Skull Hollow

Ride Details

The route starts in the agriculture town of Terrebonne. That means, it takes a few miles to transition from town to farms and ranches to public lands. The first hurdle is crossing Highway 97. Use the crosswalk at Smith Rock Way / B Avenue. Traffic seems more likely to stop and give way if you dismount and walk your bike.

The next 2 miles, will have some moderate traffic, especially the short section on Lower Bridge way. Ride single file, use caution, and have a red blinky light. After making a right turn NW 27th Street the traffic is significantly less. From here until the Crooked River gorge the route passes by a number of farms. Flat and easy riding.

At ~ mile 5.5, you come to the biggest navigation challenge of the day, making your way across the Crooked River Gorge and Highway 97.

The specifics. At the end of Wimp Way, at the dead end circle, pass between a set of rocks marking the road boundary, go straight for 25 yards on a dirt path to the knee high rock wall marking the cliff to the Crooked River Gorge. Take the paved path to the right to the High bridge. Cross it and then continue to follow the paved path to Highway 97. Cross the highway, and then proceed north along the highway for 20 to 40 yards. To your right you will see the old highway, or as it is called today the Culver highway. This is the road you want. Look for the concrete barriers and barb wire fence. Just to the right of the barriers is an opening in the fence that you want to take.

The Crooked River (High) bridge is 464 feet long, and at 295 feet above the river it was the nations single highest arch span when constructed. Oregon’s famous bridge engineer, Conde B. MCCullough, designed the bridge to blend gracefully with the regions rugged landscape — harmonizing with the Oregon Trunk Line Railway bridge (1910) downstream. [from on-site kiosks]

Ride the Culver highway (paved) north for just under 2 miles. Flat and straight. Go right on Park Lane. Drop down a small bluff, and cut through the center of McPheeters Turf farm. At the east end the road turns to gravel and soon after that you enter the Crooked River National Grassland. The road becomes more primitive … gnarly and rutted in spots.

The climbing begins in earnest at mile 10. In the next 2 miles you will gain 900 feet. The average gradient is 7% with sections kicking up to 15%. Make sure to take a moment and look back. The views of the Cascade mountains are some of the best within Central Oregon.

Just after mile 12, you top out and then make a hard left turn. Drop down and past the McCoin orchard that marks a homesite from the late 1800’s. Climb again to the second summit (a 100 feet less in stature than the first) and then begin the long, winding descent to Lone Pine road through Skull Hollow.

Skull Hollow is named after the number of human skulls found in the area^[3]. The skulls were found as part of a massacre between settlers and Native Americans in the area under the leadership of Chief Paulina in the winter of 1864. Soldiers found the remains of some 200 people, 40 burned-out wagons and the personal effects of those murdered. [Wikipedia]

Go right on Lone Pine road, paved. The next 5 miles will have some vehicle and truck traffic. It is slightly downhill, so it goes fast, but we also recommend the use of a red blinky light. The turn onto Smith Rock Way and Lambert road leads to quieter travels and stunning views of the Smith Rock area.

At ~ mile 24, we strongly recommend you make the right to Smith Rock state park. It is only a mile out of the way and the views are amazing and its fun to diverge a bit and watch the climbers moving over the vertical walls of stone like little ants. When ready, make a U-turn and meander along paved roads back to the start where beer and burgers await you at the Terrebonne Depot. Yes! Drop some coin with the locals.

Ride Notes

If you are looking for a longer ride that is really, really good we recommend Haystacks & Skulls.

Do not ride when wet. It looks like this could be the real sticky kind of mud, of the ‘hike a bike” variety.

We recommend the use of a red blinky light. Several roads have light to moderate traffic.