Skydog
Highlights & Remarkable Spots
Taylor Butte Descent / ~ miles 0 to 4
Get on your bike, ride a slight incline for a little less than a mile, then descend the Crooked River Highway on a sweet paved descent of 800 feet. This drops you into a scenic valley dotted with ranches.
Bear Creek / ~ miles 4 to 24.5
The next 6 miles are on Highway 27 (the Crooked River Highway), the only gravel highway in the state. The road is a wide two-lane gravel road with a slight incline that can get washboarded; if so, look to the outsides for good riding lines. You will most likely encounter a couple of cars / trucks on this sector.
At mile 10, you turn left onto Bear Creek Road. The gravel gets really good. Cadillac good! Hard-packed and fast, but with a slight incline that is almost imperceptible. Bear Creek is to your right for the entire sector. Rolling hills and some grazing lands dominate the area.
Little Bear Creek & Roberts Road / ~ miles 24.5 to 38
This sector is the most demanding of the day. The roads are more dirt / clay than gravel. They tend to become rutted with tire tracks, and some care is required to negotiate this safely. Also, this sector has several challenging but short hills. Pitches up to 10%, maybe a bit more. However, you will get some great views looking west to the Cascade Mountains. And if you’re lucky, just beyond the entrance to Skydog ranch, you will see one of the herds of horses of the ranch. Note that cyclists are not encouraged to stop at the ranch; this is to protect the mustangs and burros, to allow them to live in a sanctuary without being scared by cyclists. If you see horses, please just slow down.
SKYDOG RANCH is a forever home for wild mustangs and burros who have ended up in horrible and dangerous situations – at kill pens, at auctions, or in unloving homes where they have often been starved and neglected. We are also home to several wild horse families that we have reunited after being separated during roundups.[Skydog Ranch]
Salt Creek & Taylor Butte Climb / ~ miles 38 to 47
At mile 38, a left turn onto Salt Creek Road, you’re back on hard-pack gravel with a long straight zipping fast downhill. At mile 41 go right and back onto the only state highway in Oregon that is gravel. The next 3.5 miles are slightly downhill, but work you harder than you expect due to the washboard and thick gravel.
At mile 42.5, the road returns to tarmac, and the finishing climb begins — 800 feet in 2.5 miles. The bottom half is steeper than the top half. 5 to 7% grade versus 4 to 6%. The climb felt easier than we anticipated, but it could be a brutal slugfest if you are with a spirited group.
From the summit near Taylor Butte, it is a little less than a mile back to the cars on a slight downhill. Enjoy!
When We Like to Ride This
Mid-May through July, when the creeks run full, and the hills and fields are painted green. From November 15th to April 15th, there is a seasonal road closure in place, do not ride before this. It could be a muddy mess with a lot of hike-a-bike.
The route starts with a downhill, so pick a start time according to your tolerance for cold, but also be aware that most of the route is quite exposed to the sun and wind.
Terrain & Riding
The terrain is mostly hard-packed gravel roads except for 12 miles, from miles 24 to 36. It tends to be a bit more rutted and technically demanding. It is unknowing quite easy to catch a tire on a rut edge and go down. There are also a couple of steep up pitches in excess of 8%.
The Start
A makeshift dirt pull-out along the west side of the Crooked River Highway, OR-27.
Lat / Long: 44.060784, -120.780479
Food & Water
- None.
Get Involved!
The Skydog Ranch is a sanctuary for wild mustangs and burros. To learn more about their work, take a look at their website.
Videos
The Ride! Skydog
A quick 2-minute video of what to expect on your ride!
Podcasts
The Horse Cure
An depth interview (45 min) with the Executive Director of Skydog Ranch.
Ridden and Reviewed by:
Have you ridden this route? Got a question? Join the discussion!