A pro’s guide to Bend gravel: Routes for every rider
May 15, 2026
6 minute readIf you read the magazines and websites, you know that the McKenzie River Trail (McKRT) about 50 miles northwest of Bend gets lots of accolades—some even say it’s the “Best Mountain Bike Trail” in the United States. That said, it doesn’t do it for me. When people reach out to ask if they should hit the 20-mile-long route, I often say no. Why? Because there are other spectacular trails nearby that see fewer people.
Here are my personal favorites:
- King Castle Trail: Intermediate — Flow, tech, steeps…it literally has it all
- Crescent Mountain North: Difficult — Crescent flow, but steep and exposed
- Crescent Mountain South: Difficult — Crescent tech, with sneaky switchbacks
- Pyramid trails, Extremely Difficult — Hike-a-bike up, maybe down, too!
- Tombstone to House Rock, Intermediate — The perfect shuttle run for the whole family
Mountain Bike the King Castle Trail
Roughly five miles past the end of the McKRT, in the small community of Rainbow, is the spectacularly fun King Castle Trail. This intermediate (blue) trail drops more than 1,600 feet over 4 miles. If you can confidently ride Bend favorites like Tiddlywinks and Tyler’s, King Castle will be a good, faster, next step.
You can ride King Castle both up and down, so expect to encounter other mountain bikers, though a lot of the trail offers good sight lines with few surprisingly sharp corners. You can shuttle (or ride) up O’Leary Road, a forest road that climbs close to the summit of Castle Rock. That’ll add roughly two more miles as the trail twists and turns along the contours of steep, mountainous terrain.
Climbing King Castle is relatively straightforward with a gradual climb punctuated by only a few steep and punchy sections. Be on the lookout for some very tricky spots where a fall could be dire—best to walk those if you’re nervous.
Most people will begin their descent where the O’Leary Road intersects King Castle. For the whole experience, cross the road and pedal up an additional three-quarters of a mile. On the way down you’ll find fast, flowy sections as well as rough and chunky stretches. The exposure will keep you on your toes.
All in all, King is a rollicking intermediate descent, with technical sections formed by roots, something we don’t experience much of in Bend. One short climb is pretty much all pedaling you’ll do on the entire descent—perfect!
Trails on Crescent Mountain
On the opposite end of the McKRT, around five miles from its beginning, is Crescent Mountain with two must-ride trails on either side of the mountain: Crescent Mountain North and Crescent Mountain South. Both are under-used gems with some of the best descents in the area—you’ll find nothing this steep in Bend. Be sure you can ride Farewell and South Fork trails in Bend confidently before tackling them.
These advanced (black) trails are also multi-directional with no alternative way to climb, so expect two-way traffic. The South Trail covers about 4.2 miles and features over 2,000 feet of elevation change. The climb is a long and somewhat steep grind with sharp switchbacks and technical root sections. Remember them on your way down.
Crescent Mountain North is roughly half a mile shorter with about 1,700 feet of elevation change. The climbing includes some steeper, punchy sections and a handful of sharp switchbacks. Both the South Trail and the North Trail are out-and-back rides.
And while it can be a bit of a slog to get to the top of either of them, the miles of uninterrupted descending are well worth it. Both trails are fast, off-camber, and contain several rocky and rooty sections, significantly adding to the technicality that will test your bike’s suspension. Some roots and rocks serve as launching pads to clear entire tech sections.
Want a massive day? Ride both. Start on either the North or South trail, climb one side and then descend the other, before turning around and repeating the process. This makes for a 15-mile day and nearly 4,000 feet of climbing — all on black diamond trails.
Ride Hard; Be Nice
Every time you ride you become an ambassador for the mountain biking community. Most Central Oregon trails are open to hikers, runners, horses, and bikers, so showing good etiquette reduces conflicts.
If you see:
- A horse: Stop, say hi (speaking lets the horse know you’re human), and ask if you should dismount.
- A hiker/runner: Yield, say hi. Most people on foot will gladly step aside to let a bike pass but let them grant you that favor.
- A biker coming uphill: Yield. Some uphill riders are happy to take a break and let downhill riders continue but let them make that choice. Riding early in the morning and mid-week brings solitude that lets you shred in peace.
Honorable Mentions for Mountain Biking near Bend
- Pyramid trails — one black and one double-black — near Crescent Mountain North: Massive climbs, fast descents, not for the faint of heart.
- Browder Ridge, Gate Creek, and Tombstone to House Rock trails: all are west of Crescent Mountain South. Tombstone to House Rock drops nearly 3,000 feet in about 7 miles.
- Olallie and O’Leary Mountain: Next to King Castle, intermediate and advanced, respectively. Ten miles each with thousands of feet of elevation change.
Still want to ride the McKenzie River Trail?
Curving around lakes and along the McKenzie River, the McKRT truly has some of the most spectacular views of any trail in Oregon: mossy forest, thundering waterfalls, and tumbling rapids. Cog Wild runs shuttles from Bend that make the logistics easy.
The area’s beauty makes some sections of the McKRT popular with hikers. While mountain bike traffic now routes around the popular Tamolitch Blue Pool, you’ll still have to yield frequently to people on foot.
Don’t expect a proper elevation drop. With about 2,300 feet over roughly 25 miles, the McKRT lacks the fast descents that many like me seek. Consider it more of a cross-country epic than a proper descending trail. To each their own!
