Townie
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Ride with GPS Strava GPX file Cue Sheet
When we like to ride this…
This route goes most of the year, except when we there is snow in town. We like this route outside of tourist season. If done during the summer, and early start is recommended (prior to 8 am).
The Start
Old Mill at the wooden foot bridge.
Lat / Long: 44.045095, -121.316040
Food & Water
- Many locations throughout the ride as this route is fully through town.
- Water & Toilets at Larkspur Center (mile 4.7)
- Pilot Butte (mile 7)
Credits & Acknowledgements
By Kevin English and Linda English of Team Dirty Freehub.
Terrain & Riding
The ride starts in The Old Mill near Strictly Organic coffee shop and the footbridge across the river. Ride the walking / bike path on the east side of the Deschutes river. Go slow and enjoy the views. (Little kids on bikes with streamers have right away!). After a mile or so, go under the Reed Market Bridge, wind your way through a bit of single track, and then “pop up” a hill and find your way up to a gravel canal road. (The canal is now buried below ground). The canal road will take you under Highway 97.
When you reach 3rd street, there’s a new cross walk to guide you across 4 lanes of traffic.. The trail then dodges behind a few businesses where you end up paralleling Reed Market. After you navigate through Bend’s only double roundabout (we recommend you stick to sidewalks) you continue on the Lark Spur Trail that starts at the Bend Senior Center.
This jets you over to Pilot Butte through quiet neighborhoods. The route hugs the east perimeter of Pilot Butte, cuts through a neighborhood, and then pops onto another canal road. Buzzing back toward the center of town, you wiggle through an industrial area on gravel, make a right turn onto Butler Market road, which after a little car dodging, intersects with the River Trail.
The River Tail leads you wind back to Drake Park and Mirror Pond. From here, you go by the whitewater park and rapids (maybe see big wave surf legend Gerry López) and back to the Old Mill.
Route Notes
Please limit group sizes to 6 or less.
Route Options
Longer Option – This ride can be combined with the Westside Tour route to give a ride total of 34 miles (almost all within the city limits of Bend). At mile 10.6 on Townie, go right onto the River Trail. You will be intersecting the Westside Tour route at mile marker 1.9.
Have you ridden this route? Got a question? Join the discussion!