O'Conner Cutoff
- 0.1 mi
- round trip
- 43 ft
- climb
- Out and back
- route
- Mar–Jun, Sep–Oct
- best months
O'Conner Cutoff is a short, easy mountain biking route in Hells Gate State Park, Washington, managed by State Park and Recreation. The trail is an out-and-back that starts and ends at nearly the same elevation, with a total climb of about 43 feet, and covers less than half a mile. The route is front-loaded, with the steepest section, about 7%, coming early. The high point is 854 feet, and the trail returns to nearly the same low of 787 feet. Dogs are allowed. For comfortable weather, late spring and early fall are the best bets. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Lewiston, Idaho, show May highs around 72°F and September highs around 79°F. July and August average highs near 90°F, and temperatures run cooler at the park's elevation than at the station. Winchester is just 0.2 miles away, and Endurance is about half a mile off. Climbers can head to Hells Gate, roughly 1.5 miles away, and paddlers will find Asotin Creek about 6.4 miles from the trail.
Best time to go · Mar–Jun, Sep–Oct
Best time to visit O'Conner Cutoff
Best months: March–June and September–October. 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.
Jan
42° / 30°
11 wet
Feb
47° / 32°
10 wet
Mar
55° / 36°
12 wet
Apr
62° / 41°
11 wet
May
72° / 48°
11 wet
Jun
79° / 54°
8 wet
Jul
91° / 61°
5 wet
Aug
90° / 60°
3 wet
Sep
79° / 52°
5 wet
Oct
63° / 42°
8 wet
Nov
49° / 34°
11 wet
Dec
41° / 29°
11 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Lewiston Nez Perce Co Ap, ID, 2.2 mi away at 1,436 ft. The station sits about 600 ft higher than this place, so expect it a little warmer here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
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0.82-mile singletrack out-and-back in Washington with 411 ft elevation gain.
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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors