Hailed 'the best bike ride in North America': Crater Lake should be on every cyclist's must-do list. This version tosses in the southern coastline and the Coast Range.

We meet in Portland early on a Saturday morning and van two hours south through the flat and fertile Willamette Valley farmland to Eugene, Oregon. Today’s ride is long and spectacular: we head west, climbing over the Coast Range on a road with very little traffic. We follow the Smith River through evergreen forests and pastureland as it slowly descends toward the Pacific Ocean. We spend the night near the ocean in Reedsport.

Sunday we head south along the coast. We cycle through forests and along pristine beaches with sand dunes and lighthouses. The rolling hills of the aptly-named Seven Devils Road deposit us on the coast again at Bandon, a lively fishing and resort town with a vibrant Old Town to explore.

Monday is another day cycling south along the coast. The scenery is different today as we are almost always within sight of the ocean. Along the way we’ll see beautiful sandy beaches, rocky cliffs, and waves pounding into seastacks. We finish the day at Gold Beach, a sport fishing town in the heart of Oregon’s “Banana Belt.” Boasting more sun than any other town on the Oregon or Washington coasts, Gold Beach is so far from any major metropolitan area that its gorgeous beaches remain wonderfully uncrowded. Dinner is on your own tonight, so you’ll have plenty of time to explore.

Tuesday is another big cycling day. We cycle east along the Rogue River, one of the first rivers in the country to be designated by Congress as Wild and Scenic. The scenery through the Rogue River canyon is stunning, and our road has almost no traffic. We climb up to Bear Camp Pass (elevation 4,450 feet) and descend toward Grants Pass (elevation 960 ft), where we spend the night at Morrison’s Rogue River Lodge.

Wednesday we head to Crater Lake (elevation 7,100 ft). To cover the distance and climbing in one day, we van part way up the hill, skipping the less interesting cycling and traffic in the Grants Pass – Medford area. We start climbing on a low-traffic road through forests of Douglas Fir. We enter Crater Lake National Park and continue up and across a high meadow covered with volcanic pumice from the explosion of Mt. Mazama some 8,000 years ago. We reach the rim of Crater Lake itself and gaze down 1,500 feet to the deep blue lake below — an awesome sight. We spend our last two nights at gorgeous Crater Lake Lodge on the rim of Crater Lake. You’ll enjoy a cold drink on the terrace at the end of the day, soaking up the stunning view.

On Thursday we’ll cycle around Crater Lake. This 35-mile ride is considered by Bicycling magazine to be one of the most spectacular one-day rides in the country. At an elevation of 7,000 feet and with plenty of ups and downs, the rim ride is more challenging than the 35-mile distance would indicate. A hike and boating expedition to the caldera’s tiny Wizard Island is on today’s schedule as well; the boat tour is included as part of your trip package. If you prefer, you may hike up to Mt. Scott or Garfield Butte for tremendous views of the lake and surrounding region.

On Friday we cycle north past Crater Lake one more time, then cruise downhill through the Pumice Desert and out of the park. We cycle around Diamond Lake on a paved bicycle path through wetland meadows laced with sparkling streams. Back on the main road, we follow the North Umpqua River through evergreen forests and out into the farmland near Roseburg. We’ll enjoy lunch at beautiful Clearwater Falls, then continue on to Glide, where the North Umpqua River meets the Little River head-on – the only place in the world where this happens. After a final celebration, we’ll load up and head north again to Portland.