ORA TRAILS EVENTS

Join ORA Trails on April 27th, 9am-11am, to clean up Lueth Park and celebrate Earth Month! Gloves and garbage bags will be provided, please wear shoes and clothing appropriate for the weather and conditions.

OMNIUM: 3 Days of Cycling

Bike racing professionals and amateurs from throughout the Midwest will compete in America’s largest three day cycling race at the La Crosse Omnium, hosted by ORA Trails, the first weekend in May, in La Crosse, Wisconsin. 

ORA Trails is staging the 11th annual La Crosse Omnium in 2024, which begins Friday, May 3th at 4:30 pm with a time trial up Grandads Bluff.  The Time Trial and several other race categories have sold out in past years, so racers are encouraged to register in advance for La Crosse Omnium.  Please note that pre-registration is required for the Time Trial.

Friday’s lung searing, Grandads Bluff time trial climbs 550 feet in 2.4 miles and racers go off every 30 seconds starting at 4:30 pm.

Day 2 of racing starts Saturday, May 4th in the morning at 8:30 am on a challenging and secluded  loop on scenic, low traffic roads near Chaseburg, WI that features lung scorching climbs and scenic sweeping descents.   There are 15 categories of racers completing a 14.35 mile course one to five times depending on the race field.  Distances range from 14.35 to 57.4 miles.  Riders ascend and descend 1150 feet per lap. Bring your climbing wheels and descending prowess!

The finale, day 3, begins Sunday, May 5th, with a Criterium on the downtown streets of La Crosse.  “NASCAR on bikes” with elbow-to-elbow race action at high speeds around a tight, flat as a pancake profile.  This is a great chance for spectators to see firsthand all of the excitement that bike racing offers.

3 days of cycling with some of the most unique courses in the county, with over $7,500 in cash and prizes, the La Crosse Omnium has something for everyone!

Learn More

Volunteer Trail Work Nights

Trail maintenance is an important factor in the sustainability of the trails. Volunteer your time, #getoutside, and be involved in the outdoor community! ORA will provide tools, occasional refreshments, and a safety chat. Work nights are led by crew leaders/trained ORA volunteers. Thank you for your time and help!

 Upper Hixon Trail Work Nights will occur every 3 Mondays of the month from May-September, from 5:30pm-7:30pm. Meet near the weather ball in the Upper Hixon.

Lower Hixon Trail Work Nights will occur every 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month from May-September, from 5:30pm-7:30pm. Meet at the Lower Hixon parking lot.

Please wear appropriate clothing suitable for the outdoors and weather. This includes pants (not shorts), sturdy footwear, and work gloves. Bring a willingness to have fun, work with others, and get your sweat on! 

Please be sure to complete your volunteer waiver before attending!

June 2nd. Goose Island Grind is a canoe, kayak, and SUP race on the Mississippi River around Goose Island County Park that is open to the public. The event offers the public to participate in a fun paddle race and benefits ORA Trails, while encouraging the community to get outside! The race is typically 7.5 miles, with flags and volunteers to indicate the race route.

$30 registration includes race (morning and/or afternoon race). $40 registration includes race + t-shirt!

Register Today!

2024 ORA TRAILS FEST

ORA Trails Fest is the evolution of a mountain bike cross country race that was held in La Crosse for several years. This event has recently expanded to include a spectator friendly short race track, a challenging enduro, and continue the cross country race. Join this year, June 17th-18th, 2024, for a full weekend of racing and fun. 

Saturday features an enduro followed by a short track race, with live music 5pm-8pm. Sunday will have a full day of XC racing. There will also be food trucks, beverages, sweet WORS merch, multiple cheering sections and more! Bring the whole family, the entire Gateway trail system will be available to ride, hike and sightsee all weekend, with no racing happening there.

All proceeds from this event will go to ORA Trails to advance the mission of building happy, healthy, and resilient communities by providing access to equitable and sustainable outdoor recreation experiences.

Chainsaw Training Course

Have you ever been interested in learning how to operate a chainsaw? While in the field? Now is your chance!

 

*More information to come, stay tuned!

Trail Master Course

The 2024 Trail Master Course training course offers extensive and up-to-date trail building techniques taught by Mike Riter from Trail Design Specialists. The Full Trail Master Course class is June 24th-27th, 8am-4:30pm and lunch will be provided days 1-3. The Lite Trail Master Course is June 29-30, 8:30am-? with lunch being provided on day 1.

 

Contact ORA Trails staff to learn more and register.

Contact Us!

2024 Women’s Mountain Bike Clinic

ORA Trails, in partnership with Brooks Adventures, is proposing to host a Women’s Mountain Bike Clinic in the Upper Hixon. We are inviting women to a fun and exciting atmosphere to learn the ups and downs of mountain biking and help attendees build confidence on the bike and on the trails. We are asking attendees to provide their own well-maintained mountain bike, but will be sharing rental opportunities the La Crosse area offers. Helmets will be required, as well. 

The event will open on Friday for early arrivers. Saturday will begin promptly at 9am in the Upper Hixon with many training activities throughout the day and Saturday evening. Sunday will start early for rides and more fun in the Upper Hixon. The clinic will conclude between 2-3pm. 

We invite beginner and intermediate mountain biking women interested in meeting more riders and improving their skills on the trails and on the bike. We will take beginners through the fundamentals of riding and build their confidence on their bike bringing them to a higher level of riding. Intermediate riders will review fundamentals and explore new riding skills and how-to-ride features on the trails.  We will overcome fear when riding and learn how to approach some of the more challenging features you may encounter on the trails. 

We plan to offer camping for all women interested in getting to know others, possible night rides, and fireside chats. Some food will be included in the event. 

*Stay tuned for registration information!

Events Calendar

Want to add the ORA Events Calendar to your Google calendar?

Google Import

Want to add the ORA Events Calendar to your iCal calendar?

iCal Import

March 2024

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31