1.1 hr
One part old and several parts new, the multi-use Rufus Creek Trail begins next to the restroom in the Lookout Mountain Preserve parking area and begins winding up through the trees. There will be some mild bits and some steeper bits at first, but obstacles are pretty much non-existent. At roughly 0.75 miles the trail crosses over Lookout Mountain Road 2000 and shortly crosses over a smooth bridge (watch out in the wet). <br><br>From there the trail rises steadily, but not overwhelmingly, on a raised tread. Riders will pass through lots of alders that eventually give way to a mix with more deciduous trees. A little past 1.0 miles, keep right to stay on the Rufus Creek Trail as the left option continues as the pedestrian-only Lelia June Trail. This newer section of trail is recognizable by a narrower width and substantial bench-cutting that was used to cut across the side-slope. Despite the terrain the trail remains a smooth and moderate pedal.<br><br>At 1.5 miles the trail begins to descend across the slope. The corners are generally wide, but are kept shallow as to not promote "roosting" on this two-way trail. After another low-bridge Rufus Creek Trail intersects with the Backside Trail on the right and continues up to meet the bottom of Cougar Ridge. Note that this section continues as two-way, but the riders you encounter will have just finished Cougar Ridge and will still be in full descend-mode mentally, so be aware. By the 2.0 mile mark the trail current ends where it barricaded off at the bottom of Cougar Ridge. Efforts in the coming months and years will eventually extend the trail up to Cougar Ridge as it climbs through some of the area's pristine forests.<br><br>In the opposite direction the Rufus Creek Trail provides a fairly simple exit from Cougar Ridge for riders headed back to the trailhead. Mind your speed and be ready to slow further on the descents. The climbs are steady in a few spots, but overall quite pleasant.