Giants Throwing Stones
5 Star Route
Burns, Oregon
A remote mixed gravel bike ride with wetlands, desert rangelands, Ponderosa and Juniper forests and a spectacular canyon. And ... a sector with giant boulders thrown about!
Route: Loop | 57 mi
Gain: 3,000 ft
Surface: 60% gravel, 40% paved
Technical Difficulty: Demanding
Locale: Remote
Green Ridge Lookout
5 Star Route
~ Bend, Oregon
The Green Ridge Lookout perches high up on Green Ridge; one of the rare places that dishes out a full panorama of the Cascade Mountains. The ride also a visit to the Wizard Falls fish hatchery and beautiful views of the Metolius River.
Route: Loop | 38 mi
Gain: 3,100 ft
Surface: 60% gravel, 20% single track, 20% paved
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Remote
Guano Creek
Development Route
Lakeview, Oregon
Explore the southern area of the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge with a stop at the historic Shirk Ranch. Rugged & Remote.
Route: Loop | 55 mi
Gain: 2,200 ft
Surface: 100% gravel
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Extremely Remote
Happy Valley
5 Star Route
~ Burns, Oregon
Craters of the Moon Outstanding Natural area, a big beautiful valley, and old ranch houses. What more could you ask for?
Route: Lollipop | 44 mi
Gain: 1,500 ft
Surface: ~ 35% gravel, 65% paved
Technical Difficulty: Easier
Locale: Rural
Hart’s Pass / Slate Peak
Development Route
~ Winthrop, Washington
A narrow, windy mountain road with steep side cliffs leading to jaw dropping views of the North Cascade mountains.
Route: Out & Back | 29 mi
Gain: 5,000 ft
Surface: 100% unpaved
Technical Difficulty: Demanding
Locale: Remote
Hat Creek Crossing
5 Star Route
~ Redding, California (North)
A mixed gravel ride with great views of Mt Shasta and an exploration of some of the best trout fishing rivers in northern California.
Route: Loop | 51 mi
Gain: 3,200 ft
Surface: 50% gravel, 50% paved
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Remote
Haystack
5 Star Route
Bend, Oregon
This route has some of the best, if not the best views of the Cascades from anywhere in Central Oregon. The route is a fun mixture of gravel and pavement, juniper trees and farmlands, rolling hills, flats and a few popper hills.
Route: Lollipop | 20 mi
Gain: 1,500 ft
Surface: 45% gravel, 55% paved
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Urban Backcountry
Hillbilly Weather Station
5 Star Route
Hood River, Washington
One of the many reasons to do this ride is the Hillbilly Weather Station. The others: incredible views of the Hood River, a few miles of the Klickitat Trail, a switch backy and viewy climb up Fisher Hill, rolling farmland, and a blasting-fun paved downhill. Oh, and lots of wildlife which for us included deer, wild turkeys, and a bear. And let’s not forget the vineyards.
Route: Lollipop | 48 mi
Gain: 4,400 ft
Surface: 62% gravel, 1% Roubaix, 37% paved
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Urban Backcountry
Huck & Heidi
5 Star Route
Eugene, Oregon
A sweet climb up to Huckleberry Road (the Huck), two sections of the Aufderheide (the Heidi), and a loop up to Christy Flats. The route is loaded with wild rhododendrons and bear-grass. And then there’s the bonus of the Office Covered Bridge, the longest covered bridge in Oregon.
Route: Loop | 51 mi
Gain: 4,000 ft
Surface: 35% gravel, 65% paved
Technical Difficulty: Demanding
Locale: Remote
Indian Heaven
Development Route
Portland, Washington
A highly scenic route that circumnavigates the Indian Heaven Wilderness in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Big views of Mt Adams and several wilderness lakes along the way.
Route: Loop | 54 mi
Gain: 4,300 ft
Surface: 70% gravel, 30% paved
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Remote
Kangaroo Bay
5 Star Route
Hobart, Tasmania
A lovely ride along Kangaroo Bay and the Huon river followed by a short, but intense climb of Cradoc hill. A go to ride in the winter and when the weather is less than ideal.
Route: Loop | 25 mi
Gain: 2,400 ft
Surface: 40% gravel, 60% paved
Technical Difficulty: Easier
Locale: Rural
Klickitat Trail
5 Star Route
Hood River, Washington
A mixed gravel bike ride climbing an old railway grade along the Klickitat River. Spectacular canyon views And a fast paved descent to the start.
Route: Loop | 44 mi
Gain: 2,400 ft
Surface: 60% gravel / double-track, 40% paved
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Rural
Options: Longer
Kloochman
5 Star Route
Prineville, Oregon
A mixed gravel century (almost a century) that includes the Crooked River Canyon scenic bikeway, the Maury Mountains, and the Post / Paulina road. This ride links two of the best paved roads in Central Oregon with a gravel segment through ranching and farming country and some national forest.
Route: Loop | 92 mi
Gain: 4,400 ft
Surface: 40% gravel road, 60% tarmac
Technical Difficulty: Very Demanding
Locale: Remote
Lost Man
5 Star Route
NorCal (Coast), California (North)
A meadow, big redwoods, some second growth forest and a steep paved downhill. And maybe some elk. Within the Redwoods National park.
Route: Lollipop | 29 mi
Gain: 3,200 ft
Surface: 55% gravel, 25% single track, 20% paved
Technical Difficulty: Demanding
Locale: Rural
Lost Man in Tall Trees
Development Route
NorCal (Coast), California (North)
Bike. Hike. Bike. See some amazing redwoods in the Tall Trees grove ... and experience some remote aspects of the Redwoods state and national parks. This is an extension of the 5 Star Route, Lost Man.
Route: Tootsie Roll | 43 mi
Gain: 5,100 ft
Surface: 60% gravel, 15% single track, 25% paved
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Urban Backcountry
Lost Wagon Train
5 Star Route
Madras, Oregon
This route highlights many of the unique features of riding gravel in Madras. The Baldwin Hills. Hay Creek. The Crooked River National Grasslands. The farming community of Gateway. Lake Simtustus. Dry Canyon. A great early season ride!
Route: Loop | 57 mi
Gain: 4,600 ft
Surface: 35% gravel, 5 % Roubaix, 60% paved
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Rural
Lost!
5 Star Route
Hood River, Oregon
Lost: it’s the name of the lake you are headed to … with one of the most iconic photo opportunities in Oregon. And while Lost Lake has surely been found, very few people (cars or cyclists) are on this route – a derivative of the classic Vista Ridge road ride. This is a must do ride if you are in the area.
Route: Loop | 57 mi
Gain: 5,800 ft
Surface: 14% gravel, 36% Roubaix, 50% paved
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Urban Backcountry
Lower Bridge
Development Route
Bend, Oregon
A great late fall to early spring route. Without moisture, the “moon dust” on Barr road can be brutal. Also, Barr road has a 3 mile section of “pump and chunk”. But this is a great mixed gravel ride that takes in many elements of other routes like Alpaca, Westside Tour and H2O.
Route: Loop | 76 mi
Gain: 3,100 ft
Surface: 40 % gravel, 60% paved
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Rural
Macks Canyon
5 Star Route
Maupin, Oregon
A windy dirt road that clings to the banks of the Deschutes River offering up big views in a remote area of Oregon. A simple out and back.
Route: Out & Back | 34 mi
Gain: 950 ft
Surface: 95% gravel road, 5% paved
Technical Difficulty: Easier
Locale: Rural
Options: Longer
Major Enoch
5 Star Route
~ Prineville, Oregon
A circumnavigation of the 40 million-year-old Wildcat Mountain caldera that includes Twin Pillars and Steins Pillar. A MUST DO ride if you like geology or just beautiful places!
Route: Loop | 54 mi
Gain: 5,900 ft
Surface: 85% gravel/primitive roads, 15% paved
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Remote
Maria Island
5 Star Route
Hobart, Tasmania
Maria island is a must do gravel ride if you are in Tasmania. It is a fantasy island of fun riding, big views and history. And there are no cars on the island!
Route: Loop | 22 mi
Gain: 1,900 ft
Surface: 100% gravel + short section of wide single track
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Rural
McDowell Mountain
5 Star Route
Phoenix, Arizona
A great beginner+ ride on the wide single track of McDowell Mountain Regional park. Just smiles!!
Route: Lollipop | 28 mi
Gain: 1,500 ft
Surface: 45% wide single track, 55% paved
Technical Difficulty: Easier
Locale: Urban Backcountry
McMinnville Mayhem
Development Route
Portland, Oregon
A mixed gravel ride with rolling hills and through farmlands and woodlands in the Willamette Valley. Great early season riding.
Route: Loop | 36 mi
Gain: 3,600 ft
Surface: 32% gravel, 68% paved
Technical Difficulty: Unknown
Locale: Remote
Mescal
Development Route
Tucson, Arizona
An exploratory gravel bike ride on the eastern side of the Rincon Mountain Wilderness with big mountain views!
Route: Out & Back | 27 mi
Gain: 2,200 ft
Surface: 85% gravel, 15% paved
Technical Difficulty: Unknown
Locale: Remote
