Whiskey & Gold 20
Highlights & Remarkable Spots
Haines (the town) / @start
The construction of the Oregon Railway & Navigation Line spurred the town’s growth. By the late nineteenth century, Haines was a major exporter of agricultural goods, shipping as many as 104 railroad carloads of cattle and hogs to Portland every week. Remnants of the thriving days in Haines are scattered throughout the town. The railroad depot is now a museum, and the Chandler Cabin, built in 1861, serves as a roadside historical marker. [Oregon Encyclopedia]
Wingville Cemetery / ~ Mile 6.5
This is an Oregon Historic Cemetery. The cemetery officially originated in 1878 in response to a diphtheria epidemic. Many of the graves are unmarked due to age and range fires. There is a small gate left of the kiosk sign that allows entry to the cemetery. It is a short walk and well worth a moment of your time.
Kerns Rainbow Ranch / ~ mile 13.5
A regenerative ranch naturally raising beef and other farm products while being ecologically stable. Regenerative ranching focuses on restoring ecosystems while raising livestock, promoting soil health, biodiversity, and climate resilience. Key practices include (1) Holistic Grazing Management, which mimics wild herds with rotational grazing to regenerate pastures, and (2) Reduced Chemical Use, minimizing synthetic inputs to protect soil and reduce pollution.
Tim Kerns, one of the owners, gave us an impromptu 45-minute tour of the potato harvest—definitely a highlight! Give a wave as you pass by!
Rock Creek Cemetery / ~ Mile 16
This is an Oregon Historic Cemetery. There is very little left of the once bustling township of Rock Creek. Folklore has it that in 1917 the exit of Lake Killimacue was dammed to allow for additional irrigation storage. A huge gust of wind blew, resulting in the dam being breached. A wave of water tore down Killimacue Canyon and demolished at least six businesses as well as homes, barns and livestock. The town was not rebuilt. A few hundred feet west of the route is Rock Creek Cemetery. It features unique stones and locally mined granite fence posts. [Oregon Geneology]
When We Like to Ride This
This route “goes” most of the year, except the deep winter months. It is particularly beautiful in the spring when the creeks are full, and the fields are green. But … we would give this a go almost anytime from early spring to late fall.
Terrain & Riding
The Powder River Valley offers a mix of quiet paved roads and gravel farm roads with stunning views of the Wallowa and Elkhorn mountains. The terrain is mostly flat with light traffic, making it a peaceful and enjoyable experience. Along the route, you will see majestic hay fields, historic buildings, cows, horses and cowboys, which will give you an authentic taste of the rural countryside.
The Start
City park (the 1880s Park) at intersection of Front and 4th Streets in Haines. Flush toilets.
Food & Water
- None
Route Notes
Please ride with respect! Portions of this ride are through rural working ranch and farming country. Please give way to trucks, tractors, and combines. That may mean stopping as a group and letting a large combine pass, or it may be as simple as riding in a tight single file line when an oncoming truck with trailing is approaching.
Also, give a listen to our podcast with a local rancher who talks about the challenges cyclists create for them and how we can be better visitors.
To help alert you to traffic from behind, we recommend a rear-looking radar detector like a Garmin Varia.
Route Options
Longer
Love Where You Ride! Learn More
Visit the Eastern Oregon Museum in Haines. This little gem of a place is worth the effort. A donation gets you in, and once there, you are bombarded with the past. All of the items are housed in what was once a school gym, so it’s one huge room. There are items from logging and mining, ranching, cowboys, the Oregon Trail, and WW1. There is a wing of the museum (the old railway depot) adjacent that houses historic carriages. We spent about an hour at the museum, loved every minute of it.
Videos
The Ride! Whiskey & Gold 20
A quick 2+ minute video of what to expect on your ride.
Podcasts
Tractors, Bulls and Lycra
In this podcast, we talk with Daarla K who is a rancher and farmer in northeast Oregon. She and her husband operate a 1000-acre farm that has been in his family since 1886. Learn how to safely pass by big tractors and combines, how to get through a cattle drive, and what aggressive behavior [...]
Keep it Local! Learn More
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