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Whiskey & Gold 40

5 Star Route / Baker City, Oregon / Published January 2020
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Riding gravel road outside Haines, Oregon.
Leading out! / October 2022
Two cyclists on gravel road.
Cyclist on rough paved road.
Rough pavement, ~ mile 6.
Two woman cycling in Powder River Valley.
Wingville cemetery sign.
Cyclists riding past red barn.
Two gravel cyclists on thick gravel road.
Potato harvest.
Potato harvest at Kerns Rainbow Ranch
Potato storage.
Look at all those potatoes!
Riding away from Kerns Rainbow Ranch.
Gravel Girl chatting up the cowboys.
Gravel Girl chatting up the cowboys.
Historic ranch building in Baker Valley.
So many historic buildings!
Cows grazing.
Woman cyclist riding past hay stack.
Sign locating the old Muddy Creek School
Site of the old Muddy Creek School
Big farm equipment.
Give way to big things!
Riding paved roads back into Haines, Oregon.
Horses in pasture.
Crossing the railroad tracks in Haines.
Pulling up to general store in Haines, Oregon on bikes.
Rolling back into Haines.
*
Route:
Loop | 40 mi
*
Gain:
1098 ft
*
Surface:
~ 40% gravel, 60% paved
*
Technical Difficulty:
Easier
*
Navigation:
Straightforward
*
Locale:
Rural
*
Tire Suggestion:
35 mm+
*
eBike Friendly:
Yes
Community Condition Report:
Update

“We’ve got whiskey in our water and gold in our streets … there could be no better place to live.” 1980 Haines Mayor Dick Camp.

The town of Haines gained notoriety in on March 10, 1980 in a press article where Mayor Dick Camp made this statement. The endorsement referred to the Rock Creek whiskey still that was allegedly hooked to the city’s water supply, causing a clash with the Environmental Protection Agency, and to a small amount of gold that was found during road construction. The water was rumored to have “a slight bourbon taste.”

This route runs across rich, flat farmland on a mix of gravel and paved roads and past three historic cemeteries. Distant snow-capped mountains will frame your photos perfectly. This ride is perfect for those getting into gravel; it is a good mix of gravel and paved roads.

We have documented three versions of this route: the 60, the 40, and the 20. The 60 has a “road ride” feel at only 25% gravel, while the 40 and 20 are much more of a mixed ride with 40% and 50% gravel respectively.

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

Route Downloads

Ride with GPS Strava GPX file
Cue Sheet

Caution!
A cue sheet should never be used as your primary navigation tool. We recommend having a digital or paper map as well.

Got It

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.

The Start

Historic park at the intersection of Front and 4th Streets in Haines. Flush toilets.

Lat / Long: 44.911247, -117.938137

Food & Water

  • None
Highlights

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.

Points of Interest

Haines (the town) / @start

Main Street Haines, Oregon

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 (the town) / ~ Mile 16

Wingville

Wingville was first settled in September 1862 and is noted for many firsts in the Powder River Valley. The first field tilled in 1863, the first childbirth and the first church. The “town” now consists of the antiquated church turned grange. This sign marks the location of the original town. [onsite kiosk]

Wingville Cemetery / ~ Mile 18.5

Wingville cemetery

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 well worth a moment of your time and a short walk.

Kerns Rainbow Ranch / ~ mile 22

Kerns Rainbow Ranch - Potato Harvest

The Kerns Rainbow Ranch and Farm is a regenerative ranch — “naturally raising beef and other farm products while being ecologically stable“. Tim Kerns, one of the owners, provided us with an impromptu 45-minute tour of the potato harvest operations. A highlight of the ride. Give a wave as you go by!

Rock Creek Cemetery / ~ Mile 25

Rock Creek Cemetery

This is an Oregon Historic Cemetery. There is very little left of the once bustling township of Rock Creek. Legend 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 due to the automobile, change of industry and the extent of the destruction. The cemetery at Rock Creek features unique stones and locally mined granite fence posts. You will need to go a few hundred feet west of the route.[Oregon Geneology]

Muddy Creek School / ~ Mile 29

Muddy Creek School

Muddy Creek was a small community northwest of Haines. The only physical reminder of the past is the school marker. In 1891, the first Muddy Creek School was built, an 18 x 24 one-room schoolhouse. The second school was a frame structure that served till 1894. A freak cyclone destroyed this school on June 2, 1894. The third school was a sizable 3-room frame building. A secondary school was added in 1899 and extended a year at a time until 4 years were taught. It had more college-bound seniors for its size than any other school in the state. The fourth school was a large brick building built on the same site in 1916 for just under $15,000 and served as both grade school and high school until 1947. [Oregon Geneology and History]

Haines Cemetery / ~ Mile 38

Haines, Oregon Cemetery

This is an Oregon Historic Cemetery. Legend has it, in the early 1890’s James Oliver Maxwell was at a funeral at the Rock Creek Cemetery, where rocks had to be added to the burial site to keep the coffin from floating. He thought, “good night, this is terrible”, and so he went looking for a better spot for a burial site for his family. James Oliver Maxwell bought the existing site that overlooks the Power River for fifty dollars. Maxwell died in 1917; the cemetery was passed on to his ten children. When walking the cemetery, look for the gravesites of the Maxwells. [Oregon Geneology]

Notes & Options

Route Notes

  1. We recommend a red blinky light with rear looking radar detector like a Garmin Varia.

Route Options

If 40 miles feels a bit too short or a bit too long, consider these two options, the Whiskey & Gold 60 and the Whiskey & Gold 20.

Comments

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

Love Where You Ride!

Eastern Oregon Museum. Haines, OregonVisit 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.

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!

The Trailhead Bike Shop

The Trailhead Ski & Bike Shop

The local bike shop in Baker City, The Trailhead, has put together a great local, Baker City centric, list of places to eat and stay. And in you are in need of any bike help, parts, or accessories, they have it all.

For more information on the positive impact of buying local, check out this resource page.

Ridden and Reviewed by:

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.

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.

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