Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder — circling the Cascade Range

Bike Touring Collection by Alison Tetrick

Tours

31:23 h

360 mi

31,550 ft

Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder is a gravel stage race, taking on 350 miles around the Cascades, camping along the way. Although some brave souls race the event, I took it on as a bike tour.

Unlike a bikepacking trip where you haul all your own things, you literally fill a bin up with your belongings and the event team carts it to the next camping destination after your long day in the saddle. I even signed up for the VIP package (about 200 bucks more) to have them set my tent up for me!

This is why I call it Gravel Summer Camp. Bring your gravel bike, and they provide everything else. From food (three meals a day plus all the feed stations) to beer and whiskey, and you just bring, well... yourself and your stuff.

I love this event more than I can say. The views are stellar, the trails are sublimer and the volunteers and staff go above and beyond. All you have to do is ride your bike and enjoy the good life in the high deserts of Oregon!

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Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder

349 mi

32,000 ft

32,050 ft

Last updated: November 19, 2021

Tours & Highlights

Day 1: Sisters to McKenzie — Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder Summer Camp
07:43
73.7 mi
9.5 mph
6,225 ft
8,400 ft
This was the start of an amazing Summer Gravel Camp! I mean, the Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder...

We arrived in Sisters, Oregon to get ready for the start at 9am. We packed our large Tupperware full of our supplies, and from then on we'd ride from point-to-point around the Cascades.

The first day is always…
by Alison Tetrick
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Day 2: McKenzie to Oakridge — Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder Summer Camp
04:41
61.5 mi
13.1 mph
5,400 ft
5,400 ft
McKenzie to Oakridge is a TOUGH route - but so worth it. I was both as cold as I ever have been in my life, and also as hot I have ever been!

You start a climb out of McKenzie and it goes up and UP. There were a few pretty chunky and steep descents, but nothing you can't manage on a gravel bike as long…
by Alison Tetrick
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Day 3: Oakridge circular — Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder Summer Camp
04:33
54.2 mi
11.9 mph
5,350 ft
5,375 ft
This was a glorious day! This climb is SO epic and along the reservoir is sublime. It was great to not have to break down camp and set it up again, as we both started and finished in Oakridge on this circular route.

Oakridge Greenwaters Park was waiting for us when we got back from this challenging loop…
by Alison Tetrick
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Day 4: Oakridge to La Pine — Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder Summer Camp
06:29
85.4 mi
13.2 mph
7,800 ft
4,750 ft
Back at another point-to-point day, OOF! We left really early at 6:30am because of record breaking heat that was forecasted. It certainly was a hot one!

This ride takes you along the reservoir which is great and then goes up and up and up! You hit some double track, literally old Oregon Trail wagon routes…
by Alison Tetrick
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Day 5: La Pine to Three Creeks to Sisters — Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder Summer Camp
07:57
85.6 mi
10.8 mph
6,775 ft
7,800 ft
This was the QUEEN stage! The last day of Summer Camp was just so much fun!

The course finishes at the Three Creeks with a beautiful lake and just climbs and climbs and climbs. We then descended back down to Sisters where it all began a few days earlier.

I love this route because you start in the high…
by Alison Tetrick
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