Portland, OR: Muddy Valley | Bicycling in Oregon

Portland, OR: Muddy Valley

Embrace Oregon's rainy climate on this 26.5-mile loop that wanders past vineyards and llamas on rolling backroads southwest of Portland.

Author:	Bicycling Magazine
Date:	7 Oct 2008 6:58:45 PM
Activity:	Bicycling ActivitySearchBicycling
State:	Oregon (OR)
Distance:	26.53 mi (Change units)
Elevation:	Total Gain: 979 ft Total Loss: 979 ft Net Change: 0 ft
Difficulty:	5 / 10
Tags:	Portland, Oregon, Mcminnville
Rating:	Unrated Rate it

This 26.5-mile rolling route travels southwest from McMinnville and quickly escapes to gently-climbing backroads, perfect for getting the legs loose and the blood pumping on a rainy Oregon morning.

Skirting the foothills of the Coast Range on the climb up Youngberg Hill Road, the route offers those masochistic few a short (but painful) climbing detour up the Youngberg Hill Vineyard's access road (which gains 500 feet up a brutal grade).

Descending from Youngberg on the rolling Masonville and Muddy Valley Roads, the ride passes idyllic Oregon farmland (keep an eye out for grazing llamas!) and vineyards as it leaves the foothills. After crossing Highway 18, the ride beelines east into the plains before picking up a satin-smooth stretch of pavement back to McMinnville. Get your post-ride caffeine fix at Union Block Coffee, an optional start/finish point for this route.

-Mapped by Dave Petterson, Vista Hills Vineyard

TO TRAILHEAD: This ride begins from Panther Creek Cellars at Irvine and East 5th St. in McMinnville.

Position Format:	Datum:

Tracks

Muddy Valley

Dist: 26.53 mi	Points: 803	Calories: none
Time: none	Speed: 0.0 mph	Pace: 0:00 / mi

Distance	Instruction		Distance to next
0.00 mi	Start	Head south on Irvine St.	Then go 0.07 mi
0.07 mi	Turn Right	NE 3rd St.	Then go 0.46 mi
0.52 mi	Turn Left	Adams St.	Then go 0.05 mi
0.57 mi	Turn Right	NW 2nd St.	Then go 1.50 mi
2.07 mi	Turn Left	SW Hill Rd.	Then go 1.59 mi
3.67 mi	Turn Right	Peavine Rd.	Then go 1.60 mi
5.27 mi	Turn Left	Youngberg Hill Rd.	Then go 1.80 mi
7.07 mi	Bear Right	Masonville Rd.	Then go 1.78 mi
8.85 mi	Turn Left	Muddy Valley Rd.	Then go 3.97 mi
12.81 mi	Straight	Cross OR 18 and continue on Bellevue Hwy.	Then go 2.19 mi
15.00 mi	Turn Left	Delashmutt Ln.	Then go 3.30 mi
18.30 mi	Turn Left	Cross OR 18 and head south.	Then go 0.08 mi
18.38 mi	Turn Right	McCabe Chapel Rd.	Then go 1.78 mi
20.16 mi	Turn Right	Masonville Rd.	Then go 1.65 mi
21.82 mi	Turn Left	Old Sheridan Rd.	Then go 2.34 mi
24.16 mi	Straight	Cross Baker St. onto Nindels and head south.	Then go 0.10 mi
24.26 mi	Turn Left	Booth Bend Rd.	Then go 0.72 mi
24.98 mi	Turn Left	Davis St.	Then go 1.08 mi
26.05 mi	Turn Right	SE 1st St.	Then go 0.01 mi
26.06 mi	Turn Left	Davis St.	Then go 0.11 mi
26.17 mi	Turn Right	NE 3rd St.	Then go 0.27 mi
26.44 mi	Turn Left	Irvine St.

Points of Interest

Union Block Coffee

Location: 45.210079°, -123.195427°
Union Block Coffee in downtown McMinnville: This is exactly the kind of place you want to stop after riding in the rain for an hour and a half, just the way Oregonians like it. © Dave Petterson

Hill Road

Location: 45.196494°, -123.230789°
Leaving McMinnville on Hill Road: Part of the joy of Yamhill County riding is that it really takes about 7 minutes to leave the city behind. © Dave Petterson

Peavine Road

Location: 45.186756°, -123.231711°
Headed for the hills on Peavine Road--beautiful in the sun or the rain. © Dave Petterson

Youngberg Hill Road

Location: 45.193470°, -123.261967°
Youngberg Hill Road © Dave Petterson

Youngberg Hill Summit

Location: 45.182400°, -123.278103°
The summit of Youngberg Hill Road: For the adventurous, turn right up Youngberg Hill Vineyard's access road for a nice paved road that climbs another 500 feet or so at a brutal grade. The vineyard here is one of the prettiest in the valley. © Dave Petterson

Roadside Llamas

Location: 45.148632°, -123.321447°
Llamas along Muddy Valley Road. © Dave Petterson

Pitstop

Location: 45.115722°, -123.316727°
A water and bathroom pitstop at Oregon Wine Tasting Room and Fresh Palate Cafe on the corner of Hwy. 18 and SW Bellevue Hwy. © Dave Petterson

A Smooth Transition

Location: 45.116873°, -123.276258°
The only complaint with this ride is that most of the Youngberg Hill-Muddy Valley stretch is paved with evil chipseal. Here, the route turns north onto Delashmutt for smooth tarmac that feels like riding on satin. © Dave Petterson

McCabe Chapel Road

Location: 45.163635°, -123.280023°
Heading back into town on McCabe Chapel Road. McCabe Chapel (near this waypoint) is a picturesque old church, accompanied by an equally picturesque old cemetery.