Idaho · Mountain biking

Short Cut

0.2 mi
round trip
47 ft
climb
Singletrack
surface
Out and back
route
May–Sep
best months

Is Short Cut open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 5 alerts for Payette National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · Payette National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Short Cut is a short, easy mountain biking route in Idaho's Payette National Forest, on the McCall Ranger District, about 0.19 miles from McCall. It's a flat, low-elevation ride, with a total climb of about 47 feet over a round trip of roughly 0.38 miles. The route is an out-and-back. It starts at about 5,556 feet and peaks at about 5,575 feet, with the steepest stretch of about 2% at around 0.14 miles in. Its brevity makes it an easy addition to a longer outing in the area. Summer is the most comfortable time to ride. Typical averages from the nearby McCall weather station run from highs around 70°F in June to about 81°F in July and August, with fewer wet days than in the rest of the year. Winter there brings highs near freezing and regular snow days. Della's Delight Trail and Blue Ridge Loop both sit about 0.1 miles away, so riders can link them together. For an overnight stay, Last Chance campground is about 3.5 miles off, and Goose Creek offers paddling about 4.8 miles away.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Short Cut

    Best months: May–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      31° / 13°

      14 wet · 11 snow

    2. Feb

      36° / 14°

      12 wet · 9 snow

    3. Mar

      43° / 20°

      13 wet · 7 snow

    4. Apr

      51° / 27°

      12 wet · 3 snow

    5. May

      61° / 35°

      12 wet · 1 snow

    6. Jun

      70° / 40°

      10 wet

    7. Jul

      81° / 45°

      5 wet

    8. Aug

      81° / 43°

      5 wet

    9. Sep

      72° / 36°

      6 wet

    10. Oct

      57° / 28°

      9 wet · 2 snow

    11. Nov

      40° / 21°

      13 wet · 7 snow

    12. Dec

      30° / 13°

      15 wet · 12 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mccall, ID, 4.7 mi away at 5,025 ft. The station sits about 600 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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