Sitka Trail Works to host guided bike ride on Cross Trail on May 27

Cyclists ride on the Sitka Cross Trail (Photo courtesy of KCAW-Raven Radio)

To celebrate National Bike Month, Sitka Trail Works and the Sitka Bicycle Friendly Community Coalition invites the public to a free bike tour, guided by Doug Osborne, on the Sitka Cross Trail. The event is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 27,  and will meet at the Indian River trailhead.

The tour is approximately a 10 miles, moderate to strenuous ride to Kramer Drive and back to the trailhead. The Indian River trailhead parking lot is up Indian River Road a half mile; take a right off Indian River Road across from Peter Simpson Road.

The trail parallels Yaw Drive and then crosses a beautiful muskeg with stunted forest fringe, travels through old growth forest to the Gavin Hill Trail intersection at about the one-mile mark and passes through young forests growing back after harvest. At 1.7 miles the trail branches off to Sitka High School and also widens where it is located over an old logging road. The trail continues on 0.2 mile coming out behind the Kimsham ball fields; then passes the uphill side of the water tower and continues another 0.8 miles, crossing a wooden bridge over Cascade Creek, then a short steep uphill and on to the Kramer Avenue trailhead.

For more information, call 747-7244, or visit http://www.sitkatrailworks.org.

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Sitka Trail Works to lead guided bike tour of Cross Trail on Aug. 27

Cyclists ride on the Sitka Cross Trail (Photo courtesy of KCAW-Raven Radio)

The public is invited to join Sitka Trail Works on a free guided bike tour Saturday, Aug. 27, on the Sitka Cross Trial. Meet at 9 a.m. at the Indian River trailhead.

The tour is approximately a 10-mile moderate to strenuous ride to Kramer Drive and back to the trailhead. The trailhead is up Indian River Road, take a right across from Peter Simpson Road to the Indian River Trailhead parking lot.

The Cross Trail is about .2 mile up the Indian River Trail. The trail begins on the flood plain of Indian River among huge Sitka spruce and western hemlock. It continues through bogs with stunted forest fringe, intersects the Gavin Hill Trail at about the 1-mile mark and passes through young forests growing back after harvest. At 1.7 miles the trail branches off to Sitka High School and also widens where it is located over an old logging road. The trail continues on 0.2 mile coming out behind the baseball field; then passes the uphill side of the water tower and continues another 0.8 mile crossing a wooden bridge over Cascade Creek, then a short steep uphill and on to the Kramer Avenue trailhead.

Sitka Trail Works board members Sara Bergendahl and Brian Hanson will lead the tour. For more information, call 747-7244 or visit http://www.sitkatrailworks.org.

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