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Sherman’s Waltz

5 Star Route / Bend, Oregon / Published October 2014
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Leading out!
The Lake Creek trail, ~ miles 4 to 8.
Climbing up to Round Lake, ~ mile 9.
Some of the rugged gnar near the top of the climb.
Round Lake and Three Fingered Jack in the distance, ~ mile 13.
Descending!
The paved road connecting to the second climb, ~ miles 19 to 24.
Canyon Creek, ~ mile 25.
Beginning of the second climb, up and around Abbot Butte, ~ mile 27.
Mt Jefferson in the distance.
Descending from the back side of Abbot Butte.
Black Butte in the distance, ~ mile 32.
The hard-packed gravel road connector, ~ miles 32 to 35.
Lower Bridge, ~ mile 35. Photo Credit: David Berry
Pavement again, with a slight uphill grade, at ~ mile 36.
The Metolius River at the Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery.
The sector of paved road that closely follows the river, ~ miles 40.5 to 43.
Camp Sherman General Store, ~ mile 43.
The red cinder road after the Camp Sherman General Store.
The last section of single-track, ~ miles 44 to 45.
The Head of the Metolius River.
The parking area.
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Route:
Loop | 45 mi
*
Gain:
3300 ft
*
Surface:
55% gravel, 10% single track, 35% paved
*
Technical Difficulty:
Moderate
*
Navigation:
Attention Required
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Locale:
Rural
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Tire Suggestion:
40mm
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eBike Friendly:
No
Community Condition Report:
Update

“Early in the 1900s Sherman County wheat farmers escaped the dry summer heat by migrating to the riverbanks of the Metolius River to fish and camp in the cool river environment. To help guide fellow farmers to the spot, devotees nailed a shoe-box top with the name Camp Sherman to a tree at a fork in the road. And so began what is believed to be the 1st tourist destination in Central Oregon!”

This ride is for you … if you like hard-packed gravel, a bit of rugged, … lakes and rivers, mountain views, some easy riding single-track … in an area that is not too remote (i.e. you will see people!)

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

Route Downloads

Ride with GPS GPX file

When We Like to Ride This

This route rides great (!) in the spring/early summer when the “washboard” is at a minimum, the peaks are snow-capped, and the flowers are in bloom. The fall colors can also be outstanding. If possible, do the ride midweek and not on a summer holiday weekend.

The Start

Head of the Metolius parking lot

Lat / Long: 44.430428, -121.633832

Food & Water

  • Camp Sherman Store / Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery
Highlights

Terrain & Riding

The route leads out of Camp Sherman immediately crossing the Metolius river, followed by a fun 3-mile section of single-track, slightly uphill. Climb up to Round Lake to enjoy the vast views of all the surrounding mountains. Then descend back down (ok this bit is always a little bumpy!). Then you can feel like a “hero” on the pavement and then begin the climb through the B&B Complex fire area along the southwest side of Mt. Jefferson. Descend, cross the Metolius River at Lower Bridge and then onto the Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery (which is well worth a stop), followed by rolling up on pavement back to Camp Sherman.

Points of Interest

Camp Sherman / ~ Start of Route

You will start from Camp Sherman which is along the Metolius River in the Deschutes National Forest.

Round Lake / ~ Mile 12.9

After a slight uphill, you will enjoy views from the surrounding mountains and a visit to Round Lake.

Lower Bridge / ~ Mile 35.3

Cross over the Metolius River via Lower Bridge.

Wizard Falls Hatchery / ~ Mile 38.3

Stop by the Wizard Falls Hatchery around mile 38.3 where you can take a right turn to the hatchery. Wizards Falls Hatchery was constructed in 1947. Most of the hatchery has rainbow trout broodstock which are supplied to the Deschutes sub-basin in SE Oregon. The hatchery is also used for recreational fishing programs incubating kokanee salmon and spring Chinook and summer steelhead. This is a part of the upper Deschutes Basin reintroduction program. [Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife]

This is also a good spot to refill on water.

Camp Sherman General Store / ~ Mile 43.1

Grab a bite to eat, some drinks, or even fly fishing supplies. The Camp Sherman Store has a small store, deli and fly shop.

Notes & Options

Route Notes

  1. The terrain is mostly hard-packed gravel roads and easy single-track trail. The climb and descent to Round Lake can be rugged, rocky and with some washboard.

  2. Navigation is relatively straightforward and the area is bounded by the Wilderness to the west (no roads), the Warm Springs Indian reservation to the north (no access), the Metolius River road to the east (paved road) and Highway 20 to the south (busy road).

  3. The area is not too remote (you will see people) but there is limited call cell phone reception along the route.

Route Options

You can easily shorten the route by eliminating:

  • The shoulder of Black Butte, delete 11.5 miles and 1050 feet of gain.
  • Round Lake, delete 11 miles and 1150 feet of gain.
  • The B&B Complex Fire, delete 4 miles and 500 feet of gain. At mile 32 continue north on NF 12.
Comments

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

Love Where You Ride!

One of the special sections of this ride is the Lake Creek Trail, miles 3.5 to 7.5. Recently Chinook and Sockeye salmon have started spawning again in Lake Creek and Suttle Lake due to the restoration efforts led by organizations like the Deschutes Land Trust. We really like the work that the Deschutes Land Trust does and urge you to learn more about their organization.

Videos

Trail Etiquette (Horses, Hikers & Bikers)

Whether you like to hike, bike, or ride a horse, we all want to enjoy our trails safely. Learn how to share the trail respectfully!

Podcasts

Lake Creek Where Salmon Now Run!

Lake Creek is an important tributary that runs into the Metolius River which is vital to salmon and trout habitat. Learn about the restoration efforts of the creek with Brad Chalfant, the former executive director of the [...]

Ridden and Reviewed by:

Captain O

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.

Gravel Girl

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.

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