Ester Dome Single Track (Happy Valley Trails)
Ester
Today
Getting there
- Season
- Late May-Sep
- Drive from Anchorage
- Full day, 6h52 to Ester
- Drive from Fairbanks
- 18 min to Ester
- Distance
- ~13 mi network (Trailforks lists 21 mountain bike trails, 45 mi combined with connecting routes)
- Surface
- singletrack
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Elevation
- 1161 ft
What it is like
Ester Dome Single Track, also called Happy Valley Trails, is a purpose-built flow singletrack system in Ester with about 13 miles of network. The Outer Loop and Inner Loop are the signature rides, with swoopy, bermed singletrack through south-facing forest. The trails are rated intermediate and ridden from late May through September, and in winter they are groomed for skiing rather than fat biking.
The trail system is about 3.1 miles from Ester, in the Interior. Malemute Saloon, 3.0 miles away, is a historic saloon at Ester Gold Camp with live music Thursday through Sunday all summer. Running Reindeer Ranch offers guided walks through boreal forest beside a small herd of reindeer that interact with visitors.
A purpose-built flow singletrack system on Ester Dome, built 2009 to 2011 by Alaska Trails, Goldstream Sports and volunteers. The Outer Loop and Inner Loop are the signature rides: swoopy, bermed singletrack through south-facing forest, a step up from the flatter in-town paths.