Even with blackberry thorns bloodying your shins as you pedal through the labyrinth of Victor Falls trails, it’s hard not to be impressed.

Good single-track biking is virtually impossible to find in Pierce County without hauling your bike an hour or more outside of town. So it’s easy to see why this 4,719-acre chunk of private land in Bonney Lake has long been a favorite of local mountain bikers.

Victor Falls offers flat trails like the Snickers Loop, perfect for learning the sport. It has long climbs like the Elevator to give you a workout on the way up and a thrill on the way down. And with 50 miles of trails, it can easily keep you busy all day.

But just when you’re starting to get really impressed, the trail opens up into an area that has been bulldozed to make room for a new housing development.

“No, it doesn’t spoil my mood anymore,” said Jim Grill, president of Tacoma’s Single Track Mind mountain bike club. “I’ve gotten used to it.

“I’m just enjoying it while it’s still here.”

The majority of the trail system is owned by Bellevue-based Cascadia Development Corp., which lets bikers use it while it prepares to develop the land into a megacommunity that could become home to more than 16,000 people.

The White River School District has used a 500-acre parcel of the land as a tree farm since 1945. And, because of illegal dumping on White River’s land, it recently posted “No Trespassing” signs on its segment.

 

Development under way

 

On May 6, Cascadia is holding a groundbreaking ceremony on the land it bought in 1991 from Weyerhaeuser for $13.5 million. Shortly thereafter, development will ramp up.

Over the next 20 years, many of the trails will vanish. What will be left for mountain bikers remains a mystery.

Cascadia president Patrick Kuo says the completed community will still have about 20 miles of trails to go along with its golf course, hotel and businesses.

“People need to recreate outdoors,” Kuo said. “We made a commitment there from the beginning because I believe in it.”

Kuo envisions trails that meander through the community and include challenge courses that can be used by Boy Scouts and other groups.

Marikay Cumpston, a 58-year-old Sumner resident who has ridden the trails on horseback for 30 years, likes Kuo’s plans for the trails.

“The area will never be the remote area it used to be,” said Cumpston, who patrols the land for Cascadia with her husband, Earl. “But as far as I can tell, Patrick Kuo is the best thing that could have come along in terms of developers.

“He cares about the trails.”

Future remains unclear

Mike Curley, founder of Single Track Mind, is less optimistic about the future of the trails.

“I think in 20 years, we aren’t going to be using the trails,” Curley said.

While 20 miles of trails might remain, he’s not so sure favorites like the Elevator and the technical hairpin turns of the Fun House will be the trails that survive.

As for whatever trails survive, Curley isn’t convinced they’ll be worthwhile or if he’ll even be allowed to use them.

“They can put in 20 miles of trail in there pretty easily,” Curley said. “But I wonder if it will be cinder paths that mountain bikers aren’t interested in. And even if it’s not, it’s a closed community.”

What kind of trails remain hasn’t been decided, Kuo said. And he says ultimately it will be up to the homeowners’ association to determine if nonresidents will be allowed to use the surviving trails.

“I would like to see a creative design that would allow everybody to use the trails,” Kuo said. “But it will need discipline.”

Discipline is something that has been lacking at times, Cumpston says.

She used to regularly see bears, cougars and elk on her patrols. She still does, but piles of illegally dumped trash and burnt-out hulks of cars are more common now.

This illegal use of the land is what led the White River School District to post its “No Trespassing” signs.

“We discourage people from using the land for liability and safety reasons,” district superintendent Jay Hambly said. “Logistically, we can’t patrol the area and we know people use it. … We post the signs, and we hope people honor them, and we deal with issues as they come up.”

Cascadia has had issues on its land, too, but Kuo doesn’t want to close out users.

“I think mountain bikers are a very responsible group of people,” Kuo said.

Single Track Mind holds several events each year at Victor Falls, including its “Four Hours of Adrenaline” on April 24. Group members also volunteer to maintain trails.

“It’s a privilege, not a right, for us to ride out there,” Grill said. “It’s private land, and they could kick us out any time they want, so I’m just grateful they let us use the trails.”

Paul Qualey Jr., who works at his dad’s bike shop in Bonney Lake, learned to mountain bike at Victor Falls 10 years ago.

“It’s too bad that it’s going to go,” said Qualey, 20. “But I can’t be upset. It’s private land, and they have the right to develop the way they want.

“I just hope they go slowly so I can take advantage of the riding.”

That’s the stance most mountain bikers seem to be taking.

“If there are still good mountain bike trails after Cascadia is finished, I’ll be pleasantly surprised,” Curley said. “But for now, I’m going to enjoy Victor Falls while I can.”

VICTOR FALLS

WHERE: Bonney Lake

DESCRIPTION: A maze of trails, mostly single track, that has become the most popular mountain biking area in Pierce County. It is easy to get lost on these trails, so take a map and GPS if you are not familiar with the trail system.

MILES: 50 miles

ELEVATION GAIN: 500 feet

SKILL LEVEL: Something for everybody

MAP: “Fer-Thur Directions: Victor Falls,” available at most South Puget Sound area bike shops. “The Crater/Victor Falls” is available at cowboymaps.com.

GETTING THERE: From Highway 167, take Highway 410 east to Bonney Lake. Turn right on 214th Avenue East. After 1.3 miles, turn right on 120th Street East. Drive 1 mile to 198th Avenue East, and turn left. In less than a mile you will see the Hillside Xmas Tree Farm, which allows mountain bikers to park there from Jan. 1 to Oct. 31 each year.