BEST MOTORCYCLE RIDES IN OREGON

ROUTES: OR-138, Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway
DISTANCE: 228 miles
TIME: 5 mins

Route 138 runs alongside the Umpqua River, beside Diamond Lake and leads to Crater Lake National Park, making it one of the best motorcycle roads in Oregon. The loop around the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway is a fantastic loop around this incredible natural wonder with astounding views. The scale of the lake is difficult to wrap your head around, you have to see it in person. At over 6,000 feet of elevation, the lake itself is nearly 2,000 feet deep. It’s one of the clearest, cleanest, and deepest bodies of water in the world. Be aware, however, that even in June there may be significant amounts of snow.
(photo: neilpeart.net)


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ROUTE: OR-86
DISTANCE: 70 miles
TIME: 1.5 hours

Located on the border of Oregon and Idaho, Hells Canyon is the deepest canyon in North America – including the Grand Canyon. This motorcycle ride in Oregon lies between Baker City and Oxbow. It’s a challenging ride with an abundance of curves and elevation changes. The Devil’s Tail is a nickname bestowed by 2008 rally attendees on a 22-mile twisty segment of the road as a homage to the “Tail of the Dragon”. Ride this carefully and enjoy Eastern Oregon’s scenery.
(photo: flickr.com)


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ROUTE: OR-3
DISTANCE: 56 miles
TIME: 1 hour

This north/south 2-lane OR motorcycle ride has gorgeous scenery along the Snake River, and meanders through high mountain farm land. Enjoy the deep river gorges on the northern portion of this road. There’s some great tight curves in the Grande Ronde area. Riding south on this route leads to the serene Wallowa Lake State Park.

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ROUTE: US-101
DISTANCE: 167 miles
TIME: 4 hours

Nothing beats riding on the coast of the Pacific on a sunny day. The Oregon Coast Highway is a fun ride with great ocean scenery. This route will take you high above the ocean but also brings you right along the beaches, with a mix of heavily forested sections through the evergreens. Overall, it’s a great curvy road with awesome views! Most of Route 101 will get a fair bit of traffic, but our favorite part of this stretch is between Crescent City, CA and Coos Bay, OR. The scenery is just as spectacular but there’s a lot less traffic.


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ROUTE: OR-242
DISTANCE: 37 miles
TIME: 1 hour

Oregon Route 242, known as a portion of the McKenzie Hwy, is a state highway that runs from Belknap Springs, Oregon through McKenzie Pass in the Oregon Cascades, to Sisters, Oregon. From the town of Sisters, the road ascends 2,000 feet, tracing an old 1860s wagon route. During the early part of the summer season you’ll ride through a corridor of snow embankments, past ancient lava fields and summit at Dee Wright Observatory, with unobstructed views of waterfalls and snow-capped mountains. This one is only open during the warmer months, due to its high elevations. Just watch out for some of the sharp curves having gravel from other vehicles that drifted off the pavement. You’ll want to take your time on this road, not only to ride it carefully, but also to just enjoy the fantastic scenery. For longer riding, continue on Hwy 126 to Eugene, which follows the McKenzie River through the Cascade Mountain range.
(photo: flickr.com)


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ROUTE: OR-35
DISTANCE: 40 miles
TIME: 1 hour

Starting up in Hood River, hop on Oregon Hwy 35 for an amazing ride through the Mt. Hood National Forest. There will be a ton of fantastic photo opportunities to catch the majesty Mount Hood, the 11,235 ft dormant volcano, which is Oregon’s highest point. Within a few miles from the start of the ride, you’ll soon be riding at the top of the Gorge looking down into valleys and across canyons. If you try this on a weekday, you’ll avoid a lot of traffic, and you’ll have plenty of opportunities to open up on this great Oregon motorcycle road. Optionally continue west along OR-26 for more exceptional riding heading back towards Portland, OR.
(photo: D. Coppedge)


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ROUTE: OR-218
DISTANCE: 43 miles
TIME: 1 hour

For a great Oregon motorcycle ride in the high desert, check out the Shaniko Fossil Hwy. The road is very windy and hilly over its entire 43-mile length and motorcyclists will be treated with wide open vistas. It runs through the small town of Antelope, and has a junction with OR 293 on the south end of town. Shaniko Fossil Highway crosses the John Day River at Clarno with mountainous terrain in view. The John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is nearby and worth a look. Between Clarno and Fossil, the road has several sharp curves, with a posted speed limit of 15 miles per hour in several places. The views are simply astounding and the highway has virtually no other vehicles. Plan your fuel carefully, as there are virtually no amenities.
(photo: B. Swenson)


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GreatMotorcycleRoads.com is the place to find the best motorcycle roads and rides near Oregon and the Northwest United States. Discover more great motorcycle roads in the Northwest US with our detailed route descriptions and Google Maps links!