6-Day Crater Lake Spectacular Views & Trails Bike Tour

Bring your luggage and be ride-ready. After brief introductions, you hop into the van and shuttle to Smith Rock State Park, where you have an Orientation Meeting, get fitted on your bike, and begin your Central Oregon adventure. Explore Smith Rock a bit on foot or two wheels. Watch rock climbers from all over the world as they cling to Smith Rock’s striking walls and colorful volcanic formations. On today’s Scenic Bikeway, you follow the Deschutes River, passing through forests, agricultural areas, and high desert country.

You end your day in Sisters. The community is named after the Three Sisters peaks — Faith, Hope, and Charity. More than 10,000 ft in elevation, the peaks, are part of the Cascade volcanic arc and are the third-, fourth- and fifth-highest in the state. Dinner is at a local restaurant.
Accommodation: Ponderosa Lodge, Sisters
Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Biking: 38.7 miles (62.3 kilometers)
Elevation Gain/Loss: 1,423 feet (434 meters) ascent, 1,086 feet (331 meters) descent 
Terrain: Intermediate

Today’s postcard showcases images of out-of-this-world moonscapes created by a 2,000 year-old lava flow. The McKenzie Pass Scenic Bikeway follows an 1870s wagon toll road. For those of you wanting the challenge of a 2,400 ft climb up McKenzie Pass, you’ll relish the pine-filled air as you pedal up the mountain. For those of you wanting a more relaxing ride, shuttle to the top of the pass and enjoy the seemingly never-ending descent. At the 5,325 ft summit, the Dee Wright Observatory offers fantastic 360-degree views and highlights the nearby prominent peaks of the Cascade Mountains. On your 20-mile-long descent, stop at the Proxy Falls Trailhead and enjoy a leisurely 1.6 mile-long hike to two of the most photographed waterfalls in all of Oregon.

At the far end of the Bikeway, soak in the Belknap Hot Springs before boarding the shuttle back to Sisters. There may also be time to schedule a relaxing session at the Shibui Spa. Dinner is together tonight at a restaurant in Sisters.
Accommodation: Ponderosa Lodge, Sisters
Meals: Breskfast, Lunch, Dinner

Biking: 37.9 miles (61 kilometers)
Elevation Gain/Loss: 2,457 feet (749 meters) ascent, 4,001 feet (1,219 meters) descent
Terrain: Intermediate to Advanced

Today’s postcard views are inspired by the Twin Bridges Scenic Bikeway. You begin and end your cycling in Bend. At the beginning of the ride, stop at the Bend Whitewater Park and watch surfers ride the wave in the Deschutes River. Further along the route, pass through high deserts, pastures of hay, hobby farms, and wildlife areas. All the while, you’ll have spectacular views of the snow-capped Cascade Mountains. Enjoy a true Pacific Northwest-style lunch from one of the many food carts in the charming town of Tumalo.

Dinner is on your own tonight. If you wish, spend the evening hours around our lodgings at one of the famous McMenamin properties — Old St. Francis is a rehabilitated parochial school turned into a funky lodge, brewpub, soaking pool, and more!
Accommodation: McMenamins Old St Francis School, Bend
Meals: Breakfast

Biking: 31.9 miles (51.3 kilometers)
Elevation Gain/Loss: 1,609 feet (490 meters) ascent, 1,593 feet (486 meters) descent
Terrain: Easier to Intermediate

Wake up this morning and savor the breathtaking views with a cup of coffee on the back deck of the lodge. Or perhaps rise a bit earlier and hike the nearby Garfield Peak or Discovery Point Trails. Either way, you relish in the postcard memories you’ve made in Central Oregon. Mid-morning we provide a shuttle back to our starting point in Bend, where we say our goodbyes. Plan for the shuttle to arrive in the Bend area by about 3 p.m.
Accommodation: Not applicable
Meals: Breakfast