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Click here for a trail
map and profile for this ride
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General
Information: After The Flume Trail, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
is probably Tahoe's most famous ride and for good reason. The descent
from Tucker flat is a technical test piece followed by some fantastic
single track riding down the Saxon Creek drainage. The trail combines
expansive views, meadows, and forests into one special ride.
Where
To Start: Pick up the "Toads" trail either at the
Big Meadow parking area on Highway 89 (Luther Pass) or at the Tahoe
Rim Trail marker near Luther pass on the north side of the highway
near the beginning of Grass Lake.
Trail
Description: Starting from Luther Pass, the trail climbs steadily
up the mountain side through pine and fir forest with some short,
technical moves up and over boulders. Most of the trail is rideable
for an advanced rider, but we've never seen anyone ride the whole
trail, so don't feel bad when you have to walk.
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Environmental
Concerns: Lots of bike traffic, steep terrain,
and easily damaged meadows and stream environment zones make Mr.
Toads especially suseptable to erosion and environmental degredation.
If it gets too bad, the Forest Service will close the trail to mountain
bikes, so your cooperation is not just requested, but critical.
With that in mind: STAY ON THE TRAIL, walk your bike across wet
areas in the spring, MINIMIZE SKIDDING by breaking before you need
to, if you can, avoid riding Toads on the weekends during the summer.
Lets work hard to keep this Tahoe treasure open to all.
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After
about 3/4 mile, the trail from Big Meadow parking lot joins the Rim
Trail from the left. Stay right and continue to climb for another 1.5
miles. You
will reach a prominance with a large boulder perfectly situated to take
a break on top of and which offers nice views of Waterhouse Peak and
Hope Valley. After this, the trail climbs a bit more through a more
open, bouldery area, and begins to top out on the ridge. A short downhill
brings you Tucker Flat where a wooden post points to the Saxon Creek
drainage to the left (northwest) or towards Armstrong Pass (east).The
trail to Armstrong Pass offers some terriffic riding, but to continue
on Mr. Toads, turn left and begin 1.5 miles of very technical downhill.
Lots of boulders, soft dirt, roots, and big, steep drop-offs make this
a challenging ride even for experts. Most of us human riders walk at
least a few sections of this trail. When the trail crosses the first
stream, you know the worst (best?)of the technical downhill is over.
The trail smooths considerably, although it is still possible to eat
serious dirt anywhere along this trail! You will cross two more streams
then climb a bit back out of the drainage. After just another 1/4 mile
of windy, steep, soft dirt, the trail mellows and the smooth, banked
single-track that Toads is famous for begins.
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