Cycling in Oregon - Eugene, Bend and Crater Lake

Experience the stunning beauty of Oregon's Cascade Mountains

Get ready for exhilarating rides and mind-blowing scenery! This stunning guided bike tour in Oregon's Cascade Mountain region provides buckets of both. Road bikes, hybrid road bikes, and electric bikes are all available for this tour.

This once-in-a-lifetime ride will lead you through tall timber forests and atmospheric lava fields, along glistening rivers and past snow-crowned peaks. You'll conquer the High Cascades and Crater Lake, and experience an exhilarating downhill to Diamond Lake. You'll even have some time off from the saddle as you hike in Central Oregon's high desert.

An unforgettable bike tour in the Beaver State awaits you!

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Highlights

• Iconic Eugene
• Mountain town and outdoor culture of Bend
• Aufderheide Scenic Byway
• National Scenic Byway
• Smith Rock State Park
• Cascade Mountains
• Crater Lake
• Diamond Lake
• Hiking in Central Oregon’s high desert

Daily program

Day 1: Arrival in Eugene & biking the stunning Aufderheide (60 miles)
Meet your group at the Valley River Inn in Eugene at 9:00 am or at the Graduate, Eugene, at 8:15 am. If you've not overnighted in either establishment, you'll need to take a taxi to either location to join the group ready for transfer.

Set off on your first exhilarating ride along the breathtaking Aufderheide Scenic Byway, one of the top ten roads for cyclists in the West. Cycle alongside the magnificent, wild McKenzie River through the dense tree cover of the atmospheric Willamette National Forest. You'll be staying the night in a historic cottage in Blue River, situated on the McKenzie River.

Elevation gain/loss: + 3,659 ft / - 3,528 ft

(Meals L, D)

Day 2: Blue River - Bend (48 miles)
This morning you'll ride up to the incredible Cascade Mountain range, an impressive 3,700-ft climb spanning 22 miles. The snow-capped mountain view at the peak of the McKenzie Pass is worth every effort for an unmissable Oregonian view! Enjoy an exhilarating descent through the majestic pines of the Willamette National Forest into the Old West town of Sisters. You'll spend two nights in Bend, enjoying breathtaking surroundings and sumptuous craft beer!

Elevation gain loss: + 4,608 ft / - 2,621 ft

(Meals B, L, D)

Day 3: Bend
Today you'll ride through Smith Rock State Park, a rock climbing paradise. The thousands of routes up these colossal cliff faces attract climbers from all over the globe, eager to try out the many difficulty levels offered by the tuff and basalt cliffs. The afternoon will be yours to explore Bend on your own terms. The hardest part will be deciding where to go! Bend offers a plethora of exciting activities: world-class fly fishing on the Deschutes or Metolius rivers, stellar hikes and mountain biking trails, river rafting, and, of course, brilliant brewpubs, shops, and art galleries. If you'd like to enjoy another cycle, your guide can help you with route suggestions.

(Meals B)

Day 4: Bend - Crater Lake (40 miles)
Today leads you to the Cascade Lakes Highway, a breathtaking National Scenic Byway in the Deschutes National Forest. Following the foothills of Mount Bachelor from Dutchman Flat to Crane Prairie Reservoir, you'll witness the activities of the captivating wildlife (especially nesting or migrating birdlife) from a premier position. This area is a popular breeding ground for ospreys, whilst the shallow waters are home to record-breaking numbers of rainbow trout.

In the afternoon, you'll cycle to Crater Lake National Park, pedaling across a high alpine meadow strewn with the remnants of the volcanic eruption of Mount Mazama 8,000 years ago. As you reach the crest of the volcano rim, you'll enjoy your first unforgettable view of Crater Lake, one of Oregon's 'Seven Wonders', 1,500 ft below. You won't forget this iconic moment! You'll spend the next two nights at Crater Lake Lodge, the lovingly restored National Park Lodge perched on the west rim, offering spectacular views.

Elevation gain/loss: + 1,718 ft / - 2,348 ft

(Meals B, L, D)

Day 5: Crater Lake (35 miles)
According to Bicycling Magazine, the cycling itinerary that unfolds today is one of the most spectacular one-day rides in the USA. As you ride the rim road of Crater Lake, the deepest in the USA and one of the most pristine on Earth, to one side you'll find a rocky cliff dropping down to the water, and on the other side, a 100-mile panoramic view from 7,000 ft of elevation. Take in the unforgettable views of the Cascade Mountains; Eastern Oregon’s high desert, Cinnamon Butte, and The Sisters.

Elevation gain/loss: + 4,165 feet / - 4,163 feet

(Meals B, L, D)

Day 6: Diamond Lake | Transfer to Eugene
Today's final day of cycling packs a punch! You've earned the initial exhilarating downhill towards the shores and glittering waters of the sensational Crater Lake. Descending further into Umpqua National Forest, you can cycle along the tranquil shoreline of the beautiful Diamond Lake on a traffic-free paved bike path, soaking up blissful scenery. Finally, ride back to the resort to pack up and board your transfer back to Eugene. Eugene drop-offs are between 4:00-6:00 pm. The three drop-off locations are Valley River Inn, Graduate, or Eugene Airport.

Elevation gain/loss: + 1,112 / - 3,014 feet

(Meals B, L)

Surface and terrain

You will ride on paved backroads and highways like the beautiful Aufderheide Scenic Byway and the McKenzie Pass Scenic Bikeway. On your final day, enjoy relaxing cycling on a dedicated bike path.

Hotels

McKenzie Riverside Cottages
McMenamins Old St. Francis School
Crater Lake Lodge

Your itinerary does not include accommodation in Eugene, Oregon, before or after your tour.

The arrival pick-up will be at the Valley River Inn at 8:00 am and the Graduate Eugene at 8:15 am. You can make your own arrangements at either of these establishments. We can provide discount information for the Graduate - just ask.

Booking.com is also a great resource for researching and booking extra nights. At the end of your tour, you are dropped off at the Valley River Inn, Graduate Eugene, or Eugene Airport between 4:00-6:00 pm on the last day.

How to get there

Tour start

Nearest airport: Eugene Airport (EUG) or Portland International Airport (PDX)

Once in Eugene, we offer the following transfers on day 1:
From Valley River Inn, pick up in front of the hotel at 8:00 am.
From Graduate Eugene Hotel, pick up in front of the hotel at 8:15 am.

Many hotels in Eugene provide shuttles from the airport. In addition, OmniShuttle also offers personalized door-to-door airport shuttle transportation. The cost is about $27 between the airport and the city center.

Oregon Express Shuttle provides scheduled shuttles between Portland Int'l Airport and Eugene for $45 ($78 r/t). Bolt Bus also offers inexpensive bus services between Portland and Eugene for $12-15 one way.

Tour end

Drop-off in Eugene between 4:00-6:00 pm on Day 6. Drop-off at Valley River Inn, Graduate, or the Eugene Airport.

Driving? Just ask us about parking options!

Dates

Prices

Included services

• Accommodation for 5 x nights
• Breakfast each morning, 5 x lunches and 4 x dinners
• Water, fruit juices, soft drinks, energy bars, fruit, and snacks available during the cycling day
• Transfer from/to Eugene at tour start and tour end
• Giant road bike or Giant flat bar road bike (please specify at the time of booking)
• Guided cycling
• Full van support

Bike rentals

Road Bike (included): Giant Defy Advanced 3 (other Giant options available based on bike size needed).
Hybrid/Flat Bar Road Bike (included): Giant Fastroad SL 1 (other Giant options available based on bike size needed).
Electric  Bike (supplement applies): Giant Fastroad or Giant Roam (other Giant options available based on bike size needed).

All bikes come equipped with:

• Variety of frame bags for small extra items
• GPS-based Wahoo computers for routing
• Spare tube/ pump/tire levers
• Two water bottles per guest
• Regular flat pedals, toe clips, or straps (you may prefer to bring your own saddle and/or clipless pedals to be installed)

Tour Company