm
      Oct 16, 2022
      mtb
      535 |
      Dec 16, 2020 @ 7:42pm
      Dec 16, 2020

      Videos

      3 more »
      Driftless Area Singletrack
      mtb
      2:01 | 847 | Jul 26, 2021 , La Crosse
      Upper Hixon Forest Mountain Biking - VADER -...
      mtb
      0:59 | 545 | May 17, 2021 , La Crosse
      Mountain Biking Hixon Forest, WI - Vader -...
      mtb
      3:29 | 761 | Apr 20, 2021 , La Crosse

      Technical Trail Features (TTF)

      5.0 ★★★★★
      1 Ratings
      5 ★ 100%
      4 ★
      3 ★
      2 ★
      1 ★

      1 Review & Comments

      3b3nn
      Wow, what a beast of a trail. I haven't run across many trails with understated skill filters, but this has one. Vader has chunky rocks mixed with bits of gnar, STEEP descents, tons of exposure, and marbled/loose sections. It is a challenging trail. Thanks, Rock Solid and ORA for this monster!

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      Nearby Trails

      Hixon Forest - Lower and Upper

      • By blum585TF Pro & contributors
      • #200481 - 3,974 views

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Vader DH located?
      Vader DH is located in Hixon Forest - Lower and Upper, La Crosse, Wisconsin, United States. It is part of the Hixon Forest - Lower and Upper trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 43.82401, -91.1854.
      ▼ How hard is Vader DH?
      Vader DH is rated as Double Black Diamond difficulty. The physical rating is Extreme. The average grade is 9.3%.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Vader DH?
      Vader DH has 9 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 125 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 1,100 ft to 1,225 ft.
      ▼ Is Vader DH a point to point trail?
      Yes, Vader DH is a point to point trail. The direction is Downhill Only. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Vader DH?
      Vader DH is 1,260 ft long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Vader DH?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Vader DH. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Vader DH?
      Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride Vader DH are:
      • May (13 activities)
      • September (10 activities)
      • November (10 activities)
      Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
      ▼ How do I access Vader DH? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Vader DH are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Vader DH?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 4 minutes to ride Vader DH. The trail is 1,260 ft long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Vader DH?
      Vader DH is a less popular trail with lighter traffic. There have been 835 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 1,165 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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