Oakridge to Rainbow (Aufderheide Memorial Drive)
Elevation Chart
Turn-by-Turn Directions (show)
| Continue straight onto Westfir-Oakridge Rd | 1.3 miles (2026 meters) |
| Continue east on N Fork Rd/Westfir Rd | 1.2 miles (1975 meters) |
| Head north on N Fork Rd/Natl Forest Develop Road 19 Rd | 3.5 miles (5581 meters) |
| Continue northeast on Nat for Dev Rd 19 | 2 miles (3163 meters) |
| Continue east on Nat for Dev Rd 19 | 15.3 miles (24692 meters) |
| Turn left on Nat for Dev Rd 19 | 0.5 miles (839 meters) |
| Continue east on Nat for Dev Rd 19 | 3.5 miles (5638 meters) |
| Head southeast on Canyon Rd/Natl Forest Develop Road 19 Rd | 8.7 miles (13924 meters) |
| Head north on Natl Forest Develop Road 19 Rd | 4 miles (6416 meters) |
| Head northwest on S Fork Rd/Natl Forest Develop Road 19 Rd | 11.2 miles (18033 meters) |
| Continue north on Aufderheide Dr | 9.1 miles (14647 meters) |
| Keep left at the fork | 276 feet (84 meters) |
| Slight left onto Cougar Dam Rd/Natl Forest Develop Road 19 Rd | 0.4 miles (716 meters) |
A smooth ribbon of pavement, a cathedral of trees above and the sound of a rushing river beside you — it doesn’t get much better than this road. You can ride the Aufderheide with equal pleasure from either direction (as a 130-mile round-trip it’s grueling); it’s a classic up-and-over, letting you work hard for the first half and enjoy the fruits of your labors for the rest. Along the way you’ll follow a fork of the Willamette River and pass Cougar Reservoir; consider a dip in the Terwilliger Hot Springs near the reservoir.
Motorized Vehicle Traffic: Moderate
Seasons: Summer, Fall
Comments
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This is a great ride in the Fall. Motor traffic was minimal on our ride.
The shuttle is a slow drive so allow extra time. There is shuttle service in Oakridge but we didn’t use them.Posted by tony_ackerman on October 16th, 2009
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The length says 65 miles, but it looks more like 89 miles.
Posted by Gene on October 30th, 2009
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Gene–Google Maps has a glitch; doesn’t recognize the road from Highway 126 to the dam. I’ve re-routed this from Oakridge, ending at the dam, but trust me, it goes through. Thanks, Jim (Ride Oregon Content Coordinator)
Posted by Jim Moore on November 2nd, 2009
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There is also a shuttle from Blue River to Oakridge (or to the top of the pass so you can just ride down). Shuttle info at http://www.RiverMountainResort.com (shuttle is available for both resort guest and non-guests. We also shuttle the McKenzie River Trail and Hwy 242. Yes – this is a beautiful ride throughout the year and it is a very low traffic road.
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The route mapping is fixed – this should be accurate now.
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This is a great ride in the Fall. Motor traffic was minimal on our ride.
Posted by changeleff on May 23rd, 2012
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Why is this listed as extreme? I don’t remember this climb as being that hard…
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Well, Mark, there’s this concept called relative perception… you may not be the average rider. But seriously, it’s an extended climb, and it gets appreciably steeper near the top from either direction. I’ve ridden it half a dozen times – one of my favorite rides in Oregon – and from the McKenzie side the pitch creeps up to 8 percent and more for stretches. That, combined with the fact that the climb is pretty steady for 20-plus miles, would make most people consider it a biggie. But it’s well worth it.
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