Trail Overview
South Fork Taneum is a narrow and shelfy trail for the majority of the 8 mile route, with significant exposure as the trail side-hills along the mountains above the South Fork Taneum Creek. Riders should use caution in the many exposed spots of the trail, and keep their eyes up for oncoming traffic, as it will be difficult to pass in these narrow sections. The east half of the trail has a couple tight switchbacks. The west half of the trail becomes more difficult, as there are several intermediate rock obstacles within the narrow and exposed sections of trail. For example, several times as the trail rounds the edge of the hillside, following the curvature of the mountain, there are embedded rock ledges in the trail, and since it’s so narrow on the hillside, it’s one-lined with no other option. Riders will have to go up these couple rock obstacles in the west to east direction, or down them in the east to west direction, which may be the easier direction to ride the trail. Expect some really narrow and off-camber sections of side-hilling as it keeps going west, and a few wooden bridge crossings over the creek, and the bridges are somewhat damaged and sometimes crooked. The last mile and a half of trail on the west end get easier with less exposure, as it switchbacks up to the intersection with Taneum Ridge through a logged area, crossing a couple logging roads, and then descends gradually down to the North Fork Taneum trail.
Difficulty
This is an upper intermediate difficulty trail as it is constantly narrow and shelfy for almost the entire route, with significant exposure that is not suitable for beginner riders. There are several moderate rock ledge obstacles during the exposed sections that will test the average rider and are in higher consequence terrain. Also expect tight switchbacks and bridge crossings.
