Path of Totality

5 Star Route / Madras, Oregon / Published August 2017 / Version 2.0 / Directions

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Heading out!

Lake Simtustus.

At the top of the first hill.

The entrance to Willow Creek trail.

Willow Creek trail, on the single track.

The old railway grade.

The difficult section - 40 yards or so.

Nearing the end of the first gravel sector.

Up "M" hill, ~ 20 %.

The top!

Down the hill.

The flat farm lands section.

Nearing the half way point.

Taking a break at the store.

On the rim above Lake Billy Chinook.

Lake Bill Chinook.

At the summit of Round Butte.

Down the big hill, 12%.

Almost back!

Route:

Lollipop | 44 mi

Gain:

3,100 ft

Surface:

10% gravel, 15% double track, 75% paved

Technical Difficulty:

Moderate

Navigation:

Straightforward

Locale:

Urban Backcountry

Tire Suggestion:

40 mm+

eBike Friendly:

Yes

Experience some of the hidden treasures in the Madras / Culver area. From start to finish:

Ride along the rugged eastern shores of Lake Simtustus.
Gradually climb up and through Willow Creek canyon, going from gravel road to double track to single track.
Ride up and over the “M” Hill on a bike path, a pitch of 20%.
Explore the farmlands of the area.
Ride on the rim above Lake Billy Chinook.
And take on the steep, but beautiful descent back down to Lake Simtustus

This ride does not have a lot of gravel / adventure sectors (3 at 11 miles), but they can be technically demanding – some double track, some single track, possibly loose, maybe rutted and some larger rocks (softball sized or better) and some up / down pitches in excess of 10 %.

This is a route we found during the famous 2017 total eclipse. We were lucky enough to get to stay in Madras to witness not only the crazy eclipse but the whole mob that showed up. Hay fields turned into a Woodstock event. And the airport had a steady stream of fancy jets landing every minute or two.

Map

Brown = gravel / dirt road

Blue = single track

Red = paved road

Purple = paved bike path

GPX Download

Ride Details

The Start

The gravel pull-out at the intersection of Highway 26 and NW Pelton Dam road. This route loans itself to many different start locations and distances. See the notes sections for details.

Lat / Long: 44.728841, -121.237033

Food & Water

~ Mile 24: The Cove General store. Seasonal, open mid-May to mid-September

Notes & Options

Route Notes

Note, at the entrance to Willow Creek trail you will see signs stating “no trespassing”. Jefferson County has easement rights to the dirt road for those on foot, bike or horseback, thus use of the dirt road up to and past Canyon Kids camp is legal and permitted.
There are several alternative starts for this route and several variations. As we have mapped it, the “stick of the lollipop” includes a ripping paved descent and some very scenic riding along Lake Simtustus. Alternate start locations include Madras (@mile 11) and the Crooked River Campground (@Mile 25). With the alternate start locations, the obvious choice is to eliminate the section along the “stick of the lollipop”, a distance of 8 miles.
The route rides well in both directions. In the opposite direction (counter-clockwise), you have a big, steep uphill climb at mile 5, but then the old railway grade sector is slightly downhill.
Jan 2023 / Route updated. We updated the route to exclude the climb up Round Butte and instead venture out to Round Butte Dam Overlook. The road up and over Round Butte has been closed and marked private.

Comments

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Ridden and Reviewed by:

KevinE / 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.

LindaE (aka 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.