The Route
This epic ride is considered the best in the state of Oregon, as it traverses the length of the central part of the state, from the forest and lakes, along rivers and the Ochoco mountains, through the desert to the banks of the mighty Columbia River.
Description from Oregon Bikepacking
The Oregon Outback route links up a handful of must-see, but rarely visited parts of the state while simplifying the logistics of cross state travel as much as possible. The route starts in Klamath Falls, the southern-most full-service stop in Oregon on Amtrak. From K-Falls, you’ll get to enjoy 70+ miles of car-free bike trails before hitting lightly trafficked roads for the next 290 miles or so, eventually wrapping up your ride at the confluence of the Deschutes and mighty Columbia Rivers.
While it’s been done in as little as 28 hours, we recommend spending 5 to 7 days on the route to maximize your opportunities to take photos, dip your toes in cold creeks on hot days, and put down a 30 oz. steak at the fabled Cowboy Dinner Tree.
The season for riding this route is generally spring through mid-summer and then again in late summer and into the fall. Winter brings snow to the mountains and summer brings extreme heat. The wind can be a real pain on this route, especially as you approach the Columbia River Gorge. Unfortunately, the wind only seems to die down as the temps rise into the 90’s. It’s not a deal breaker, but it’s worth keeping in mind when estimating your daily mileage and whether this route is within your limits.
Although the prevailing winds might dictate otherwise, we recommend riding the route south to north. This allows the train travelers the opportunity to fully enjoy the experience and a net 4,000 foot elevation loss.
The route technically finishes at the Deschutes River State Recreation Area which has camping and showers but little else. If you haven’t arranged transportation back to Portland and points beyond (one good option is Portland Sag Wagon), riding 18 miles west will put you in The Dalles at a Greyhound station. Or ride back to Portland along several recommended alternatives.
We completed the ride in 7 days. Many riders take 5 days, and the record is around 28 hours, set during an unfortunate race a few years ago. (Unfortunate in that due to the behavior of racers, Silver Lake and other communities banned camping in city limits or imposed other restrictions.)
The day before, my best friend Scott, his son Alex, and I drove up from Sacramento to Klamath Falls, Oregon. After checking in the motel, we rode around to see the town and loosen up after sitting in the van for hours. Scott had hurt his back a week or so before the trip and so he was going to drive the vanagon and meet up with us now and again.
Dave was arriving in a few hours with his wife and twin sons, and James was taking Amtrak down from Portland. His ETA was around 10PM.
