No Candies

No Candies is a “hilly” 2 mile mountain bike trail that starts at Horn Gap – which is an 8 mile ride up from Lithia Park. Not a great idea for your rented 3-speed Zagster plaza bike.

Driving 

– From Ashland Plaza head up along Lithia Park on Winburn Way.  This will turn into Granite Street and you’re still right along the park.  Then the road becomes gravel, and the swimming hole and old dam are on the left.  Continue straight when the main road forks to the left and park before you cross Ashland Creek.

Parking

– There are dozens of dirt parking spots between the swimming hole and Ashland Creek, and a couple after the creek at the fairy ponds.  After that there is no parking. Even if you think you can sneak your Mini Cooper somewhere off the road – not allowed.

The Trail

– To the trail:  Get ready for 8 miles of constant uphill on a well groomed fire road.  Start at the ubiquitous yellow pipe gate.  At about mile 3 you may notice the Reeder Reservoir to the left but it’s not a great view. But it’s not a great reservoir (no boats, no fishing, no waterpark).  At about mile 4 Horn Gap Road will split to the left but you need to go right.
Does it seem like we’re heading downhill finally?… Psych.  Just for a second. At mile 5 you will pass Hitt Road (FS 300) on your right. Keep going. Mile 6 and you hit the next intersection with the 200 road heading uphill to the right. You ride past that and Ashland Loop Road heads toward Horn Gap. In 2 more miles you will reach the clearing at Horn Gap and see No Candies heading uphill to your right.

You can always come down from Mt. Ashland by taking the Timewarp trail, but that’s a whole different story.
Now the trail: After all of that, still uphill. It’s nice single-track, but about 1/4 mile mostly up. Then… another 1/4 mile of mixed up and down. But THEN… flowy and nice until you hit a clearing  in 3/4 mile and you feel done. You are not!  The trail continues on the other side of this logging area. That section is fun, still some uphill work, but not as much. And then you hit another clearing. Still not done. The trail continues across that opening and ends faster and flowy-er (sp?) at the top of the FS 200 road you passed on the way up here.

Take the Ashland Loop back or… Moai or Mystical or Hitt Road or Rickety. Lot’s of options from here.