Grouse Knob / Dixie Pass Gravel Grind

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Prairie City, OR, US

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Route Overview

Renaissance Cyclist

Insights to Inspire Adventure, Stewardship & Community

52 mi.

4,268 ft.

Mixed gravel &road loop exploring segments of the Old West Scenic Bikeway & backcountry Forest Service roads. Expect hard climbs rewarded by stunning vistas.

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Route Details

*This mixed gravel grind loop is not for the faint of heart.*

Over the course of this 52 mile ride, cyclists will face off against 4000’ gain in two distinctive climbs: @slice[the climb to Dixie Summit ](d,57897.43,68443.22)which is paved (and one of the hardest climbs of the [Old West Scenic Bikeway](http://rideoregonride.com/road-routes/old-west-scenic-bikeway/))and @slice[the climb to Grouse Knob](d,12587.29,38093.53) which is @photo[rough gravel and the longer and harder of the two climbs](2974023).

This route is a perfect weekend overnight bikepack or a long day of exploration for the strong rider looking for a bit of extra milage while touring the Old West or staying in the Prairie City vacinity

Adventurers will be rewarded with outstanding views of the [**Strawberry Mountains**](https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/malheur/recarea/?recid=39906) near @photo[Grouse Knob](1906936) & @photo[Dixie](2974024) summits.

Rider's may also be interested in stopping for an icecream cone or other treat halfway through the ride at the @poi[Austin House](2339142).

*@poi[There is a natural artesian well spring pooring pottable water year-round from a pipe at the junction of hwy 7 & county rd. 20.](4774258)*

**Route best ridden counter-clockwise.**

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# Camping
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Tucked almost entirely within the **Malheur  National Forest**, there is no shortage of places to camp along route.

## Campgrounds
The following are developed campgrounds along the route.

* [**Dixie**](https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/malheur/recarea/?recid=39976) - Rustic camping along the Middle Fork John Day River - @poi[View on Map.](4768633)

* [**Bates State Park**](http://oregonstateparks.org/index.cfm?do=parkPage.dsp_parkPage&parkId=109) - Developed campground with cycling specific sites, trails, group shelters & a small pond. Campgound located a couple miles off of hwy 26, via hwy 7 & county rd. 20. - @poi[View on Map.](4768632)

* **[Prairie City Depo Park](http://www.prairiecityoregon.com/prairie-city-oregon-depot-rv-park.html)** - Full service campground within Prairie City. Also site of [De Witt Railroad Museum](http://www.prairiecityoregon.com/prairie-city-oregon-dewitt-museum.html). - @poi[View on Map.](4768637)

## Dispersed Camping
Most National Forests offer cyclists the ability to load up their rigs & hit the road &/or trail & continue to ride continuously, day after day. Bikepackers & tourers are welcome to take advantage of dispersed camping opportunities within National Forest boundaries.

***No permits are required for dispersed camping within the Malheur; simply follow these guidelines:***

* Camp 150 feet away from roads, trails, & sources of water such as lakes or streams.

* Camp more than a half mile away from designated developed campgrounds.

* Limit your stay to 30 days for any single dispersed site annually. Stay limits on forest are 45 days.

* Pack out all your trash & waste.

* When disposing of solid human waste, bury waste a minimum of 6 inches in the ground & pack out your toiletries (unless you're using the *all-natural* varieties: leaves, rocks, moss, etc.)

* [Be informed of & follow any active fire bans.](https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/malheur/home/?cid=fsbdev3_033802) Make sure all fires are dead out upon departure.

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# Important Reminders

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The Malheur National Forest hosts over 9,000 miles of mostly gravel, roadways. Many of the forest's roads are **extremely rugged** or *unimproved*. If your ideal forest adventure includes miles of gravel-grinding with little to no vehicle traffic, huge elevation gains and descents through forested alpine mountains and rolling valleys; then the Malheur National Forest is your dream destination.

**Be prepared to be fully self-sustained: aid and assistance of any kind can be far and few between in this neck of the woods.**

Maintaining accurate maps of such a monstrous network of primitive roads, as well as keeping them in sound condition is a daunting task. Please take information gained through online sources, Google Maps/Earth, and even US Forest Service and US Geological Survey publications with a grain of salt. In reality, some remote roads may vary from how they appear on paper.

Pay attention to your water supply & be prepared to filter water. Even during the driest times of year one can still find water along this route, but the sources can be spread thin. Many alpine springs run dry by mid/late summer.

@photo[No shortage of water for early summer travelers, but snow may linger at upper elevations.](1906937)

If you travel far from any major roads, you will likely find your cell phone to be of little use aside from cached maps & photographs.

Pay attention to the weather - **summer days can be exceptionally hot with cool/cold nights.** The upper sections of this route can still be snowed in well into June. The John Day Valley & surrounding area tends to be windy often as not. Strong headwinds can radically reduce anticipated travel times.

**Respect all private property signs** – there are many areas where the Forest as well as neighboring public land units intermingle like a patchwork quilt with private property. While many folks welcome cyclists within our community, most prefer their solitude & property rights respected. Respect all wildlife.

Respect fire bans & be aware of any potential wildfire hazards in the area. **This is fire country!** [Active Wildfires in Oregon.](https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/state/38/)

[Follow Leave No Trace principles & outdoor ethics.](https://lnt.org/learn/7-principles)

## Additional Resources

The following bicycle shops are located in the John Day Valley. Specific supplies may be limited, call ahead in advance if possible:
* [Prairie City Motors & Cycles](http://www.cityofprairiecity.com/svc_display.php?id=893) - @poi[View on Map.](4768636)
* [Fossil Shift](http://rideoregonride.com/resources/fossil-shift-bike-shop/) - @poi[View on Map.](4774234)

Visit the @poi[John Day](4774233) & @poi[Prairie City](4768638) US Forest Service offices for maps, conditions & other information.

[More on cycling the Malheur National Forest.](https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/malheur/recreation/?cid=FSEPRD507499)

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#GravelGrind	#EasternOregon	#RideOregonRide	#TravelOR	#GoPlay	#ItsAllYours	#Bikepacking

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Grouse Knob / Dixie Pass Gravel Grind

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