Eastern Oregon Trail Alliance

Cultivating Human Powered Outdoor Recreation in Eastern Oregon


Through Development, Outreach and Stewardship

WHO IS EOTA?

EOTA’s roots date back to a group of East Oregonians who got together in 2014 to bring quality mountain bike trails to Grant County, Oregon. EOTA is now a 501.c3 member based, volunteer, non-profit that collaborates with federal and local agencies to build and maintain trails in Eastern Oregon.

WHAT DOES EOTA DO?

  • We cultivate local support for recreation projects through outreach and events
  • Design and build modern single-track trails for biking, hiking and trail running
  • Seek external funding opportunities to develop new or improve and maintain existing recreation infrastructure

Projects

The Magone Trail Network is an 18 mile mountain bike trail network located on the Malheur National Forest, centered around a mountain lake with developed facilities that include a campground, boat dock, swim beach, and bathrooms. Designed to cater to the growing community of mountain bikers, hikers, and trail-runners, the Magone Trail Network boasts a plethora of options, from shorter beginner loops to larger, more technical trails with a cross-country feel, providing riders with varying levels of challenge and adventure. Project planning began in 2014 with environmental review completed in May of 2017. Through the efforts of a dedicated volunteer force, REDD construction, the U.S. Forest Service, and funding provided by the Recreational Trails Program, administered by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, 18 of the 27 mile approved network has been completed as of December 2023. The remaining 9 miles will be completed in the coming years. Yearly, EOTA works to maintain existing trails, build new sustainable trails as well as seek funding for additional contract built trails within the approved network.

Interested in joining our volunteer efforts? Check out our Events Section, Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/eotatrails) or Instagram (@EOTAtrails) for upcoming volunteer trail work days.

John Day’s pump track features a looped sequence of rollers, burms, and swoopy banked turns designed to maximize momentum, limiting pedaling. EOTA completed phase I of the pump track in 2020. Phase II of the pump track will include a jump line ascending off of a shipping containing to increase the diversity of experiences available.

EOTA is currently seeking funding to design and build phase II. The pump track is located up the hill from John Day’s 7th street splash pad and is fun for all ages. Come check it out and see how many laps you’ve got in you!

EOTA completed the John Day Bike Park in 2018 and continues to maintain the trails yearly. The bike park consists of just under 2 miles of single track mountain bike trails located within the city of John Day. The John Day Bike Park trailhead is located at the John Day Pump Track. The bike park trails feature one green and one blue climbing trail and three fun, flowy descending trails. These trails are great for families and beginner mountain bikers!

Visit https://www.trailforks.com/region/john-day-bike-park for an updated map and check out our Events Section, Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/eotatrails) or Instagram (@EOTAtrails) for upcoming volunteer trail work days.

Volunteering

Volunteerism is the heart of EOTA as there are no paid positions. We are currently seeking volunteers to help with:

  • Content development (including graphics) of an informative trail-side sign
  • Trail work (see Events)
  • Tool sharpening
  • Partnership coordination

If you have experience, great!! If you can help with some guidance, great!! If you have no experience but want to help anyway, GREAT!!

Visit us on facebook (https://www.facebook.com/eotatrails) or Instagram (@EOTATrails) to find more information about our upcoming trail days.

Also, you can join our Listserv by emailing President@eotatrails.com with the subject “Listserv” to stay up-to-date on all EOTA happenings.

Contact

Questions? Send us an email.

Interested in joining our monthly meetings? Send us an email.

Interested in joining our Listserv to stay up-to-date on all EOTA happenings? Send us an email.

Email: President@eotatrails.com

Interested in volunteering? Check us out on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/eotatrails) or Instagram (@EOTAtrails) for upcoming volunteer opportunities.

Board Members

Lindsy Ciepiela, President

Javan Bailey, Treasurer

Lennis Herburger, Secretary

David Hudson, At-Large

Michael Russel, At-Large

EOTA Store

Get your Official EOTA Merch!

EOTA Bonfire Store

Events

2025 EVENTS

  • April (TBD - weather dependant) Pump Track: Keep an eye on Facebook and Instagram for our upcoming pump track and 7th Street trail day

  • May 17-18 Magone Trail Network: Join us for a weekend of trail work and trail riding. We have the Magone Group Site reserved Friday-Sunday

  • June 7-8 Magone Trail Network: Join us for a weekend of trail work and trail riding. We have the Magone Group Site reserved Friday-Sunday

  • July 12-13 - Magone Trail Network ANNUAL GRAND OPENING!: Since the first Grand Opening (in 2024) was spoiled by Forest Closures, we are gonna do it again (and again)… So, join us for a weekend of trail work (fire season permitting) and riding the trails around Magone to celebrate the opening of the Magone Trail Network.

  • August (TBD - dirt and fire conditions permitting)

  • Sept 13-14 Magone Trail Network: Join us for a weekend of trail work and trail riding. We have the Magone Group Site reserved Friday-Sunday

2024 Year End Report and Looking Toward 2025

Following up on our successes in 2023, EOTA had another great 2024 despite the seemingly endless challenges that came our way. We hosted 4 trail days this summer. At those events, 23 volunteers logged 576 hours of fun filled manual labor (of love?). This was about the same number of hours as last year, but in only 4 days thanks to the increased participation (and no thanks to fire season). A BIG SHOUTOUT TO OUR AMAZING VOLUNTEERS!

With these precious volunteer hours, we were able to clear a insane number of downed trees, rehab a bunch of trail damage from an elk dance party, finish the Hook Trail between between upper and lower Tinker Bell, re-align Tinkerbell to avoid the drainage issues and add berms and rollers to lower-lower Tinker Bell to make the ride out move engaging.

Another big thing in 2024 was the Great EOTA Bike Raffle. This event was probably the reason for our increase in volunteers (and, surprise, that was the point!) and resulted in a big boost to EOTA’s ability to fund trail development and maintenance in Eastern Oregon. And speaking of the Great EOTA Bike Raffle, we were able to upgrade the ride of one of volunteers thanks to generous support from Windwave Communications, Inland Development and Eastern Wheelworks in LaGrande. Check out this lucky trail gnome and his fancy pants new Transition!

We are looking forward to getting back at in 2025! This year our focus will be on the usual post-winter cleanup and rehabilitating trails impacted by last year’s logging activities (talking about you, Deadhead). It should be a great year of building and riding at Magone and we really look forward to seeing all the familiar faces and the new ones, too!