Bikepacking Overnight: Outback Scenic Bikeway

For a self-proclaimed introvert, I spend a lot of my time with people. This is in part because human connection is so important to my mental health and in part because I don't know how to say "no" very well. Sure I can squeeze that coffee in between work, teaching salsa, and a board meeting! I'm learning in my older-ish age of 38 that I really like doing short solo bike tours. While I love being grounded in my community, there is something liberating and calming about being completely self-sufficient for a weekend... meditation on two wheels.

There is something special about rural Oregon that I can't put a finger on, and it's not just the sweeping open landscapes. Maybe it is that a little bit of the Wild West still lives or the kindness that I encounter every time. Mind you, these are folks who I am pretty sure have diametrically opposed politics than myself, but manage to make me feel welcome almost every time. Whatever the reason, the Oregon Outback Scenic Bikeway is a gem in southern Oregon. The drivers all wave and pass with a wide berth, the pronghorn hop along side you, the birds swoop above you, and even now, in early summer, various wildflowers dot the roadside.

I decided to escape the crowds that inevitably invade my hometown of Bend, Oregon by swinging by Summer Lake Hot Springs to break up the drive to Lakeview and to unwind under the stars in the outdoor soaking pool. I was exhausted from the week so ended up sleeping in until 8:00 am! I threw my gear in the car, got a quick breakfast at the Homestead cafe in Paisley, and drove the last bit to Lakeview to set out.

Heading out from the Lake County Fairgrounds, where the caretaker let me park for free overnight. Ended up rolling out at 10:45 am, whoops!

Forested views as I made it to the summit of the Warner Pass (5850 feet!) in the Fremont National Forest.

Roadside lunch time! On these short overnight tours, I allow myself the luxury of real food.

The climb up to the Warner Pass wasn't too bad, but as I turned off onto the Plush cutoff road, I was met by a pretty strong headwind. The forested mountains gave way to wide open exposed desert. This part of the route was a bit of slog as I fought the wind, but I made it to the tiny oasis of Plush before 3:00 pm. My stomach was grumbling and snacks weren't going to cut it, so I decided to stop at the Hart Mountain Store, which proclaims that Plush is a small quiet drinking town with a cow problem. The store offers a variety of amenities, including a book exchange, a small grocery (can you believe they had huge avocados!), a bar/restaurant, and a storage area for packages shipped ahead by hikers through hiking the Oregon Desert Trail. 

I was welcomed by a couple who had passed me in their truck... "Oh good, you made it!" A hot plate of french fries and a 10 Barrel pub beer later, I felt like a million dollars.

Cow problem, indeed, except that the "maybe" should have been a little bigger. Not a single cow to be found on the road.

Descending into the Crump Lake area to look for a place to rest for the night.

Well, I suppose this will do. Waterfront property with birding (and no mosquitos)? Check and check.

By the time I found a good place to camp, the heat of the day and left its mark and I was salty and grimy from the hours spent on the road. I hung out for a bit to just relax, write in my journal, and read, and then took a glorious chilly swim in the lake about 20 minutes before the sun disappeared behind Fish Creek Rim behind me. Then, as the air cooled off, I set up camp, made dinner, and crawled into bed. I woke up with the sun... peeked my head outside the tent flap and saw a family of pelicans peacefully floating by. It was only 5:00 am, but I decided to get up since it was forecast to breach 90 degrees and I wanted to beat the heat.

I can't even count the number of birds or species of birds I saw out here!

Taking advantage of the morning light for a panoramic shot of the view from my campsite.

My tent basking in the warm glow of the morning sun.

After a leisurely coffee and breakfast just soaking in the sight of the calm lake waters and wildlife, I began the journey back to my car in Lakeview. The morning air was still a little brisk as I passed through Adel (which was still asleep). It was an easy spin back and I was headed back home by 11:00 am.

Taking one last look behind me before turning into the Warner Canyon.

The one usable selfie of the weekend.

I was bummed, the sign promised big horned sheep, but not one to be found!

And out of nowhere, this beautiful waterfall!

Just a few miles before the fairgrounds, these horses decided to give me one last moment of "squeeeee!

A few tips for cycle tourists:

• There is nothing I can really tell you that isn't already already outlined at Travel Oregon's write-up of the Oregon Outback Scenic Bikeway. I had a printed map and the route downloaded on Ride with GPS, but honestly, the route is so well signed that I barely needed either.

• I would advise to fill your water up in the towns as the streams and lakes were fairly cloudy and with so much agricultural runoff from the many many many cows, it just felt easier to carry an extra liter to be able to camp without having to filter my own.

• Finally, wild camping was not as easy to find as I thought it might be between Plush and Adel. The Priday reservoir has nice sites but I bypassed it because there was a huge RV already there, and then I found just one really nice spot along the lake right off the road around mile 49 or 50 of the route. Just one. I imagine there are other places you could camp if you wanted to wander off the road, but much of the countryside is fenced off and it seems like half of it is either private ranch land or part of a geothermal field.