Gravel Biking
Gravel enthusiasts rejoice! The Oregon Coast is quickly becoming known as a gravel paradise – with our endless networks of forest roads that offer stunning scenery and solitude, the possibilities for routes are endless.
Bikepackers can string together routes from our enormous network of forest trails, or opt to take the classic highway 101 scenic bike route. For riders looking for shorter or more challenging day rides, we’ve partnered with Dirty Freehub to bring you five-star routes that have been tested and vetted.
Gravel Biking Routes
North Coast Gravel Routes
Terrible Tilly
Explore Cannon Beach, the Necanicum River watershed, the Klootchy Mountain Bike area, Ecola State park, and the timberlands of Lewis & Clark/Nuveen Natural Capital that offer a wide range of views and forest habitats.
- 31 mile loop
- Starts in Cannon Beach
Central Coast Routes
Drift Creek Falls
A bike and hike route. (Not hike-a-bike!) Do this route for the skinny single-lane paved forest service road and the hike out to Drift Creek Falls (~ 3 miles total), which has you crossing a 250-foot suspension bridge above the falls.
- 30 mile loop
- Starts in Lincoln City
Land of the Yachats
This ride showcases Yachats Bay, the Yachats River, and the woodlands. Ride it for the steep hills, skinny roads, and a variety of forests ranging from young new growth.
- 34 mile loop
- Starts in Yachats
Honeyman
Possibly a bucket list ride that features 7 waterfalls, lake hugging roads so small you will think they are a bike path, sand dunes, a historic boathouse, and rolling farmlands mixed in with a good solid logging road climb.
- 54 mile loop
- Starts in Florence
Siltcoos Station
Tahkenitch and Siltcoos lakes are scenic features along this primarily gravel bike route, both formed in the aftermath of the last ice age when rising sea levels shaped the coastal landscape
- 39 mile loop
- Starts near Reedsport
South Coast Routes
Double Go!
A quick out-and-back excursion that ends at two of the largest waterfalls on the Oregon Coast: Golden and Silver Falls.
- 19 mile out-and-back
- Starts in Coos Bay
The Sixes
Start at a lighthouse in the ocean breeze, then thread between wilderness areas and follow the Elk River and Sixes River through the deeply forested and mountainous coast range. *Note: this route is still under development
- 65 mile loop
- Starts in Port Orford
The Bombsite
A ride through epic scenery and fascinating history. Explore the Brookings harbor, the Chetco River, fire events, and the logging industry. Expect good gravel roads, minimal traffic, and scenic overlooks providing vista views of the Coast Mountain peaks and the Pacific Ocean shoreline.
- 45 mile loop
- Starts in Brookings
Milli-Mania
Long steep climbs and descents, beautiful coast range forest, some recently harvested timberlands, and flowing streams and creeks through the Elliot State Forest. The forests impress with large, moss-covered trees with a thick understory and high tree canopies that create a tunnel-like riding effect.
- 36 mile loop
- Starts in Coos Bay
Get stoked to ride the coast
A short video produced by Dirty Freehub, shown at the June 2024 Bicycle Film Festival in Bend, Oregon featuring riding along the Oregon Coast.
Gravel Events
If racing is more your style, you won’t want to miss the epic weekend of gravel competition on the Central Coast.
Two gravel events, one weekend!
- The Oregon Coast Gravel Epic in Waldport
Start your season with this epic Pacific Northwest spring classic at the coast. This gravel cycling event showcases the raw beauty of ancient Siuslaw National Forests and is geared towards the enthusiast cyclist looking for a well-marked and supported event. - West Coast Gravel in Yachats
West Coast Gravel celebrates the explorer in all of us as you make your way to the shores of the Pacific and take on the Siuslaw National Forest’s unforgettable backroads.
Need to Know: Riding Safely
Many of these routes traverse logging roads. Logging trucks are commonly encountered, and you should always read posted signs for guidelines on time of day that riding is allowed.
Signs indicating logging activity include CB channels posted, mile markers, truck tracks in the dirt, pink ribbon, thinning activity, and a well-maintained gravel road.
For safety, we recommend riding single file, using a rear red blinking light, and a front white blinking light. It’s important not to exceed your sight lines, and avoid listening to music, as hearing is crucial to detecting approaching trucks. If you encounter a truck, whether it’s coming towards you or overtaking, stop and place a foot on the ground instead of trying to ride through. Additionally, a friendly wave to the truck driver is always appreciated.
It is also always a good idea to make sure you have offline maps downloaded and backed up, as well as a Garmin or other kind of location device.
HERBICIDE SAFETY
When biking on logging roads, you are also likely to encounter areas where there may be active herbicide spraying. Note that each private property is owned and managed differently. While you will see posted signs notifying of recent spraying, closures, and other safety information, it is ultimately up to the rider to be aware, and contact the manager of the property for all the latest information.
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Coos Bay, OR
North Bend, OR