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Geographic region: Oregon Coast Range
Municipality/town: Scappoose
Route configuration: out-and-back
Distance: 21.1 miles
Min/max elevation: 109’/1,562’
Total ascent: 2,284’
Max grade: 8.6% up/8.6% down
Surface: ~15 miles gravel road, ~6 miles paved road
Bikes allowed: yes (gravel or mountain bike recommended)
Obstacles: none
Best months: spring, summer, fall (higher areas may be covered in snow during the winter)
Permits: none required
Traffic: light to very light
Feels safe to go alone (my personal comfort level): yes
Driving distance from downtown Portland: 21 miles
[Click on buttons above to get route links on Gaia GPS or Ride with GPS]
To get to the start: From Portland, head north on Hwy 30 toward Scappoose. Turn L on Bonneville Rd – go 300’. Turn R on SW Old Portland Rd – go 0.6 mi. Turn L on SW Dutch Canyon Rd – go 3.3 mi. Park on the side of the road near the intersection with Raymond Creek Rd.
Head west on NW Dutch Canyon Rd – go 2.9
@2.9 mi: L on Otto Miller Rd – go 2.6 mi
@5.6 mi: Otto Miller Rd becomes Dixie Mountain Rd (no signage) – go 5.0 mi
@10.5 m: turn around at the intersection of Rocky Point Rd (or wherever desired) and head back on Dixie Mountain Rd – go 5.0 mi
@14.9 mi: Dixie Mountain Rd becomes Otto Miller Rd – go 2.6 mi
@17.5 mi: R on NW Dutch Canyon Rd – go 2.9 mi
End @21.2 mi
Starting near the heart of Scappoose, this route heads west through the bucolic farmlands of Dutch Canyon where herds of cattle and elk can be seen roaming. From there, the route takes a decidedly uphill tick on Otto Miller Road as you head into the Coast Range. This hill, the steepest and longest of the route, lasts for about 3.5 miles. But it is very scenic as it winds through thickly forested areas mixed with open views of Mt. Hood and Mt. Saint Helens on a clear day.
By seven miles, you will be relieved to find more gently rolling hills as you head southeast on NW Dixie Mountain Road. This part of the course takes you through patches of deciduous trees mixed in with the conifers, with some open views, including Mount Rainier to the north. You will also pass by some Christmas tree farms before getting to the turnaround point at the Rocky Point Road junction.
As you head back, you can breathe easy knowing that you have just a few miles of rolling hills followed by a long mostly downhill coast to the finish.
Geographic region: Oregon Coast Range, Tualatin Hills
Municipality/town: North Plains, Scappoose
Route configuration: out-and-back
Distance: 20.6 miles
Min/max elevation: 1,208’/1,648’
Total ascent: 2,175’
Max grade: 8.8% up/8.8% down
Surface: gravel/dirt road
Bikes allowed: yes (mountain or gravel bike recommended)
Obstacles: 2 gates (closed to automobile traffic but allows pedestrians and bikers to cross):
gate on NW Smoke Ranch Rd at intersection with NW Pumpkin Ridge Rd
gate on NW Smoke Ranch Rd at intersection with Wilderness Rd
Best months: spring, summer, fall (higher areas may be covered in snow during the winter)
Permits: none required
Traffic: very light; virtually none on NW Smoke Ranch Rd
Feels safe to go alone (my personal comfort level): I say yes, though Otto Miller Rd is a bit more isolated.
Driving distance from downtown Portland: 26 miles
[Click on buttons above to get route links on Gaia GPS or Ride with GPS]
To get to the start: Locate Pumpkin Ridge Zip Tour at 22626 NW Pumpkin Ridge Rd, North Plains, OR 97113 (northwest of North Plains). As you approach the intersection of NW Pumpkin Ridge Rd and NW Murphy Rd (just prior to the zip tour location), go another 0.5 mile on NW Pumpkin Ridge Rd (you will go past the zip tour) and park on the side of the road.
Head northwest on NW Pumpkin Ridge Rd – go 2.9 mi
@2.9 mi: R on NW Smoke Ranch Rd (no signage) – go 2.1 mi
@5.0 mi: R/striaght to stay on NW Smoke Ranch Rd – go 1.4 mi
@6.4 mi: R on Dixie Mountain Rd – go 3.9 mi
@10.3 m: turn around at the intersection of Rocky Point Rd (or wherever desired) and head back on Dixie Mountain Rd – go 3.9 mi
@14.2 mi: L on NW Smoke Ranch Rd – go 1.4 mi
@15.6 mi: L to stay on NW Smoke Ranch Rd – go 2.1 mi
@17.7 mi: L on NW Pumpkin Ridge Rd – go 2.9 mi
End @20.6 mi
A rolling out-and-back course along Pumpkin Ridge and Dixie Mountain, this course takes you through tree farms, natural deciduous and coniferous forests, and a bit of open farmland. You will start fairly far out on NW Pumpkin Ridge Road and head north about three miles until you see a gated road to the right, which is NW Smoke Ranch Road (no signage posted). The first couple of miles of this road are double track and a bit overgrown in places, but still easily navigable and gorgeously lush through the thick forest.
At mile point five, you will cross an old gate that doesn’t seem to have been opened in quite some time. To the left is Wilderness Road, but you will stay straight to continue on NW Smoke Ranch Road for another 1.4 miles. You will pass by the now defunct Smoke Ranch and a couple of other homes tucked in the woods.
At about 6.4 miles, you will come to a three-way intersection, at which you turn right to head southeast on NW Dixie Mountain Road. Of course, you can turn around whenever you like, but this route has you going nearly four miles on this road until you get to the Rocky Point Road intersection. This section of NW Dixie Mountain Road is worth seeing, as there are some gorgeous views of forests, valley, and even Mount Rainier in the distance. As you near the turnaround at Rocky Point Road, you will go past some Christmas tree farms as well.
Heading back along the same route will give you a different vantage point of the lovely scenery, and it will also look different due to the lighting change with the changing angle of the sun.
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