Our group of 7 riders from Snohomish County, Washington completed the Oregon Outback trail on June 24, 2022. We inserted a detour at Sprague River to go around the Bootleg fire closure and rejoined the Outback trail at Silver Lake. Our route was 360 miles with 15,248 feet of elevation gain, about 1,000 ft. more elevation gain than the original route. The route started in Klamath Falls and ended at the State Park where the Deschutes and the Columbia rivers meet. Here is the RWGPS link: Oregon Outback with Fire Zone Detour – A bike ride in Klamath Falls, OR (ridewithgps.com)
If we learned anything from our ride across Washington last year, it was to do the ride earlier in the summer. Eastern Oregon is similar to eastern Washington. Late summer can be hot, short on water and subject to wildfires. Our June ride hit a sweet spot for weather and trail conditions. We also learned that wider tires would be more effective and more comfortable. We all rode tubeless tires 45-50mm and had zero flats. This year’s trip had no motel/hotel stays, requiring more food, power storage and other assorted items to be more self-sufficient. In general, our bikes were 5-10 pounds heavier than last year.
Our journey started with a scheduled 12-hour train ride from Seattle to Klamath Falls. There were several delays extending the ride by 2.5 hours. We arrived at 12:30am, unboxed our bikes, reassembled them and rode 3 blocks to the Maverick Motel.
Below is a day-by-day summary of the trip describing our experience and additional information for those who may be planning a ride on the Oregon Outback trail. We planned to ride the route in 6 days with the longer mileage days on the front end. References to mileposts (MP) refer to the MPs in the linked RWGPS map.
Day One Sunday June 19th, 2022
Klamath Falls to Fremont-Winema Forest
| 71 Miles | 2,225 Elevation Gain | 30’s Sleeping temp |
| 7hr 8 min Moving time | 9.7 Average MPH | 70’s Riding temp |
Given our late train arrival we agreed to start a little later in the morning and enjoy a kick-off breakfast at the Klamath Grill on Main Street. They had a large breakfast menu, good food and friendly service. Their coffee mugs were an assorted collection of collectable mugs with witty quotes, tourist trap locations and brand marketing. It looked like everyone brought their own coffee mug to breakfast.
At 9:30am, we began our journey by riding a few blocks over to the paved trail along the canal. The path continued through Kamath Falls to the OC&E line managed by the State Parks. The trail transitions to gravel and is marked with an impressive all wood, bright yellow, railway snowplow. Despite all of our planning and packing the first few miles included a few stops to adjust straps and to reposition bags. Jim’s bike had a mysterious wobble. Altogether, it was a better start then last year where Shawn got a catastrophic tire puncture 2 miles from the start.
The trail meandered through cattle pastures, tall grasses, trees and wetlands. Each cattle pasture was separated from the trail on both sides with a fence forming a passage through the pasture with a gate on each end. At one point, Karl was riding in front and came up on a young cow that somehow managed to get itself onto the trail and was trying to get back to its herd on the other side of the fence. Karl made a comment to the cow, like “hey little fella” which appeared to spook him, causing the cow to bolt across the trail between Karl and me. I had to slide to a stop not to hit the cow. A first for sure! We saw a variety of birds, including hawks, eagles and an owl that swooped out of a tree and took a swipe at the back of Rolf’s helmet. Another great reason to wear a helmet! Karl and I were especially enamored by the Yellow Headed blackbirds in the wetlands.
At about MP38 we approached the town of Sprague River. This is where our detour started due to the trail closure caused by last year’s Bootleg fire. The lead group of Rolf, Jim and Mark F. went east into town and Pat, Karl and I continued NW on Sprague River road. The lead group stopped at Sprague River Mercantile then joined us at the Whistler Trading Post. There wasn’t much of a food choice at Whistler Trading Post other than large frozen burritos to be microwaved. While most of us don’t generally drink colas, Coke, was a favorite beverage at roadside stops.
We continued up Sprague River Road, a county highway, into the wind, on a 3ft wide shoulder. After 12 miles we took a right at MP52 onto Williamson River road and out of the wind. We never saw another car as we transitioned from pavement to gravel to forest road. I felt so in the moment as we pedaled deeper into the wilderness observing how different that forest was from ours in western Washington. Instead of the lush green cedar, ferns and moss, it was dry, reddish barked ponderosa pine. It was different, yet equally beautiful. We thoroughly enjoyed the ride to our dispersed camping spot around MP71 in the Fremont-Winema Forest. It had been a long day, we set up our tents, changed clothes and made dinner then sunk into our flimsy looking, light weight camp chairs that are surprisingly sturdy and comfortable. We used JetBoils, a mini-boiler that can heat 2 cups of water in about a minute to cook our freeze dried meals. We reminisced our first day on the trail and broached important topics like the best process for pooping in the forest. As sunset approached the temperatures rapidly dropped, ending our reminiscing as we all hustled off to our tents. We were at 4,900ft and the temps dropped to 31 degrees. We carried light weight sleeping bags that were rated for roughly 45 degrees. If you read the small print, those ratings assume a person is wearing sleepwear and socks. We had to add puffy jackets and pile extra clothing on to stay warm enough to sleep. The forest was creepily silent all night until the birds woke just prior to sunrise.
Day Two June 20th 2022
Fremont-Winema Forest to Cabin Lake Camp
| 78 Miles | 2,311 Elevation Gain | 30’s Sleeping temp |
| 7hr 25 min Moving time | 10.5 Average MPH | 70’s Riding temp |
Coffee and a warm breakfast were the morning priority. Next was to get on the road, because we had our longest day ahead of us. We headed out on the forest road that quickly transitioned into a fast descent, followed by some rolling hills before turning NE onto a paved Silver Lake road, which turned out to be one of the more unnerving sections. The fog line was right at the edge of the loose gravel shoulder providing very little space between us and the traffic. There appeared to be a large Mercedes car rally with many fast, high end models, and quite a few tractor trailer trucks. Along the way, we stopped at Williamson River, quite a noble name for what appeared to be a 6 ft wide stream. We each pulled out our water filters to fill our water bottles and quickly discovered some differences. A couple of us had water filter bottles with large openings making it easy to capture a liter of water with one scooping motion, while others had to syringe the water out of the stream then squirt it into the filter bottle. Then you would think the action of pushing the water through the filter would be the same for both models. Nope, their water trickled out like sweat off a brow while ours poured out in a steady stream.
Shortly after we returned to the highway, the most frightening moment of the trip occurred when two trucks traveling opposite directions were going to pass each other right beside Pat. Thankfully, the truck driver approaching Pat from behind, realized there wasn’t enough room and braked hard to allow the other truck by. Smoke rolled off the tires and the whole trailer bounced as the tires fought for traction. Karl and I watched in horror, grateful for the trucker’s quick response.
Shawn O. wasn’t able to start with us in Klamath Falls due to schedule conflicts, so he joined us in Silver Lake at MP116. We met up with him in the city park behind the fire station. Shawn brought fried chicken, potato and macaroni salad and other fixings. It was a great lunch. We purchased water and snacks at the Silver Lake Market, where a sign hung that stated, “Silver Lake – No Silver, No Lake – Just Good People”. This is where we got back on the original Oregon Outback trail and traveled straight north on a very loose gravel road that tested our endurance. Fort Rock, a Natural Landmark is an extinct volcano that sits in an ancient dried lake. It can be seen from 5-7 miles away, giving the false impression that we were closer than we were. There is a small community, along the gravel road, also named Fort Rock. We stopped at the Waterin’ Hole for an early dinner and to restock water. They were the last source of water for 65 miles. It was a great choice. Tammy, the server, cook and bouncer took great care of us. She set us up at a large table in the middle of the establishment where we could mingle with the locals. Everyone was friendly and curious about our ride. Jim spent most of his time with Moose, a 120lb, 2-year-old rottweiler.
This was our longest day, and it wasn’t over with yet. We had to ride an additional 12 miles on the loose gravel road to get to our camp at Cabin Lake (no lake) just inside the Deschutes National Forest. (If you are reading this for trip planning, the entrance to the dispersed camping area is another 1/8 of a mile past the gated compound) The ponderosa pine was much more spread out than the previous camp with lots of areas covered in sage. There was plenty of flat areas to set up our tents. Our second night was just as cold as the first with temperatures dipping to the low 30’s.
Day Three June 21, 2022
Cabin Lake to Crooked River
| 61 Miles | 2,227 Elevation Gain | 40’s Sleeping temp |
| 6hr 9 min Moving time | 9.9 Average MPH | 80’s Riding temp |
Sunrise kicked on the furnace and by the time we set off around 8am we were in light jackets and shorts. We rode in a NE direction, on a gradual incline, with the frequent small climbs and descents common in forest roads. Then we transitioned to the famous red sauce and considered ourselves lucky that it was dry and comfortable to ride. Previous riders had written how sticky and difficult it was to ride through when it was wet. Even dry, it still felt like the red dirt grabbed on to our tires causing an unexplainable drag.
After a little more than 20 miles from our morning start, we emerged from the forest into a broad valley of farmland. The gravel road ended at HWY 20, the Central Oregon Hwy, so we stopped for lunch. We sat on our camp chairs, on the side of the gravel road and ate lunch 20 yards short of the Hwy with the sound of the first traffic we had seen in over 40 miles. After lunch, we rode east on Hwy 20 for a couple of miles then turned north onto Crooked River Road.
Crooked River road begins at Hwy 20 as a gravel road that travels straight north for about 4 miles before taking a slight turn into Sage Hallow. We were taken by surprise by the fast gravel descent that went on for almost 7.5 miles. Some of us loved it and others couldn’t wait for it to end. Sage Hallow was a narrow canyon that roughly followed Bear Creek for the last 3 miles. The fun stopped shortly after the gravel ended. We coasted on the smooth pavement for a little over a mile and rounded a left curve and faced what was to be our toughest climb to that point. A three mile climb, at the end of the day that ranged between 5%-7.2%. Once we summited, it was a smooth coast past the Prineville reservoir, across the Bowman dam, and down into the Crooked River canyon. We pulled into the first of a series of small camp grounds, Big Bend, because we knew there was a water spigot.
The climbers in the group, Jim, Rolf and Mark F. were already sipping on beers when we got to the campground. A fly fisherman, Russ from Tacoma, had greeted them as they pulled into the site next to him. He offered each of us a beer as we pulled into the campsite. Russ was a retired educator and also a cyclist. But that wasn’t the end of the refreshments. Rosa from across the road, stopped Pat to ask him about our cycling group. Pat shared our story and slipped in that our camping neighbor greeted us with beer. Not to be outdone, Rosa offered Pat a Long Island iced tea. Pat stated he would love one, but he couldn’t return to camp without bringing the rest of us one. So, Rosa and her husband brought over plenty for all. We all took a little longer setting up our tents that night. The canyon walls helped keep the night air warm and I for one, slept like a baby.
Day Four June 22, 2022
Crooked River to Skookum Rock Bush Camp
| 47 Miles | 2,570 Elevation Gain | 40’s Sleeping Temp. |
| 4hr 35 Min. Moving Time | 10.4 Average MPH | 80’s Riding Temp. |
We headed out in the emerging morning light to finish our mostly downhill ride along the Crooked River into Prineville for breakfast. We lined the breakfast bar at Dad’s Place and enjoyed a variety of great selections from their menu. I mentioned the ride was mostly downhill with just two small hills. I struggled on them with a shortness of breath that I had never experienced before. I had Covid 6 weeks prior and chalked it up to reactive airways, triggered by allergies from sleeping amongst juniper trees. I realized at breakfast when everyone was talking about how fast and easy our first 19 miles went that I was not going to be able to do the afternoon climb that was in front of us.
I called my wife Kathy who graciously drove down to Prineville, a 6-hour drive to pick me up. While I waited for Kathy, I joined the guys at the Good Bike Company in Prineville to get various things repaired and purchased needed items. I spent the day waiting for Kathy with Duane, James and Amy at the bike shop. James has an amazing shop and along with Duane and Amy provide a wealth of information and expertise. The Shop | Good Bike Co. LLC I learned the shop sits at the intersection of the Oregon Outback trail going south to north and the Trans-America ride going west to east across the country. Coincidently, shortly after learning that, a retired couple from the Netherlands stopped by on their way through on the TransAmerica trail. They had several thousand miles left ahead of them.
The guys made great time and shared that the climb was steady, but not as hard as anticipated. I was the primary navigator this year and had picked a camp spot called Skookum Rock bush camp. I had read that it was a seldom used back country camp site near a creek and a few trail heads. The guys were a little concerned that they wouldn’t find it without me there with the detailed navigation. Just prior to reaching Skookum, a forest ranger drove up on them. They asked him how far to the Skookum camp site and he answered, “I have never heard of it”, adding a little more doubt to whether they would find it. Thankfully, they found it and shared that it was a great spot.
Meanwhile, my wife and I drove north to Madras to stay at a hotel because all the hotels in Prineville were full for the rodeo. We left Prineville as the cattle drive started down Main Street. My plan was to medicate and get extra sleep and hopefully rejoin the guys the next day.
Day Five June 23, 2022
Skookum Rock to Shaniko
| 49 Miles | 3,944 Elevation Gain | 40’s Sleeping Temp. |
| 5hr 29 Min. Moving Time | 12.1 Average MPH | 80’s Riding Temp. |
In the morning, I messaged the guys that I was going to rejoin them in Antelope. Rolf messaged back with a picture of them eating lunch, looking out over a beautiful vista, and stated their ETA to Antelope was 3:30pm, a little later than I was expecting. But they were coming off of 3,000 feet of climbing on mostly gravel, so it was understandable. Kathy and I decided to drive a few miles south of Antelope to where the gravel road ended to shorten our waiting time. We parked around 2:30pm. As I was pulling my bike out of the back of our Subaru, I heard the familiar crunch of tires on gravel and turned to see Rolf riding up to us. He was next to us before he realized it was me. They were ahead of schedule. Kathy gave them ice cold sodas while I rushed to get my bike together. Darn, they were waiting for me again!
I was thrilled to be back with the guys, and a little envious as a Karl described how scenic that section was and the added fun of crossing the creeks. I will use some of their pictures to visually describe the area from Skookum to Antelope.
Antelope with less than 50 residents, looked like a ghost town as we passed through. In 1981, the Rajneesh cult overtook the town, thrusting it onto an international stage. Read more about the cult here. City of Antelope and Muddy Ranch (oregonencyclopedia.org) Or if you find yourself with a rainy weekend, watch the short documentary series, Wild, Wild Country on Netfix. Halfway through the 6-block town, we realized the pavement was headed up and we began our climb into Shaniko on the Shaniko Fossil Hwy. It was a “fun” climb with switch backs that allowed for fantastic views and pictures. Shaniko is located at the intersection of Shaniko Fossil Hwy and Hwy 97.
When we rolled into Shaniko we promptly met a few residents that pointed out the 24-hr restrooms and the picnic shelter, an old carriage cover, next to the volunteer fire station. The assistant fire chief also let us know for a fee we could set up our tents near the RV park and use the showers and laundry facilities. The small community has worked hard to preserve their history. There was a hotel, tavern, and music shop, but none of them were what they appeared. The tavern was a gift shop, and the hotel was undergoing a remodel. There was an operating convenience store. If the bearded gentleman is working, don’t expect him to make eye contact or answer any questions. The rest of the town was very friendly. We learned about its wool industry, glory days and its demise. They do have a small museum, a three cell jail and other interesting buildings to explore. Learn more about Shaniko here. Shaniko, Oregon – Wikipedia
Day Six June 24, 2022
Shaniko to Deschutes State Park
| 61 Miles | 2,277 Elevation Gain | 40’s Sleeping Temp. |
| 5hr 2 Min. Moving Time | 10.3 Average MPH | 80’s Riding Temp. |
We headed out of Shaniko on Hwy 97 which a person could ride all the way to the end, but the continuous traffic rushing by only 4-5 feet away was nerve racking. Thankfully, the route took us off of Hwy 97 as much as possible by guiding us through farmland roads until they ended back at Hwy 97 for a few miles and then back onto another country road. The final leg of our journey on the elevation map looked like a steady descent all the way to the Columbia River. However, we had read that there were exhilarating descents with sneaky steep hills scattered all along the way, and we discovered every one of them. Unlike Hwy 97 that tends to cut through the rolling hills, the gravel country roads follow the topography sometimes providing for very steep ascents and descents. Each small summit provided for views of Mt. Bachelor, Mt. Hood and some of the Washington mountains in the distance like St. Helens and Rainier.
On one of the gravel back roads, a clean white Volvo passed us and the lady in the passenger seat had a big smile and waved at us. I thought, how nice, then as they passed, we noticed the Washington plates and a Mukilteo sticker. It was Rolf’s and Mark F’. wives. They had used the” find my phone” app to locate us! They were on the way to our final destination and thought they would see how we were doing.
In line with the theme of the day, with about 20 miles to go we transitioned from gravel to pavement and began a nearly 10 mile descent. I was cruising at speeds close to 30mph at times, thinking how great it was going to be to coast into the finish. Then my navigation warned me of a sharp left turn that was coming, I started breaking and signaling to those behind me to slow down. We made the turn and faced our final climb of the journey. We were rewarded with a gentle descent followed by quick descent through a beautiful gorge known as Frank Fulton Canyon. At the bottom of the canyon, we took a left and peddled a couple of miles to the end of our journey in the State Park.
Group Comments
- Shawn – The detour was good, the camping was great, the shoulder less Silver Lake Hwy sucked
- Jim – More challenging than last year’s Washington ride, surprised not to meet others on the trail, thought we would see more wildlife, nights were colder than anticipated
- Pat – Loved the variety of scenery throughout the trip – forest, red sauce, high mountain meadows, visible mountain peaks (Bachelor, Jefferson, Hood, Adams, etc.); dispersed camping was great and surprised by how much was in Shaniko to explore. Definitely need GPS in the forest. Waterin Hole Tavern was a pleasant surprise.
- Rolf – More fun and challenging than last year. Enjoyed meeting people at the different stops like Sprague River, Silver Lake, Fort Rock and Prineville. Could have used a warmer sleeping bag and better, high calory dried food. Most of all, I loved riding through the forest, forging streams, and just enjoying something most people don’t ever get a chance to see.
- Group consensus – It is worth carrying a chair, don’t need four Jet Boils, need warmer sleeping bags and knowing how much water to carry each day made water a non-issue. If you feel a wobble on your bike check your head set! (inside joke)
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