Portland, OR: Bald Peak | Bicycling in Oregon

Portland, OR: Bald Peak

After warming up on wine-country roads, this 54.5-mile loop climbs to the top of Bald Peak for views of the Coast Range.

Author:	Bicycling Magazine
Date:	6 Oct 2008 7:40:39 PM
Activity:	Bicycling ActivitySearchBicycling
State:	Oregon (OR)
Distance:	54.5 mi (Change units)
Elevation:	Total Gain: 4210 ft Total Loss: 4210 ft Net Change: 0 ft
Difficulty:	7 / 10
Tags:	Oregon, Carlton, Portland
Rating:	Unrated Rate it

This 54.5-mile loop through Oregon wine country (southwest of Portland) warms up on back roads that wander amongst area vineyards. The ride, which connects several of these vineyards on a rolling approach to the base of the Chehalem Mountains, features memorably idyllic stretches on Gun Club and Mineral Springs Road before the climb ramps up to Bald Peak.

One of the gentler (but still challenging) approaches to Bald Peak State Park, Chehalem Drive starts out fairly flat for the first 0.75 mile before amping up to an average 8-percent grade for 1.6 miles—the incline vacillates between 4 and 12 percent on this stretch, and then eases for the remaining 3.5 miles. From Bald Peak Road, look west-southwest for views across vineyards and farm country framed by the Coast Range in the distance.

Bald Peak Road drops steeply from the park, but the tricky part of the descent comes once the route turns west on Laurelwood. It’s easy to pick up a lot of speed very quickly on the steep grades here, and there are several tight turns and blind curves to negotiate. Pavement and visibility are generally good, but a few tricky spots make this descent tough the first time around.

The route climbs gently through forested roads, weaving south through Woodland Loop and passing horse and dairy farms before cutting south in Yamhill for a flat and fast return through hayfields.

-Mapped by Dave Petterson, Vista Hills Vineyard

TO TRAILHEAD: This ride starts and finishes at Panther Creek Cellars in McMinnville, but cyclists can depart from anywhere in town.

Position Format:	Datum:

Tracks

Bald Peak

Dist: 54.50 mi	Points: 1869	Calories: none
Time: none	Speed: 0.0 mph	Pace: 0:00 / mi

Distance	Instruction		Distance to next
0.01 mi	Start	Head north on Irvine St.	Then go 0.02 mi
0.02 mi	Turn Right	E 5th St.	Then go 0.06 mi
0.09 mi		Lafayette Ave/Hwy 156	Then go 0.44 mi
0.53 mi	Turn Right	NE Riverside Dr.	Then go 1.53 mi
2.06 mi	Turn Left	NE Riverside Dr.	Then go 1.70 mi
3.76 mi	Turn Right	OR-99W	Then go 0.28 mi
4.04 mi	Turn Left	OR 47	Then go 1.68 mi
5.72 mi	Turn Right	NE Gun Club Rd.	Then go 1.66 mi
7.38 mi	Turn Left	Mineral Springs Rd.	Then go 2.13 mi
9.51 mi	Bear Left	Mineral Springs Rd.	Then go 1.09 mi
10.60 mi	Turn Right	Carlton-Chehalem Creek Rd./Hendricks Rd.	Then go 2.48 mi
13.08 mi	Straight	Continue on Carlton-Chehalem Creek Rd.	Then go 1.78 mi
14.87 mi	Turn Right	OR 240/W Chehalem Rd.	Then go 0.60 mi
15.47 mi	Turn Left	Ribbon Ridge Rd.	Then go 0.82 mi
16.29 mi	Turn Right	NE Valley Rd.	Then go 4.66 mi
20.95 mi	Turn Left	NE Chehalem Dr.	Then go 2.33 mi
23.27 mi	Turn Left	Bald Peak Rd.	Then go 2.85 mi
26.13 mi	Straight	Continue on Bald Peak Rd.	Then go 0.22 mi
26.35 mi	Bear Right	Bald Peak Rd.	Then go 1.12 mi
27.47 mi	Turn Left	Bald Peak State Park	Then go 0.10 mi
27.57 mi	U-Turn	Leave the Park	Then go 0.07 mi
27.65 mi	Turn Left	Bald Peak Rd.	Then go 1.87 mi
29.52 mi	Turn Left	Laurelwood Rd.	Then go 3.24 mi
32.76 mi	Turn Left	Spring Hill Rd.	Then go 2.74 mi
35.50 mi	Turn Right	Laughlin Rd.	Then go 2.37 mi
37.87 mi	Turn Left	Woodland Loop Rd.	Then go 3.95 mi
41.83 mi	Turn Right	OR 240	Then go 2.38 mi
44.21 mi	Turn Left	OR 47	Then go 3.52 mi
47.73 mi	Turn Left	Main St.	Then go 0.12 mi
47.85 mi	Turn Right	OR 47	Then go 4.44 mi
52.29 mi	Turn Right	OR 99W	Then go 0.64 mi
52.93 mi	Turn Left	Lafayette Ave/Hwy 156	Then go 1.50 mi
54.43 mi	Turn Right	NE 5th St.	Then go 0.07 mi
54.50 mi	Turn Left	Irvine St.

Points of Interest

Panther Creek Cellars

Location: 45.210978°, -123.189697°
This ride starts and finishes at Panther Creek Cellars in McMinnville, but it can depart from anywhere in town.

Highway 47

Location: 45.246854°, -123.162231°
Heading north on Highway 47 towards Carlton: Highway 47 is nicely paved with pretty scenery and a good road surface, but the traffic is a bit heavy and fast for a road with an 18-inch shoulder. © Dave Petterson

Gun Club Road

Location: 45.256764°, -123.156738°
Gun Club is a gorgeous stretch of road with hardly any traffic. © Dave Petterson

Anne Amie Vineyards

Location: 45.263168°, -123.139229°
Anne Amie Vineyards (formerly Chateau Benoit) on Mineral Springs Road is a pretty spot; there's a block of older vine chardonnay right by the road here.

Lemelson Vineyard

Location: 45.300852°, -123.131676°
Lemelson Vineyards has a state of the art (expensive, but good) wine portfolio.

Lemelson Solar Array

Location: 45.300732°, -123.130989°
A solar array at Lemelson Vineyards: These are popping up all over the county right now due to some amazing federal and state rebate and tax credit programs. In general, Oregon wineries (and their customers) tend to be on-board with sustainability issues.

Rolling Vineyard Roads

Location: 45.321013°, -123.079147°
Bald Peak looms in the distance. © Dave Petterson

Hazelnut Orchards

Location: 45.328496°, -123.013573°
Looking west along the hazelnut orchards on North Valley Road. North Valley is the lesser-traveled alternate highway to Newberg which runs along the foot of the Chehalem Mountains. © Dave Petterson

View from the Chehalems

Location: 45.361192°, -123.011856°
© Dave Petterson

Make Your Own Switchbacks

Location: 45.362851°, -123.012757°
© Dave Petterson

Bald Peak State Park

Location: 45.394201°, -123.054299°
Bald Peak State Park is a great spot to catch your breath at the top of the climb, but there is no running water to top off your bottles.

Laurelwood Road Descent

Location: 45.418124°, -123.052282°
Grab yourself two hands full of brakes and stay away from the guard rail. Avoid the gravel at all costs. © Dave Petterson