Ashes to Glory

Alts & Options Route / Madras, Oregon / Published September 2022

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Leading out!

Cyclists going downhill near Madras.

Gravel road with cyclists in Baldwin Hills.

The gravel begins at ~ mile 2.5.

Descending gravel road towards Hay Creek.

The gravel descent towards Hay Creek, ~ mile 7.

Hay Creek Road, Miles 8 to 17.

Gravel Girl riding dirt road with basalt cliffs.

Paved to Ashwood! Miles 17 to 35.

Pony Butte Canyon

Nearing Ashwood.

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.

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.

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

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 Office The 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!

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