Trail Overview
Larison Creek Trailhead is the gateway to a very popular motorized/non-motorized riding trail system in the 1.7 million-acre Willamette National Forest. Located 42 miles south of Oakridge, Oregon, this route leads you through an 11.4-mile endless scenic landscape of the Cascade Mountain Range. This road is very narrow with lots of trees overhanging, branches in the road, big rocks, potholes, landslides, rockslides, and very steep cliffs. This is not recommended for cars as major damage can occur, including pin striping. This area is a popular destination for mountain bikers and is known as the mountain biking capital of the Pacific Northwest. There are two major trail systems, Larison Trailhead Upper which is for both motorized and non-motorized, and Larison Rock, which is for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding. While exploring this area, you will find blue grouse, black-tailed deer, bald eagles, hawks, cougars, black bears, and raccoons. This area is accessible from March through November only due to weather impacts. The WNF has a pack it in and pack it out rule along with tread lightly principles to ensure habitats remain untouched and free from the trash. Let's all keep the forests green. Enjoy.
Difficulty
This trail and most trails in the Willamette National Forest have rock slides, boulder slides, landslides, falling trees, boulders the size of cars, flash flooding, and deep snow during winter. This road at times requires 4x4 and 4-low. Use extreme caution when navigating this area. Cliffs with drop-offs of 1,000 feet or more are along this route. There are no barriers or signs to help navigate this route.
