Hardman to Fossil Beds (Gravel)

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Morrow County, OR, US

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Route Overview

Treo Bike Tours

Eastern Oregon Destination Bike Tours

72 mi.

4,100 ft.

Experience the Umatilla Forest at its finest. Highlights include passing through the ghost town of Hardman, spectacular views of Cathedral Rock, and a stop at the Thomas Condon Paleontology Museum. (Blue sections are gravel roads)

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Route Details

## **From Treo head to the Painted Hills and Thomas Condon Paleontology Museum**

From Treo Ranch take the ridge road to Monument the paved roads to Monument,
through Kimberly to Thomas Condon Paleontology Museum

This is a route that you will want to push it is some sections just so you can enjoy the
views and spending time in others.  About a third of the course is gravel and 20 miles 
of it could be replaced with the pavement option of staying on Rt 207 to Route 19, but 
why would you?  You would miss some of the best roads and views in the Umatilla 
National Forest and experience some of the best kept gravel roads in the country.

After leaving the 4 miles of gravel from Treo, you hit the ghost town of @poi[Hardman](934919) and RT 207.
You quickly descend into the Rock Creek valley and after a quick stop and the @poi[Anson Wright
Park](dfad86e672617308ca630000), you @slice[change to gravel](479,1456) and head up the Board Creek valley to Sunflower Flats.  You pass
by the East side of the @poi[Morrow County OHV](934917) and fly along the table top of Sunflower Flats.   Tall Ponderosa Pines and range grass go as far as the eye can see.

Half way through the ride you pass to the West of Monument Mountain and start the real fun
of descending towards the @poi[town of Monument](933041) which sits on the confluence of the Middle and North
Forks of the John Day.  Stop and enjoy the city park or just head right to @poi[Thomas Orchards](933042) of
Kimberly and enjoy the fruit, the river and the climate.  Kimberly is unique in that it shares a
warm-summer Mediterranean climate and not that of the surrounding high desert, which makes it
perfect for growing world famous fruit.

Check the time, as you want to make it to @poi[Thomas Condon Paleontology Museum](933045) before they close at 4pm.  The smooth
pavement along the valley floor and the scenery as the painted hills and especially @poi[Cathedral 
Rock](58eb23cb72617313404d0000) will motivate you to press on to learn more.

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Hardman to Fossil Beds (Gravel)

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Route Details

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