Sherman’s Waltz
5 Star Route
Bend, Oregon
Gravel Girl’s favorite ride with a visit to Round Lake, the Wizard Falls fish hatchery, and Camp Sherman store. And a red cinder descent that showcases the expanse of Sisters mountain range.
Route: Loop | 45 mi
Gain: 3,300 ft
Surface: 55% gravel, 10% single track, 35% paved
Technical Difficulty: Demanding
Locale: Rural
Silver Onion
5 Star Route
~ Tucson, Arizona
A bucket list gravel bike ride with squiggly climbs, Yosemite like rock walls, and some of the most bio diverse lands in America.
Route: Lollipop | 40 mi
Gain: 5,400 ft
Surface: 90% gravel, 10% paved
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Remote
Skull Hollow
5 Star Route
Bend, Oregon
A ride with history and views. Skull Hollow, a massacre site where 200 died, the historic Crooked River (High) bridge, views of Smith Rock, the Cascade mountains the Crooked River gorge.
Route: Loop | 28 mi
Gain: 1,900 ft
Surface: 30% gravel, 70% paved
Technical Difficulty: Demanding
Locale: Urban Backcountry
Skydog
5 Star Route
Bend, Oregon
If you like rolling hills, a few pitches of steep, big wide open views, ranchlands and few people ... this gravel bike ride is for you! Bonus! Skydog ranch - a wild mustang sanctuary. Birthplace of the Wild, Wild West!
Route: Lollipop | 47 mi
Gain: 3,400 ft
Surface: 80% gravel road, 20% paved
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Remote
Slate River
Development Route
Crested Butte, Colorado
If you're looking for a challenging, high alpine gravel ride, this loop will be right up your alley. The high alpine views (and high elevation) will leave you breathless. This route, which goes over two mountain passes, features terrific and sometimes challenging gravel roads and alpine lakes.
Route: Loop | 29 mi
Gain: 3,400 ft
Surface: 70% gravel, 30% paved
Technical Difficulty: Very Demanding
Locale: Remote
South Junction
5 Star Route
Madras, Oregon
A simple out & back exploring the scenic Deschutes River Canyon and the old railway line that was part of the Deschutes Railway Wars. Great history! Great views!
Route: Out & Back | 23 mi
Gain: 2,300 ft
Surface: 100% gravel
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Remote
Steens Mountain Loop Road
5 Star Route
~ Burns, Oregon
The Steens Mountain Loop Road departs the tiny, historic town of Frenchglen and climbs up Oregon’s eighth-tallest mountain on a tour of massive gorges, vast panoramas and one of the most spectacular lakes in the Pacific Northwest.
Route: Loop | 72 mi
Gain: 7,300 ft
Surface: 85% gravel, 15% paved
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Remote
Steens Mountain Tour
Bikepacking Route
Burns, Oregon
This is a five-day cycling tour around and up Steens Mountain in southeastern Oregon. The route mixes pavement with gravel, alternating day-by-day. Weather extremes should be expected.
Duration: 5 Days
Route: Loop | 281 mi
Gain: 13,600 ft
Surface: 35% gravel, 65% paved
Technical Difficulty: Demanding
Locale: Remote
Summit Ridge
5 Star Route
Dufur / Maupin, Oregon
This route highlights the unique hydrological features of the Fifteenmile Watershed: Fifteenmile creek, the hollows, and Summit Ridge. The Dufur / Tygh Valley / Dalles area is one of the best spring time riding areas in the state. Moderate temps and little rain. The roads are quiet, the views are big!
Route: Loop | 45 mi
Gain: 4,000 ft
Surface: 55% gravel, 45% paved
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Rural
The Big One6
5 Star Route
Madras, Oregon
Rolling hills, big views, good pavement, little traffic, cool geology and a scenic lake. This ride “goes” almost year-round.
Route: Out & Back | 31 mi
Gain: 2,500 ft
Surface: 20% gravel road, 80% paved
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Rural
The Dirty Lemmon
5 Star Route
Tucson, Arizona
This is a big, big endeavor! But … the payoffs are huge: (a) the accomplishment of a monster climb (4400 feet in 13 miles), (b) one of the longest and most scenic paved descents in the West and (c) bragging rights with your riding friends.
Route: Loop | 114 mi
Gain: 12,000 ft
Surface: 50% gravel, 50% paved
Technical Difficulty: Very Demanding
Locale: Remote
The Dredge
5 Star Route
Baker City, Oregon
A ride loaded with gold mining history. A dredge, a historic pumphouse, a ghost town and active working mining claims. You will also see first hand efforts to clean up the harmful impacts of mining.
Route: Loop | 48 mi
Gain: 4,000 ft
Surface: 55% gravel road, 45% pavement
Technical Difficulty: Very Demanding
Locale: Extremely Remote
The Pawn
5 Star Route
Sisters, Oregon
An adventurous up / down route with big views of volcanic craters, mountain tops, and long ridgelines with constantly changing terrain from gravel roads to rugged forest service track to flowy single-track.
Route: Loop | 42 mi
Gain: 3,300 ft
Surface: 80% gravel, 15% single-track, 5% paved
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Remote
Options: Shorter
The Pyramids
5 Star Route
~ Sisters, Oregon
Visit the great Pyramids of Oregon on quiet logging roads and a delicious single track section that dives deep, deep into a thick forest covered in ferns. Magical.
Route: Lollipop | 25 mi
Gain: 2,600 ft
Surface: 70% gravel, 10% single-track, 20% paved
Technical Difficulty: Demanding
Locale: Extremely Remote
Options: Shorter
Titus Canyon
5 Star Route
Death Valley National Park, California (South)
Titus Canyon has it all—rugged mountains, colorful rock formations, a ghost town, petroglyphs, wildlife, rare plants, and spectacular canyon narrows as a grand finale!
Route: Loop | 61 mi
Gain: 6,700 ft
Surface: ~ 45% gravel, 55% paved
Technical Difficulty: Very Demanding
Locale: Remote
To the Wall
5 Star Route
Tucson, Arizona
An exploratory gravel bike ride through the Pajarito Mountains with a stop at the "new" border wall. Great riding! Big views!
Route: Loop | 29 mi
Gain: 3,000 ft
Surface: 85% gravel, 15% paved
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Remote
Tom Rock
5 Star Route
Salem, Oregon
A mostly gravel ride through the Santiam State Forest with an exceptional viewpoint. Note, There is a significant amount of climbing on this route for the miles ridden.
Route: Lollipop | 31 mi
Gain: 3,700 ft
Surface: 80% gravel, 20% paved
Technical Difficulty: Very Demanding
Locale: Remote
Tony!
5 Star Route
Baker City, Oregon
A gravel version of the classic Anthony Lakes ride in Eastern Oregon. A beautiful gravel / dirt climb with a ripping paved descent. Oh, so fun!
Route: Loop | 40 mi
Gain: 4,300 ft
Surface: ~ 65% gravel, 35% pavement
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Remote
Tour of the Giants
Bikepacking Route
Siskiyou Mountains / Southwest, Oregon
A tour through the Siskiyou Mountains. Ancient trees, incredible vistas and scenic riding along the coast.
Duration: 5 Days
Route: Loop | 270 mi
Gain: 23,000 ft
Surface: 25% gravel, 75% paved
Technical Difficulty: Demanding
Locale: Remote
Triple Creek
Development Route
Joseph, Oregon
A route through the Wallowa Valley that ventures into the national forest. Views of the Devils Mountains and some fast paved downhill riding.
Route: Loop | 26 mi
Gain: 2,900 ft
Surface: 60% gravel, 40% paved
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Remote
Trophy Fish
5 Star Route
Joseph, Oregon
An easier mixed gravel tour through the Wallowa Valley. Farms, ranches, big mountain views, and a stop at the fish hatchery (a must do!).
Route: Loop | 32 mi
Gain: 1,400 ft
Surface: 40% gravel road, 60% pavement
Technical Difficulty: Easier
Locale: Remote
Two Bulls, One Coffee
5 Star Route
Bend, Oregon
The real deal. Demanding, steep, and off the beaten track. Wander up through an old burn area for nice mountain views and new growth forest.
Route: Loop | 58 mi
Gain: 3,800 ft
Surface: 50% gravel road, 50% tarmac
Technical Difficulty: Demanding
Locale: Remote
Tygh My Shoes
5 Star Route
Dufur / Maupin, Oregon
Loop up and through the White River Wildlife area, into the ghost town of Friend, around the east side of the Badger Creek Wilderness area via a one-lane paved Forest Service road and back down to Tygh Valley on a gravel road with expansive views near the end.
Route: Loop | 30 mi
Gain: 2,800 ft
Surface: 50% gravel, 50% paved
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Extremely Remote
Valles Caldera
5 Star Route
Sante Fe, New Mexico
Ride through a diverse landscape born from an explosive past. The caldera and surrounding preserve are known for their huge mountain meadows, abundant wildlife, and meandering streams. The area is also the ancestral homeland of native peoples and embraces a rich ranching history.
Route: Loop | 22 mi
Gain: 1,400 ft
Surface: 90% gravel, 10% paved
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Locale: Remote
