NE Oregon

During the last weekend of June I road from Seattle to Enterprise Oregon.  NE Oregon has the highest concentration of great motorcycle roads on the west coast, save Northern California and perhaps the California Sierras.  It is an un-discovered treasure of great roads.

I call it riding in the box and inside the route below is the box.  Any two lane road inside the box is likely a terrific motorcycle road.


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The Oregon Motorcyclist is a great site to find motorcycle roads in Oregon.

My route to the box was pretty typical stuff.  To Enumclaw, Hwy 410 (Chinook Pass) to Yakima and down Hwy 97 to The Dalles, Oregon.  I left Friday night to spend the evening with in-laws in Yakima.

Here is a photo of the White River near Greenwater, Washington. Chinook Pass, about 20 miles up the road from here, is very scenic however this post is all about riding in the box.

My step father and I enjoyed the Mariners baseball game.   I was on the the road by 7:30am on Saturday - a late start - rats.  Here is my route to the Dalles.


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Mt Adams made an appearance along Hwy 97 just after Union Gap.  There was a bright sunny rectangle along the center of the mountain while the rest was shrouded by clouds.

At Maryhill just before crossing into Oregon I paid homage to Sam Hill who was the first to put paved roads in rural Washington.  We should bow down to Sam.

Route from The Dalles, Oregon to Enterprise, Oregon


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Point B on the map above is were the fun starts.  Following Hwy 216 you go by White River State Park and Sherar's Bridge where wooden platforms are used by local Native Americans to dip-net for salmon and steelhead as they try to go up the falls to their spawning beds.


Here is a photo of White River Fall near Point C on the map.  This is great place for a stop with running water and picnic tables

I stopped for another photo at Sherars' Bridge.  You can see the wood platform used for fishing on the left.

Hwy 216 plunges down to Sherar's Bridge then follows the Dechutes River for a short distance before winding it's way up to the plateau. 


Here are a few photos of this wonderful road.

Hwy 216 rejoins Hwy 97 and we are off to Hwy 218 near Antelope Oregon, best known being occupied in the early 1980's  by the followers of Bhawan Shree Rajneesh.  



For motorcyclist Hwy 218 is one of the best motorcycle roads in Oregon.  Dig this crazy road!

Unlike many roads in the box Hwy 218 runs up and down two ridges.  It also include a rest stop at the Clarno Unit of the Fossil Beds National Monument.


Just after the rest area is this old barn.

The eastern end of Hwy 218 ends in Fossil, Oregon which features a rest home.  Old Fossils in Fossil.

After Fossil my route took me north to Condon then east to Heppner, Pilot Rock, Pendleton, Elgin and Enterprise Oregon.  All great roads.


On Sunday my return route is below.

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Along the way home I shot a photo of this structure.

These are but just a few roads in the box.  Go ride them!

The End.