Valley & Alder Slope

About

This is a mixed-terrain route with several challenging gravel sections but well worth the effort for the unparalleled views. We recommend 35c tires at a minimum and lots of film/memory in your camera for this route. If you love photographing beautiful barns with the Wallowas as a backdrop this ride might just take you all darn day! (Or maybe all barn day…)

This loop takes you counter-clockwise from the Maxville Heritage Interpretive Center (MHIC) in downtown Joseph, Oregon. As you roll out of town you’ll see as far as Idaho and the Seven Devils range, marking the eastern edge of the lands of the walwáama band of Nez Perce (the people of walawa). Rolling mostly flat to downhill for most of the first ⅔ of the route you’ll pedal across the colorful Zumwalt Prairie and tackle most of the route’s climbing across the Alder Slope, a traditional Nez Perce homeland. From the high point on Black Marble Road you’ll see Enterprise from a unique point of view and then Joseph as you take in the descent. The roll back into town is triumphant; you’ll hardly believe that a 33-mile ride can pack so much into it.

Maxville Heritage Interpretive Center – Joseph, Oregon
Open Wednesday – Sunday 10:00AM-4:00PM (Or by appointment year-round)

“Inclusivity improves historical accuracy”

The MHIC mission is one we are excited to support and share here, “To gather, preserve, and share the rich history of African American, Indigenous, and immigrant loggers in the Pacific Northwest. We utilize inclusive stories of multicultural logging communities to better connect the experiences of immigrants and migrants to a larger American narrative.” Please do stop in before or after your ride to visit the museum and discover this remarkable community.