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Ashes to Glory

Alts & Options Route / Madras, Oregon / Published September 2022
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Leading out on bike from Madras, Oregon.
Leading out!
Cyclists going downhill near Madras.
Gravel road with cyclists in Baldwin Hills.
The gravel begins at ~ mile 2.5.
Green cattle chute.
Several gravel cyclists in open plains.
Descending gravel road towards Hay Creek.
The gravel descent towards Hay Creek, ~ mile 7.
Gravel road with basalt cliffs.
Group of cyclists on Hay Creek Road.
Hay Creek Road, Miles 8 to 17.
Gravel Girl riding dirt road with basalt cliffs.
Wide open skies on gravel road.
Climbing Pony Butte grade.
Paved to Ashwood! Miles 17 to 35.
Pony Butte road with basalt cliffs.
Pony Butte Canyon
Pony Butte Canyon
Descending paved road towards Ashwood.
Near Ashwood on bike with green fields.
Nearing Ashwood.
Horses near Ashwood, Oregon.
Climbing steep gravel road leading out of Ashwood.
The steep and demanding climb out of Ashwood.
Women cyclists on gravel bikes near Hay Creek Ranch.
Riding gravel road in the fall.
Two women cyclists riding together on gravel road.
Rolling back in!
*
Route:
Lollipop | 58 mi
*
Gain:
6044 ft
*
Surface:
60% gravel, 40% paved
*
Technical Difficulty:
Demanding
*
Navigation:
Straightforward
*
Locale:
Remote
*
Tire Suggestion:
40mm+
*
eBike Friendly:
Yes
Community Condition Report:
Update

This challenging gravel and pavement ride showcases some of the best of Central Oregon high — rugged hills, valleys, ranch lands, the historic mining boom town turned ghost town of Ashwood, majestic basalt cliffs, and the Polka Dot agate mine.

This is a demanding route! The Hay Creek Road sector (miles 8 to 17) is rough, chunky and slightly downhill. It will test your bike handling skills. The paved sector of Pony Butte road (miles 20 to 35) climbs and undulates with a final descent of 800 feet into Ashwood. The climb out of Ashwood is steep and demanding. From mile 43 on it is mostly downhill. 2400 feet of descent with 800 feet of gain, with the longest continuous climb being 250 feet.

This Alts & Options route is a combination of two of our other routes, Poke the Bear and Ghost of Ashwood (but in the opposite direction). See those routes for a full description of what to expect.

Read More
Map & Details
Brown = gravel / dirt road
Blue = single track
Red = paved road
Purple = paved bike path

Route Downloads

Ride with GPS Strava GPX file
Cue Sheet

Caution!
A cue sheet should never be used as your primary navigation tool. We recommend having a digital or paper map as well.

Got It

When We Like to Ride This

In the spring when the creeks flow full and the flowers are in bloom. (Truly our favorite time.) Or on a cool, sunny fall day when the trees are changing colors. Or, on a winter day, when the ground is frozen (yes, frozen, not just cold). It is best to avoid this route when wet or muddy because the mud can really stick to your bike.

The Start

Juniper Hills park. Flush toilets.

Lat / Long: 44.635943, -121.098392

Food & Water

  • ~ Mile 35 / Ashwood. At the old post office, there is (as of June 2021) an honor system “store” with snacks, drinks, and ice cream (bring your small bills).

Credits & Acknowledgements

This route was first proposed and put together by AndrewL, the event promoter for the Ashes to Glory race. Great idea!

Comments

Have you ridden this route? Got a question? Join the discussion!

Love Were You Ride!

Ashwood Oregon Post OfficeThe people of Ashwood have put up a self-help store at the old post office. It has water, Gatorade, chips, and ice cream. They have also created a picnic and tenting spot with pit toilets. We encourage you to thank them for their support by dropping into the donation box a bit more than what you take. A heartfelt note of thanks is always nice too!

Videos

Why Juniper Reduction Makes a Difference

Juniper trees are water hogs! Learn why the cutting of Junipers from native grasslands restores range health and animal habitat.

Columbia River Plateau Basalt

Massive lava flows covered much of the inland Northwest 17 million years ago. The basalt surged to the surface through fissures - like cracks in the bottom of a row boat. The stack of basalt layers is more than 2 miles thick at some locations. Learn a bit more about this geological feature in [...]

Podcasts

All About Basalt with the Rock Doctor

You will find these rocky columnar cliffs in Eastern and Central Oregon, but what exactly happened to form these unique structures? In this podcast, we talk with our resident rock doctor, Dr. Kim Ely.

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