Name: Bull Gap Lower
Rating: 4.0

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This trail is Forest Road 2080, which is open (when snow free) to motorized vehicle traffic between the Mount Ashland Ski Road, Bull Gap, and Tolman Road. It's not much of a summer hike but is an excellent Nordic ski or snowshoe route when snow-covered in winter. Then it is easily accessible by car from the Bull Gap Sno-Park (paid permit required Nov-Apr) on the Mount Ashland Ski Road. It is usually snow-covered from early December to early April. This trail is for winter use only when snow covered.

Need to Know

Although enforcement is sparse, you do need a Sno-Park permit (daily or annual) to park at the Bull Gap Sno-Park. The parking lot there can hold 15-20 vehicles but can be busy on weekends. Parking along the Mount Ashland Ski Road is not permitted.

Description

This trail is a wide, gently graded forest road that runs between the Mount Ashland Ski Road and the Bull Gap Upper Trail. Unless you are using it to connect with the Upper trail for a hike to or from Mount Ashland, it has little appeal as a summer hike. But when snow-covered in winter, it's a wonderfully easy snowshoe or Nordic skiing route.

It even offers some views to the east and south, including one of Mount Shasta. It's northern end, at Bull Gap, has no vehicle access, so you start from the Bull Gap Sno-Park. From there you can go out-and-back to Bull Gap or (if you arrange a shuttle) continue on the more strenuous Bull Gap Upper Trail to Mount Ashland. As a forest road, it's wide enough to accommodate both skiers and snowshoers without overlap.