Madras Mountain Views Scenic Bikeway

LENGTH 30 Miles | DIFFICULTY Moderate | 100% Paved

Nearby cities: Madras, Metolius, Culver

The Madras Mountain Views Scenic Bikeway is a peaceful 30-mile loop through Central Oregon. It offers amazing views of Oregon’s volcanoes and agricultural and pastoral scenery passing and showcasing basalt palisades above the Deschutes and Crooked Rivers and the farms and ranches of Jefferson County.

The Bikeway starts and ends at Sahalee Park in Madras and quickly enters beautiful agricultural country. After passing through Metolius with its historic railroad depot and Culver, the route passes the entrance to The Cove Palisades State Park where camping, water and restrooms are available–at the bottom of a very steep, long hill that will have to be climbed to rejoin the route.

After turning onto Mountain View Drive, cyclists are rewards with particularly good views of major volcanic peaks and can stop of the gravel overlooks above The Cove Palisades State Park and Lake Billy Chinook at mile 15.2, mile 16.1, mile 16.7, and mile 17.4. These overlooks are great places to see eagles, raptors, deer and even snakes or lizards. Another short side trip takes cyclists to the Round Butte Overlook Park and a view of the dam holding back the waters of the Crooked, Deschutes, and Metolius Rivers to form Lake Billy Chinook.

More Resources

Information about road conditions from Oregon Department of Transportation’s TripCheck.