A winding single lane, one way road from Government Camp to Timberline ski area with 15 to 20 switchbacks. The pavement is generally good, but there are occasional potholes and some forest debris.
Timberline Lodge, one of Oregon’s architectural wonders and a place dear to the hearts of Oregonians. It was built in the 1930s by the Works Progress Administration, an agency devoted to providing jobs for public projects during the Great Depression. The lodge is a national historic building, and showcases massive hand-hewn timbers and hand-forged fasteners – it provides a strong a sense of the region’s natural resources as well as the craftsmanship that went into its construction. Before you hit the trail, take some time to mosey around the lodge, check out the six ginormous rock fireplaces, and maybe get the fanciest cup of hot chocolate ever. [Travel Oregon]
Single track trail from Timberline ski area back to Government Camp (“Govy”). See this video for a fun look at the area and the single-track trail
Mid-summer to early fall. The major go / no-go criteria for this route is snow on the ground. The route is between 4,000 to 6,000 feet and over half of it is in the trees.
The highlights of this ride are big views of Mt Hood, the historic Timberline Lodge, and a fun, flowy downhill single track.
Government Camp rest area. Water and flush toilets.
50 mm tires or larger. The ideal setup for this route is a drop bar mountain bike, like a Salsa Cutthroat, with 2.1 or 2.2″ tires. It will be worth it for the fun, flowy downhill on the single-track.
If your looking for something a bit bigger and more burly, check out Thee Holy Mountain loop by OMTM and Burger Lodge Loop by BuckyRides.
Have you ridden this route? Got a question? Join the discussion!