Two Rivers Ridge Trail

Dogs Off-leash

E-Bikes Unknown

This trail is not shown on any maps (that the author is aware of), but makes a fun quick challenge easily accessed from Banks - Lowman Road. Park at either of the two large pullouts on the river side of the highway, stretch your legs, then start spinning a low gear up the unsigned doubletrack that leaves the opposite side of the pavement.

The first several hundred yards are the most challenging, with a very steep grade and some rocks in the trail. After that, the grade mellows slightly and the tread smooths out. It's less than a mile of leg-burning climb to the top of the ridge, where you'll be rewarded by views into the canyons of both the North and South Forks of the Payette River.

The whole route resembles a pair of parallel singletracks, so if one trip up and down is too short for you, try it twice, riding each side of the trail once. This trail makes a great shoulder-season ride, as it has good exposure and is typically free of snow most of the year. The soil is well-drained, so mud is only an issue immediately after heavy rains or snowmelt. On a dry year, the author rode it in January and found it snow-free and firm.