Topsy Grade
When We Like to Ride This
Mid-May through October. Spring will have the best color with the wild flowers in bloom and the grasses green.
Terrain & Riding
“This road was a former Native American passageway, then later utilized by soldiers who arrived to protect the incoming settlers and pioneers into Southern Oregon in the mid-1800s that followed the nearby historic Applegate Trail. This road then became a stage road for passengers and freight as well as a telegraph road for the Pony Express. The road was the main source of travel between Yreka and Klamath Falls until the railroad line was built in 1908.”[Waymarking]
“There are a number of historical ‘T’ Markers located along Topsy Grade Road. They include the Topsy Station site, a former post office, stage, and freight stop location; Robber’s Rock, a popular spot along Topsy Grade Road where stagecoaches and freight stages were often held up; and the Kerwin Ranch, a wayside stopping point along Topsy Road for travelers (no traces of this former ranch exist, other than an old wooden and barbed wire fence line).”[Waymarking]
For more on the history of Topsy Road, we recommend this article by Herald and News.
The turnaround point is Topsy Campground … “set on the rugged shoreline of the JC Boyle reservoir, Topsy Campground provides a quiet location for relaxing recreation. The area is set in an open Ponderosa Pine forest with nearby views of Mt McLaughlin, an icon of the southern Oregon Cascade Mountains.”[Bureau of Land Management]
The Start
A makeshift dirt pull-out along Ager Beswick road. To get to the start from the Interstate, take exit 789 to Copco road. Go right on Ager road. At the town of Ager, go left on Ager Beswick road. (Google may try to route you differently, which would put you on some slow gravel roads.)
Food & Water
- At Topsy campground, the turn around pointe, there may be water.
Route Notes
Doable on 40 mm tires, but we recommend 50+ mm.
We recommend riding this in the direction as mapped for several reasons. (1) Most of the climbing takes place in the first half of the road, and (2) the big and best views will come in the second half of the ride.
Route Options
At mile 11.6 (Robbers Rock), there is a spur to the left to the “Frain School” site that we recommend exploring. You can find the details on All Trails. “Views from the trail are unbelievable, and when you reach the river, and there are turnouts with rock fire pits that others have left set up. The camping was super cool, especially with the rushing water late at night.” From ChristopherC.
Have you ridden this route? Got a question? Join the discussion!