Out here you can get lost in yourself, quiet roads, crunch gravel and expansive views. This route in the Dalles Oregon delivers on all.
Overview
The Dalles, Oregon is a great place to gravel ride, lots of gravel road options, normally dry, but can be very windy and is also full exposure to sun. So make sure you research the weather prior to heading out. Out here you can get lost in yourself in good ways and probably the pathways also, but you are using GPS right?. I have ridden a lot of roads here over the years figuring things out and the connections, and I recently rode this route I call Eight Dalles. Its fantastic!
There are no stops, a diversion could be made to the town of Dufur where they have one corner shop at around mile 50, but really it’s best to be self supported on this. there are quite a few streams, so if you have a pocket filter, that would work and I have done this in the past.
It starts in the town of The Dalles, so you can park wherever you like next to conveniences for snacks and drinks. The route makes a big figure 8 loop, back to where you started.
Details
Theres quite a lot of “up” in this route so be prepared.
By mile 7, getting out of town you quickly find yourself on Gucci gravel of Pleasant Ridge Rd and dropping down into Japanese Hollow.
At mile 31 you will find a Douglas Hollow school house, rest up and enjoy because the climb is gonna punish you 🙂 it’s 7miles up!
The Center Ride School house (mile 43) marks another closed schoolhouse and a good stopping point before hitting the epic 7 mile gravel descent.
How much gravel is there overall ? according to ride with GPS, its about 20miles, but that’s not true, my estimation is more along the lines of 35miles. Most of it is pea gravel or what I call Gucci gravel which can be ridden on smaller tires also.
Bike Setup
I rode my road bike with 28c tires, but there again I don’t mind a bit of underbiking. A gravel bike with 35c+ tires is also fine. Most of it depends on your skill and comfort. I would think a gravel bike or a hardtail mountain bike would provide the most pleasurable experience.
And as always with remote riding make sure you read this link
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