The Gorge Backcountry

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Portland, OR, US

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Limberlost

Bike adventures off the beaten path.

534 km

7 872 m

The Gorge Backcountry route is a 330 mile loop leaving Portland which encompasses lesser known vistas and lightly trafficked asphalt and dirt ribbons through lush forests, river canyons, and rocky escarpments both north and south of the mighty Columbia River. It is roughly 75% paved, (route is colored brown where unpaved) with services and campgrounds abound making it a perfect low-barrier route for someone looking to dip their toes in off-road touring. Winding verdant forest tunnels, infinitely straight prairie lanes, and chunder gates with dominating views of Mount Hood create one of the best collections of what northwest Oregon and southwest Washington have to offer an adventurous cyclist.

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The Gorge Backcountry is just what it sounds like—get off the beaten tourist paths and out of Dodge into the greater Columbia River Gorge landscape. Follow clear blue streams through lush forests, and climb 6,000' into the sub-alpine landscape of Mount Hood. Revel in the many ecosystems and ecotones that you travel through from the lush temperate rainforest in the west to a dry oak savannah in the east. Take your time and spread out the miles over a week, or put in long days to make it a long weekend.

Leaving Portland you'll cross the noisy @photo[bike path](3068485) along I-205, but once in Washignton you take the old quiet Evergreen Highway to Camas and then jut north towards the hills. After one of the @photo[steepest](3068484) (but short) @slice[climbs](d,38157.7,40657.16) of the whole trip, you descend towards Yacolt and Chelatchie passing several @poi[campgrounds](4950826) and @poi[waterfalls](4932936) along the @photo[way](3068483). Refuel at the @poi[Chelatchie store](1668381) because it's a long, remote section to Trout Lake.

Entering the @photo[Gifford Pinchot National Forest](3068480) on @photo[NF54](3068481) you begin a long but @slice[gradual 20 mile climb](d,83884.68,119420.62) to Soda Peaks. This road offers several swimming holes, tranquillity, and many dispersed camping opportunities. Descending Soda Peaks you'll enjoy one of longest, serpentine paved roads in the NW. In the valley you'll cross the Wind River and begin another climb up Panther Creek. This road is also gradual and affords many @poi[camping](4932940) and @poi[waterfall](4932941) @photo[stops](3068474). Once on the gravel you'll enter Indian Heaven and a great camping or fishing stop at @poi[Goose Lake](2553120), or a multitude of creekside campsites before you begin the descent to Trout Lake. Enjoy burgers and milkshakes at @poi[Andy's Valley](4932944), and make the short hop east to Glenwood.

Now clearly in the eastern ponderosa and oak savannah territoy, you'll enjoy @photo[immense views of Mount Adams](3068472) and bucolic farm fields. Glenwood is a sleepy little outpost that has a great little reastaurant and well-stocked store. Just past town, make sure to hop on the @slice[old private Company Road](d,220139.02,233429.14) at Mile 137. This takes you gradually down into the scenic Klickitat River Valley with excellent camping and fishing. The climb out is long but the scenery stunning and you can look back and see the @photo[road winding away](3068466) to where you've come from.

Soon you're travelling through flat @photo[wide-open farm country](3068463), looking ahead at the @photo[straight line of fence rows](3068461) you'll be following to Dalles Mountain. Suddenly, atop the gravel @slice[Dalles Mountain climb](d,278919.44,284117.98) you're presented with an unobstructed @photo[360º view](3068452) of the eastern Columbia River Gorge and Mount Hood in the distance. Take it all in and descend the 8 mile gravel road to The Dalles. After your first and only major resupply, start heading back, first on a meandering bike path through town, then the @photo[famous](3068453) @slice[Rowena Loops](d,325876.27,329855.43), and finally the @photo[Mosier Tunnels](3068451) trail—part of the car-free @slice[Historic Columbia River Highway Trail](d,339528.34,347811.23).

Swing into Hood River for refreshments, and take a big deep breath before tackling the daunting @slice[6,000' climb](d,348531.5,401397.75) to Gunsight Ridge. First you'll climb gradually through the Parkdale Valley before the road turns to gravel and steeping takes a turn upward. It's a long 24 mile grind that starts out steep, ends steep, and has a slightly less steep section in the middle. Occasional Mount Hood vistas will distract you, and if you're up for a challenge @poi[Surveyor's Ridge](4932954) offers a paralell singletrack option part way up. This is the only section of the route where water is scarce, so carry extra, especially if you plan on breaking the climb into two days.

Uncerimoniously you arrive at the apex of @point[High Prairie](d,402090.74), but right around the corner you drop onto the face of Gunsight Ridge. The road quickly deteriorates into a @photo[loosley-cobbled](3068435) roller coaster with dizzying exposure and a backdrop of Mount Hood seemingly conjured by Bob Ross himself. It's impossible to carefully pick your line and stand in awe of the @photo[forests](3068438), @photo[cliffsides](3068436), and @photo[clouds](3068440) around you; so although Gunsight Ridge to Bennet Pass is only @slice[10 miles](d,402204.52,419374.2) of mostly downhill, make sure to plan plenty of extra time for gawking. Or if you're smart, you'll nab one of the premium dispersed campsite options with unmatched scenery.

Finally you pop back into quasi civizilation of Highway 35 and continue descending. Don't miss the left turn to @slice[Pioneer Woman's Grave](d,426391.23,430533.94), and then another @point[left](d,432274.56) towards Trillium Lake. On the backside of Trillium is the unassuming @slice[Still Creek road](d,434852.25,454404.89), known to savvy cyclists as a dirt option up or down the mountain that completely avoids the busy Highway 26. It's a @photo[dank, dark creek valley](3068433) of a descent and last for a glorious 12 miles before popping out in Zig Zag. (the Zig Zag Inn has great burgers)

Here you start re-entering civizilation slowly along the historic Barlow Trail route, a route popular with road cyclists today. You'll cruise through Brightwood and past Sandy Ridge, climb the Devil's Backbone, and descend Marmot and Shipley to Dodge Park before finally connecting to the Springwater Cooridor that shuttles you back into town on a carfree path.

The Gorge Backcountry is by no means a collection of *all* the excellent back roads in the area but I'll leave you to discover the rest on your own. It does, however, link up a good handful of the best riding out there, two states, countless watersheds, a wide variety of forest types, the area's two largest mountains, a mix of rugged geology, and one of the most powerful rivers in North America.

# Notes
* The route is 75% paved (in blue) and 25% gravel (in brown). 
* The route goes over several 4,000' passes and one 6,000' pass meaning it will be under snow until late June most years and will start to see snow again by October. (The snow in my photos from late Sept is very atypical, but be prepared!) 
* @slice[Gunsight Ridge](d,401779.55,420161.69) is the roughest section but certainly worth it. I rode with 38c file tread tires, but would recommend a minimum of 42c or higher. 
* Water is only scarce between the @slice[Klickitat and The Dalles](d,237034.95,299609.59) and between @slice[Hood River and Gunsight](d,348936.95,402119.95). 
* Services are pretty well distributed, the longer stretches being between @slice[Chelatchie and Trout Lake](d,80135.14,189614.19), and between @slice[Hood River and Zig Zag](d,350307.97,457886.96).

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The Gorge Backcountry

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