McKay Creek Lollipop

5 Star Route / Prineville, Oregon / Published October 2015

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Gravel bike rider on gravel road going up hill.

Near the end of the first gravel sector. A short 12 % pitch.

Flower! Near the beginning of the ride.

Single gravel bike rider on gravel road overlooking Ochocos.

Riding the ridge after Harvey Gap.

Gravel road on hill with purple flowers.

Wow!

Gravel bike in front of wild dandelions in the spring.

Just before the long gravel descent.

Descending!

The parking area.

Route:

Lollipop | 38 mi

Gain:

3700 ft

Surface:

55% gravel road, 45% paved

Technical Difficulty:

Moderate

Navigation:

Straightforward

Locale:

Rural

Tire Suggestion:

40 mm+

eBike Friendly:

Yes

Community Condition Report:

Update

This is a classic route, one of the original DF routes. In late spring, the flowers are in full bloom, the grasses green and the streams running full. In summer, we ride here because it doesn’t get dusty due to a nice clay base. And in fall, we love the changing colors. (The route will hold snow in early spring though so make sure you check your snow levels. And this is a popular hunting area so you’ll want to look out for opening days of hunting season.)

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…

Late spring through late October.

The Start

The intersection of McKay Creek road and Allen Creek road. Park on the dirt shoulder on the north side of the intersection. There’s a big pull out area.

Lat / Long: 44.415436, -120.809382

Food & Water

None

Highlights

Terrain & Riding

The route starts out in farm country then climbs to Harvey Gap. You will follow a beautiful ridge with deep views into the Ochoco National Forest, including a nice view of the Steen’s pillar off in the distance. Then you will enjoy a buzzing fun descent down pavement, with rollers deeper into the Ochocos. The final climb is easier than the first climb which sets you up for a long descent on gravel that shallows out onto pavement. You’ll fly back to the start, unless you hit the headwinds which are pretty common in the late afternoon.

Notes & Options

Route Options

The long gravel descent can be avoided and the route shortened (by one gravel segment) by staying left on the pavement at mile 20.5 and continuing back to the start. This detour gives a route of 33 miles with 2800 feet of ascent. It makes the final downhill rip’n fast, a quick getaway if you are getting out of bad weather.

Comments

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Ridden and Reviewed by:

Gravel Girl / Team Dirty Freehub

She loves a good day of gravel, like most people like a good book. She’s always amused by the outdoors and the wild adventures. Gravel Girl is a Co-Founder of Dirty Freehub.

Captain O / Team Dirty Freehub

He should have “Never Stop Exploring” tattooed on his chest! He loves adventures on bikes and is a Co-Founder of Dirty Freehub.