It doesn’t get much more quintessentially Oregon than riding alongside a fork of the Willamette River, far up in the Cascades and deep in the forest. This ride showcases the picture-postcard nature of so much of the riding in this state.
Oakridge is the base for starting this ride. Gas up – and get your own fuel – in town, and then enjoy the long, winding drive from town. If you want to camp near the ride, there are any number of campgrounds along the way, as well as Timpanogas Lake (you can also reserve the Timpanogas Cabin at the headwaters.
From Oakridge, head east on Highway 58 for a couple miles and turn right on Hills Creek Rd. (NF21). After half a mile, turn right again to stay on NF21, and travel for 11.6 miles until you see Sand Prairie Campground on your right. There’s a day-use parking area near the back of the campground; a Northwest Forest Pass is required.
The entire length of the Middle Fork Trail extends nearly 30 miles, stretching from Hills Creek Reservoir all the way to Timpanogas Lake, slowly gaining elevation and ruggedness. This route is mapped for an out-and-back, starting at Sand Prairie Campground just upstream from the reservoir.
The trail is a superbly fun ribbon, undulating along the bank of the river through giant old-growth cedars and past fields of wildflowers. The scale, the colors, the lights… the scents, the sounds… you can’t help but feel deeply connected to the landscape when you’re pedaling a bike through this. It’s a steady climb, never a punishing one; you’re gaining less than 1,000 feet over 15 scenic miles.
You’ll crisscross the cascading river several times, along with walking (or riding?) over a plethora of small feeder creeks. You’re surrounded by mountain slopes that rise above you, and eventually you’ll pop out into Rigdon Meadows – a unique natural clearing in the forest ringed by towering ponderosas and blanketed with purple lupine.
Besides being a natural spot for a snack or lunch break, it’s also the turnaround point for this route. (Of course, the beauty of an out-and-back route is that you can turn around whenever you feel halfway done; you can continue on from here if you feel like it, knowing it’s going to be net-downhill on the way back wherever you reverse direction.)
Once you do turn your wheels around, enjoy the whooping downhill on the slope you just ascended. It’s not all downhill, but the mellow climb you conquered translates into a real treat – lean back and coast through the fantastically serpentine terrain on the way back down.
And speaking of treats, you might want to consider rewarding yourself with a hand-dipped ice cream bars at Dinks Market on your way back toward town. Sitting in one spot, relaxing and eating ice cream provides the perfect opportunity to try to find the words to describe the majestic beauty of what you’re just ridden.
