48 min
The preferred direction of travel is counterclockwise starting from MERA Loop Trail #724 at Intersection 7. This is one of the best climbing and descending trails on MERA.<br><br>Sasquatch Trail is a narrow to moderately wide singletrack. The ascent is the perfect climbing trail and is not too strenuous with mostly soft to firm volcanic ash soils, and a smattering of loose rock. The descent includes a high grin factor as you bomb down bermed and off camber corners, and hit man-made jumps and rollers. The descent crosses Owsley Canyon Extension Road 609 (a doubletrack closed to motor vehicles) and dumps you onto Ricochet Trail 750\u2014one of MERA\u2019s best enduro-type trails with high speed bermed corners, jumps, and rock drops. <br><br>The climbing portion of the trail takes you through a dark forest of pine, fir and larch\u2014potentially critical \u201cSasquatch Habitat\u201d\u2014beware! There are also great view from the top of the traill; take a break here in the open Ponderosa pine park-like area, just before the fast but controlled descent to the start of Ricochet Trail 750.<br><br>Trail signage is very good; all MERA trails are signed with a carsonite post showing the trail name, number, rating, and cautions as applicable, e.g., high speed downhill mountain bikes, preferred equestrian route, etc. All main intersections have a unique number, shown on the carsonite post, that corresponds to the MERA map intersections 1 through 24. For additional Information, visit the Mt Emily Recreation Area MERA <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="www.union-county.org/public-works/mera">website</a>.<br><br>This trail can be accessed from Owsley Canyon Trailhead, Red Apple Trail 700 north to Intersection 1, MERA Loop Trail 724, to Intersection 7, Sasquatch Trail 755. From Upper Igo Trailhead, ascend Lower Hot Shot Trail 725 to MERA Loop Trail 724 at Intersection 2. Or you can ride the MERA Loop Trail clockwise to Intersection 7, Sasquatch Trail 755.