20 Results

If you’re in central-eastern Oregon with the luxury of time to explore by bicycle, the Painted Hills Scenic Bikeway offers days’ worth of jaw-dropping scenery, challenging ascents and thrilling descents, and small-town hospitality in all directions. This is some of the most spectacular geography and geology in the state, yet it’s lightly populated and visited. Bicycling through the Painted Hills reveals millions of years of history in the layers of earth, one color at a time. The hills get their name from the delicately colored... More

As an introduction to the bounty of Oregon – and Oregon cycling – the Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway is a great way to go. You can relive Oregon’s history, sample the agricultural bounty of the Valley, pedal through tranquil scenery and make your own history by riding the first official Scenic Bikeway in the United States. The Bikeway follows its namesake river as it winds through the Willamette Valley, shaped by the Coast Range to the west and the towering Cascade Mountains to the east.... More

Visiting Central Oregon can feel like passing through a continuous postcard, and this route is a perfect example of why. Within a relatively short ride, you’ll experience a bustling, outdoors-oriented city featuring plenty of culture, food and beverages; you’ll pedal smooth, sinuous roads through high desert fields and rock formations; and the entire time you’ll have snow-capped peaks on the horizon either in front of you, over your shoulder, or both. The Twin Bridges Loop derives its name from the two bridges along the route... More

Water is the dominant force that sculpts the volcanic landscape of the West Cascades. The Cascading Rivers Scenic Bikeway celebrates the rivers we treasure in the Northwest, by following two of the most rugged and beautiful: the Clackamas and the Breitenbush. All along this route, water and rock interact to create dramatic beauty and inspiration. Imagine: 70-plus miles, from Estacada to Detroit, riding on remote roadways – all of it following the course of rivers. At times you’ll be close enough to the water’s edge... More

It’s called “Old West” for a reason – here’s your chance to pedal like a modern-day cowboy, making your way through rangeland, up and down high passes, beside rushing rivers, under a big sky… and stopping in the occasional town to slake your thirst and get some grub. This two- to three-day route offers a cornucopia of terrain and scenery, from ponderosa-pine forests to rushing rivers, from abundant wildlife to hot springs and fossil beds – and some attention-getting climbs. A vast majority of the... More

The phrase “get away from it all” is overused and misapplied – but not when you pedal the Oregon Outback. If it’s wide-open vistas, scenic solitude and rugged landscapes you’re after – plus a touch of small-town hospitality along the way – this is a route you should check out. The 90-mile Oregon Outback Scenic Bikeway is a remote, beautiful biking challenge. The route is nestled in the beautiful Warner Mountains, located where the forested Cascades meet the high desert basin and range. High peaks,... More

Oregon’s Willamette Valley and Wine Country get lots of attention, but the Tualatin Valley is a great destination – a lush, scenic place to ride that’s only a few miles from Portland. This Bikeway shines a spotlight on the bounty of the valley. Ride the Tualatin Valley Scenic Bikeway and you’ll enjoy scenic views of the Coast Range, dairy farms, vineyards and natural areas, while you inhale the earthy aroma of fresh-cut hay and listen for the flutter of waterfowl. The prominent natural feature here... More

  The only thing prettier than seeing Ashland as you stroll through its downtown is seeing the city nestled in its valley from far above – a view you can earn by riding the Cascade Siskiyou Scenic Bikeway. This challenging but stunning route incorporates 5,000 feet of steep and winding climbing through oak savannah into fir forests, showcasing the ecologically diverse ecosystem of the region. The 55-mile ride starts and ends in Ashland, a town that’s deservedly famous for its theater productions, but also offers... More

The Sisters to Smith Rock Scenic Bikeway provides riders with one of the most scenic and rewarding rides in Central Oregon. It starts in the “Old West” town of Sisters, where you can get great food, drink, ice cream, quilts, Western art and tourist tchotchkes, and it ends at Smith Rock State Park, where you can get some serious natural awe, a number of hikes, and maybe even a yen to try rock-climbing. There’s a public park at each end of the route, with free... More

With a variety of route choices within one Bikeway, all on one of the most enchanting stretches of the South Coast, riding the Wild Rivers Coast Scenic Bikeway is a singular pleasure you can customize to fit your definition of adventure. When your choices are riding for miles beside a Wild and Scenic River, or exploring lush cranberry bogs, or gazing on towering basalt sea stacks and vast ocean views, or checking out a historic coastal lighthouse, you really can’t go wrong. The 60-mile route... More

Traveler Alert: The Covered Bridges Scenic Bikeway will be closed for pavement improvements in July of 2018. Closure dates are subject to change, so please check the Bureau of Land Management trail page before heading out. Here’s a fact not many people know: Lane County has more remaining covered bridges than any county west of the Mississippi River. So what could be better than a ride that celebrates several of them — along with some small-town charm, a beautiful lake at the foot of the... More

Your wheels will sing under the big sky, as miles of remote open road beckon on the Grande Tour Scenic Bikeway. Relax, inhale the fragrant sage and crank on through beautiful northeastern Oregon. This Scenic Bikeway covers some of the route traveled by pioneers on the Oregon Trail. You’ll feel like a bit of a pioneer yourself as you discover the clear streams and serene farmlands, the scented canopy of ponderosa pine forests, the towering windmills and the sweeping sagebrush rangelands of beautiful Eastern Oregon.... More

One of the great pleasures of riding in Oregon is discovering a generally spectacular but somehow lesser-known route – one you didn’t known about before a local told you to check it out. The Crooked River Canyon Scenic Bikeway is a prime example of that concept – a scenic, enjoyable and interesting route that might look like just another “up the river and back” segment on a map. But we’re the locals, and we’re telling you: This is a great ride. Some of our favorite... More

In the middle of the 19th century, the Blue Mountains were a formidable obstacle on the Oregon Trail – often the last mountain range American pioneers had to cross before reaching southeast Washington or passing down the Columbia River Gorge to the end of the Oregon Trail in the Willamette Valley. The range is located in the high, dry and much less traveled country of northeast Oregon. While pioneers traversed this challenge on horseback, today you can ride the Oregon Trail on your two-wheeled steed.... More

A sawblade of snowy volcanic peaks provides quite the backdrop for the Madras Mountain Views Scenic Bikeway. This 29-mile ride rolls through farm fields and skims along the canyon rim of Lake Billy Chinook. A word of advice from one cyclist to another: The scenery might get distracting, so you’ll want to pull over now and again to take it all in. The route begins and ends in Madras, the lively hub for this sun-soaked Central Oregon basin. (While summers can get hot, the region’s... More

Rider Alert: ODOT crews have begun clearing the McKenzie Highway and repairing damage after last year’s fire. The McKenzie Highway is strictly closed to all users Monday through Thursday and when “Extreme Danger” signs are posted. Find more information here. How many rides take you somewhere that’s like nothing you’ve ever seen (really, no hype)? McKenzie Pass is not only the most spectacular ride in Central Oregon, it also leads you to a lava-rock moonscape at the top that spreads out before you for miles. It’s... More

Roads get paved for all kinds of reasons, and have been for a long time. As a road cyclist, sometimes you get lucky when this happens – all of a sudden, boom, you have a new, really great road to ride. Oregon’s newest Scenic Bikeway showcases a beautiful stretch of road that pavement has made accessible to the skinny-tire crowd. For decades, the town of Maupin has served as a focal point for adventurers rafting the Deschutes River. The town itself is friendly, walkable and... More

The Historic Columbia River Highway Trail is truly one of the singular routes in Oregon – and a ride almost anyone can enjoy. When you pair a stupendously beautiful route with a relaxed, car-free environment, it’s a chance to soak in the best of Oregon with family or friends. Oh, and there’s really great food and drink available, too. To set the scene for the ride, a little history: Completed in 1922, the Historic Columbia River Highway was America’s first scenic highway. Using engineering and... More