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Tygh One On – In and Around Tygh Valley

 

"Panorama of Maupin, Oregon, as seen from Bakeoven Road."

Photo by Scott Ripley https://www.flickr.com/photos/ripleyphoto

Tygh Valley is an unincorporated part of Wasco County near Maupin and Wamic. The campsite there is so nice, we’re staying there twice – at the end of Days 3 and 6. One of the things that’s so great about it is its remoteness. Other than the nightlife we import, there’s not much going on in the immediate area, but there are some pretty cool things to do and see in Maupin and Wamic.

Maupin is yet another of the places we’ll be visiting this year that you may end up wanting to visit repeatedly once you get to know it. High-desert scenery and the Deschutes River make it a favorite among all kinds of fun-seekers, ranging from hunters to whitewater enthusiasts to cyclists to bird-watchers. If you’re an angler, it’s internationally known for its superb steelhead, salmon and trout fishing.

White River Falls and Sherars Falls are very close and are both stunning. Sherars Falls is part of the route on Day 6, – and showcases Native American petroglyphs and fishing platforms that are still used for net fishing. Later as we ride past the entrance to White River Falls, you may be enticed to ride down and take a look (just do it!) Both falls are part of a very nice 26-mile loop that starts and ends in Maupin – this is a great route to take friends and family on who aren’t quite hard-core cyclists, or just for a nice early-season ride.

It is important to note that the cool Deschutes can be very tempting on a hot day. However, the water can be cold enough – even in summer – to be a bit of a shock and literally take your breath away, such that it can become dangerous. For this reason, the locals recommend borrowing a life jacket if you want to swim. These are readily available to borrow or rent in town.

Fans of geocaching will be interested to know that the town has put together a serious geotour with eight caches. If you’re a casual geocacher, you may wonder if your Garmin 810 will work for this application. Without going into the gory details, the answer is that it is less than ideal. You might want to bring along a more appropriate GPS if you really want to join in.

Fun fact: Maupin is also a major part of the Pacific Northwest lawnmower racing scene. In fact, you might catch a glimpse of live GRASSCAR (aka. lawnmower racing) when you pass through Wamic on your way to Tygh Valley – they’ll be racing throughout the day.

In terms of places to eat, drink and visit, there are several options:

Rumor has it that Maupin is really looking forward to our visit and has some treats in store. Stay tuned.


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3 Comments

  1. Linda Ritchie says:

    The BEST dining in Maupin can be found at Stonebridge Bar &Grill….sorry to see that it was not among those listed in your article. Not only do they serve some unique dishes (Lime Rice as a sued to Chicken Enchiladas comes to mind) but the proprietors have installed a video camera in a nearby Osprey nest for live viewing of the raptors’ life cycle each year! Hope your staff has a chance to check out this restaurant.

    Hope you all enjoy your ride through WASCO Co.

    1. Dean Rodgers says:

      Good to know. We’ll have to come check it out. Thanks for the heads up.

  2. Eric Nerdin says:

    In Maupin, Henry’s Deli-Mart is a great place for breakfast and I also enjoy their burgers. Plus the Maupin Market is very nice with good eats options and a variety of other items, such as fresh produce and ice cream!