Being our first bike camping adventure together, we knew we were going to learn a lot and wanted to make sure it was fun. We definitely didn’t want it to be a death march. (And it wasn’t.)
Rolling into Prineville, it was easy to find the start of the bike route—we just followed the signs to the Crooked River highway. Finding overnight parking for our car was a little more challenging. I’m sure it would’ve been fine to leave our vehicle at the trailhead, but we didn’t want to risk it and went across the street to the Crook County RV Park. They were super nice and it only cost $7 to overnight. A small price to pay for peace of mind knowing our car would be there the next day.
The ride up to the campgrounds is mellow with light traffic. There is, however, a slight climb as you near the reservoir (and the closer you get the the reservoir the steeper it gets).
Palisades doesn’t offer water, and that’s okay. After an awesome breakfast of instant coffee and space eggs—and saw a scorpion in the outhouse, I rolled up to the next campground at Chimney Rock to grab some water.
The ride back into Prineville was pretty much all downhill and we sailed into town. For us, the Crooked River Scenic Bikeway nailed the Goldilocks Principle and was the perfect first bike camping ride for us. It wasn’t too far a distance, there wasn’t too much traffic, and it wasn’t too strenuous. All very manageable and fun, which is super important for a first-timer. We both give this one two thumbs-up. Also, we highly recommend a cold brew “cool-down” beverage on the couch at Golden coffee house. And to make sure we were properly hydrated and had energy for the drive home, we went to Wild Ride for beers and a pizza. Excellent choices all around!
-Erik
