Oregon Outback (DF Edition)

Development Route / The Outback, Oregon / Published: Apr 2025 / Directions

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This Route Guide is in Development!

Route:

Point to Point | 400 mi

Gain:

20,000 ft

Surface:

Technical Difficulty:

Demanding

Navigation:

Attention Required

Locale:

Extremely Remote

Tire Suggestion:

Options:

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This is Dirty Freehub’s edition of the Oregon Outback. (You can find the original here).

We’ve taken on this iconic route to provide long-term stewardship and responsible management. In recent years, the Oregon Outback has suffered from poor rider behavior—camping on private land, leaving trash behind, and improper waste disposal. We’re working to change that.

Our version of the route emphasizes sustainability and community impact. It uses designated campgrounds and is designed to support the rural towns and businesses along the way.

We’re also partnering with Oregon State Parks to help maintain and upgrade the first 70 miles of the route that follow the OC&E Rails-to-Trails corridor. But here’s the challenge: State Parks doesn’t have the funding to do this work. That’s where you come in.

If this guide helps you plan your ride, please consider making a contribution to Dirty Freehub—and tag it “Oregon Outback.” Your support helps us protect and improve this route for future riders.

We are currently publishing this route guide as in Development. We need to devlop detailed and accurate information. Thus, if you do ride this, please give us feedback on what you find. You can do so in the Comments block. And … we would love to recieve pictures!

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Often regarded as one of the most iconic bikepacking adventures in the state, the Oregon Outback spans from the California border to the banks of the Columbia River. Starting in Klamath Falls, this route strings together more than 360 miles of remote, mostly unpaved backroads. It offers a striking cross-section of Oregon’s high desert terrain (the “Outback”), where long stretches of solitude are broken only by the occasional antelope, sagebrush, or distant hawk.

The Outback is rugged, remote, and physically demanding. But for those who take it on, the reward is deep: big skies, unforgettable sunrises, cold creek dips, and a chance to slow down and savor the rhythm of rural Oregon. We suggest taking 5 to 7 days, giving yourself time to soak in the experience—and maybe even grab a legendary meal at a roadside outpost or two along the way.

Map

Brown = gravel / dirt road

Blue = single track

Red = paved road

Purple = paved bike path

Ride Details

When We Like to Ride This

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Not Rideable

Possibly Rideable

Rideable

The OC&E Trail is rideable for most of the year. However, it’s important to remember that this region was originally wetlands, long before the construction of canals as part of the Klamath Basin reclamation project. Because of this, the trail can become muddy and difficult to ride in the spring—especially after winters with heavy mountain snowfall and spring rain. That’s why trail condition reports are so helpful during this time of year.

In early spring (April and early May), you may notice the trail surface has a rough, uneven texture. This is caused by a natural freeze-thaw process over the winter called frost heaving. As moisture in the soil freezes and expands, it gradually lifts the ground. When temperatures fluctuate, the cycle repeats, breaking up the surface—almost like slow-motion tilling. The result is a soft, lumpy tread that can be challenging to ride until it firms up with warmer weather and more trail use.

Perfect early season long-distance route. Less snow concern. Less fire concern.

Terrain & Riding

Oregon Outback is an unofficial term generally used to reference the high desert Basin and Range country of the central southern portion of the U.S. state of Oregon and covers most of Lake County, Klamath County, Malheur County, and Harney County and parts of Deschutes and Crook County.

The region is arid with an average of about ten inches of annual rainfall, though some mountain areas may receive as much as thirty inches, mostly in the form of winter snow and summer thunderstorms. Winters are cold and windy with periodic snowfalls; spring brings warm days and cold nights with snow possible into late April. Summer is warm with cool nights and occasional thunderstorms, with fall bringing crisp weather that can be interrupted by snow as soon as late October.

The region is a high desert plateau averaging roughly 4,000 feet (1,200 m) in elevation, periodically broken by sometimes massive fault-block mountains.

The Outback Sector is roughly from Cowboy Diner Train to Prineville Reservoir.
Ref: https://www.tripcheck.com/Pages/Scenic-Byways-Outback

Look here for comments:

The Oregon Outback

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Here are some of the key stops along the way, south to north. There may be more.
– Klamath Falls (the start) (Camping, Lodging, Store)
– Sprague River (store, can we find camping? lodging?)
– Beatty (store, can we find camping? lodging?)
– Cowboy Diner (dining + lodging)
– Fort Rock (dining, store, can we find lodging?)
– Pine Mountain Observatory (Camping)
– Prineville (lodging, store, can we find camping?
– Antelope (Camping / Lodging)
– Shaniko (Hotel, store)
– Maupin (Camping, Lodging, Stores)
– Tygh Valley & Fairgrounds (Camping, Store)
– Dufur (Camping, Lodging, Store)
– Deschutes Rec area (the end) (Camping)

Notes & Options

Route Notes

Water. Be very careful in filtering water. Agriculture (pesticides, fertilizers, and cattle grazing) run-off. Very true in Ashwood.

Route Options

Start in Portland
Amtrak to K-Falls. At end, bus from The Dalles to Portland.

Should we finish in The Dalles?

Columbia Gorge Express – Providing a fixed schedule between Hood River and Portland. From there, transfer to the Hood River to The Dalles bus run by Columbia Area Transit and The Link. Use Google Maps transit directions for real-time information.

Greyhound Bus – Service from Portland to The Dalles. Bus does not allow bikes.
Ref: https://www.ridecatbus.org/columbia-gorge-express/

Comments

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

Help Make this Guide Better!

This route guide is a work in progress—and we need your help to make it great.

If you’ve ridden all or part of this route, your insights are invaluable. Let us know where you stayed (campgrounds, hotels, etc.), where you grabbed food (restaurants, convenience stores), and what challenges you faced on the trail. The more detail, the better.

We’re also looking for photos! Scenic shots, tricky sections, campsites—anything that brings this route to life.

And yes, we need your support. Maintaining and improving long-distance gravel routes like this one is increasingly falling on non-profit organizations like Dirty Freehub. Federal agencies can no longer keep up with the work required to maintain soft surface trails.

Leave your feedback in the comments below—and if you can, please consider donating. Together, we can keep this adventure rolling.

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YouTube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfyyFvlFGcg

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