Below are route descriptions and maps for the most popular local road rides. 

East side rides-East of The Dalles are rolling wheat fields and sage prairies with lightly traveled roads many of which follow drainages from Mount Hood to the Deschutes and ColumbiaRivers. Lying in a prominent rain shadow, these roads stay relatively dry year-round. Locally, areas receive less than 10 inches of annual precipitation, yielding a true desert environment.  

Road riding is great here, with several loops close to town for shorter jaunts, and many interconnected roads making for longer loops that vary with ones imagination. Eight Mile Road provides access to two of the shorter loops and continues past Highway 197 until turning to gravel 20 miles from town, resulting in a relatively flat, 40 mile round-trip. By jogging off of Emerson Loop Road onto Ward Road, and then riding a ca. one mile section of Highway 197 to Boyd Loop, it is easy to get to Dufur and other roads further south, including Tygh Valley and Maupin. All of these areas offer spectacular riding, and many rides on the order of 70-100⁺ miles are possible.

Central area rides-Rides close to The Dalles city center include several relatively easy routes, such as the Riverfront Trail, Mill Creek out-and-back, and the Cherry Heights Loop, and numerous other paved roads that turn to gravel after several miles. All of these roads have views of the Columbia River Gorge and most travel through scenic orchards and vineyards. Richly-hued scenes attend the spring blossom and fall leaf-turning seasons.  

West side rides-Roads to the west of The Dalles include the beautiful Historic Columbia River Highway and Seven Mile Hill/State Road, both of which go to Mosier. From Mosier, the Mark O. Hatfield State Park includes a newly re-paved section of the historic highway which is now closed to vehicle traffic, offering a safe, scenic route to Hood River. In Hood River, many roads lead through the lower, middle, and upper Hood River Valley areas and several paved roads lead to alpine terrain, including Cooper Spur Ski area and Lost Lake.

Other Gorge areas-It is possible to ride moderate to long loops in the Lyle, Klickitat, Goldendale, and Centerville areas. Rolling sage and wheat fields dot the prairies and the untamed Klickitat River has abundant wildlife, including many bald eagles, particularly in fall and winter.  

Trout Lake is rapidly becoming an area known for its spectacular summer and fall rides. Many roads have smooth pavement, little traffic and spectacular views of Mount Adams, Hood, and St. Helens and routes from 10 to more than 100 miles are possible. The Trout Lake valley and its surrounding roads are generally cooler than other areas of the gorge, making them a welcome respite during the hot days of summer.  

To the east, areas surrounding Maupin, Fossil, Condon, and Heppner all offer little-traveled, scenic routes that follow the undulating terrain of the John Day and Deschutes Rivers.

Area	Route	Map
East	Eight and Fifteen Mile Creek Roads, Short Loop
East	Eight and Fifteen Mile Creek Roads, Long Loop
Central	Cherry Heights Loop
Central	Mill Creek Out & Back
Central	Riverfront Trail
West	Mosier Loop
West	The Dalles-Hood River