Oregon Stampede

Oregon is one of those amazing places that can gift early season bikepacking... or at least that is what I tell myself when the original plan was supposed to be a Steens ski tour but the snowpack was too low to make it happen. Ha. But really, at the end of the day, I relish any excuse for an adventure with good company (really, the best of company).

The Oregon Stampede route is a classic route curated by the folks at Oregon Bikepacking -- a beautiful 50/50 mixed gravel and pavement route with wide sweeping vistas, mountain views, and desert canyons. The route as originally mapped is only rideable from April 1 to Nov 30th due to a closely monitored winter closure through the White River Wildlife Area to protect the area for elk calving (Oregon State Police is really active here and will ticket cyclists... they also constructed an impassable gate on one end). We rode a modified version of this route and mapped out two versions depending on the time of year.

Route for folks riding December 1 - March 31

Route for folks riding April 1 - November 30th

From ridiculously good food to perfect weather to getting into all kind o' trouble, we discovered some of the most beautiful corners in the rain shadow of Wy'east.

Sweeping views.

Camp in Mack's Canyon... it seems like there is always one cute protected walk in site in each campground along this route. We added on an unloaded ride to the end of the road since our first day was short and mostly downhill.

Bill wooed me by packing in this shrimp and sausage boil for dinner.

It's always worth taking the side detour.

Wildlife refuge shenanigans.

Some of the best riding of the whole route.

This seasonal closure is for real.

Bill gives his brother a message at the Columbia Gorge.

Mountain views.

Early evening in camp.

The road home.

A few tips for cycle tourists:

• We rode this route clockwise to maximize good camping opportunities in Mack's Canyon and the Lower Deschutes Recreation area. It made a really big second day. For those who prefer more amenities or spaced out days, folks can also take advantage of the small towns, especially Dufur.
• Most of this route is beautiful well graded gravel or pavement. The one exception is the wildlife refuge area which may require some hike-a-bike and a little more bike handling skills.