Oregon Crater Lake Bike Tour

After we go for a hike at the world-famous rock-climbing mecca at Smith Rock State Park in the morning, you have the afternoon to enjoy the Bend area on your own. The hard part will be deciding what to choose! Bend offers a plethora of choices: world-class fly fishing on rivers like the Deschutes and Metolius, stellar hiking and mountain biking and river rafting. In town, there are brewpubs, shops, art galleries and a lovely river walk to enjoy. Prefer to pedal? We’ll show you some great road cycling options in the area. Spend another night at McMenamins Old St. Francis School and enjoy the soaking pool, on-site restaurants, bars, and movie theater.

Ride the Cascade Lakes Highway today. This gorgeous National Scenic Byway in the Deschutes National Forest wraps the foothills of Mt. Bachelor, curving from Dutchman Flat to lunch at Crane Prairie Reservoir. This breeding ground for osprey is also home to record-breaking rainbow trout. This afternoon, ride into Crater Lake National Park – an unforgettable cruise across a high meadow strewn with volcanic pumice from the blast of Mt. Mazama 8,000 years ago. Crest the rim for your first sight of stunning Crater Lake 1,500 feet below. As one of Oregon’s seven wonders, it’s nothing short of breathtaking! Spend the next two nights at Crater Lake Lodge, the lovingly restored National Park Lodge perched on the west rim. The views are fantastic.

Circumnavigating the rim of Crater Lake is considered by Bicycling magazine to be one of the most spectacular one-day rides in the country. PureWow’s travel page calls it one of the ’11 Most Zen Places on the Planet.’ On one side, a rocky cliff leads down to the deepest lake in the United States; on the other, thrill to a 100-mile panoramic view from 7,000 feet of elevation: the Cascade Mountains, Eastern Oregon’s high desert, Cinnamon Butte, The Sisters. We guarantee this will be one of the top 5 bicycle rides of your life.

You’ve earned some relaxing downhill today! Cycle north beside hypnotizing waters of Crater Lake one last time before descending into the Umpqua National Forest. Cruise the shoreline of lovely Diamond Lake on a traffic-free paved bike path to the resort where we load up for our return to Eugene, stopping for lunch along the way.

*Bicycle Adventures operates under special use permits while on Federal Lands managed by the National Forest Service (USDA), National Parks and Bureau of Land Management. In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) To file a complaint of discrimination: write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.