Overall Route Rating
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4.38 out of 5 Rider Rating 4.38
18 Reviews

The Estacada to Detroit Lake highway

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By Guest (0 McR Points) on Apr 30, 2006

Rider Reviews

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ConnieVulcan800
2 McR Points
March 28, 2013
This is our favorite 1 day ride. Don't plan to do…
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Guest
September 2, 2010
Rode this last weekend (Aug 28,2010) w/a friend…
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Written Directions

The route starts in the town of Estacada, OR (which is about 20 miles south east of Portland, OR). Start in Estacada and get on the Clackamas Highway (AKA Route 224) and head south. Take this about 70 miles to the end point of Detroit, OR. Note: when you go through the town of Ripplebrook the name of the road will change to Clackamas River Road (NF-46) but will be the same road. At Breitenbush the road changes names again to Breitenbush Road but is still the same road. This will take you right into Detroit, OR.

Scenery

This route travel entirely through the Mt. Hood National Forest. Running river, nice bridges, high fir trees, tree covered mtns. This is a beautiful, sometimes winding roadway with white waters and high rock formations following the road. This is one of those roads that have beautiful fall foliage colors, too.

Drive Enjoyment

Lots of twists and turns but portions of the road do have some small potholes and dips. There are numerous turnoffs but I would recommend staying on the main road the first time until you get use to the trip. Of course, this does go over a high pass and will have snow during the winter season. If anyone is planning to take the ride in the early spring, it's important they take into consideration the snow. I was there at the end of April and was not able to go through because the snow had the road blocked but everything was fine a few weeks later ... so I suggest you check before you head out for this route anytime before June or past September.

Tourism Opportunities

Not much till you get to Detroit Lake ...just beautiful scenery and great campsites. There is an annual White Water Festival about 15 miles South of Estacada and in Detroit there is an Fishing Rodeo. Also at Detroit Lake there are two hotels, two restaurants, the marina (you can rent boats but you would need to make advanced reservations during summer weekends www.detroitlakeoregon.org for area information and www.detroitlakemarina.com for boat rentals, etc.

Motorcycle Road Additional info

- View the weather forecast for this area from Yahoo weather .
 

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Big_Mike
July 27, 2020
517 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Touring
A really wonderful ride, especially on a very hot day since it's cooler up in the mountains. Road condition is a little bumpy in places but mostly smooth. 4 wheelers can be a pain as always.
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WP
October 13, 2020
38 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Sport
Rode this route on my sport bike in 2015. Just a couple of short sections of dirt near Detroit lake, but otherwise you can ride any type bike on this road. This route is for riding, lots of miles with NO SERVICES in between. Check conditions in this area as drought and wildfires occurred in the past 3 years.
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Rick Fletcher
November 3, 2020
58 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Cruiser
As of November 2020, this route is closed to all traffic at both the north and south entrances due to massive wildfire damage in September 2020. Feeling burned trees and landslides are the current hazardous. There are staffed checkpoints at the closures. The road is not expected to open before spring of 2021. I rode this route twice in the summer of 2020. I'll post an update once the road reopens.
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