This is CANYON CARVIN’ at its best, after all Hells Canyon is the deepest canyon in North America. Everyone should do this ride at least once, if not once a year! The last 22 miles or so is the ‘Devil’s Tail’ and is officially know as Hells Canyon Dam Road. It dead ends at the visitor center, below the Seven Devil’s Mountains, just past the dam so you’ll have to ride it twice! The Devil’s Tail traces every curve of the Snake River so I guarantee you won’t be disappointed. Riders have been seen going over the edge so be careful….
Total distance for this round trip is 184 miles. Be sure and stop at Scotty’s for gas and whatever, this is a great place for people watching. As you leave Baker City you will pass the Oregon Trail Interpretative Center on Hwy 86. This is a beautiful exhibit with EVERYTHING you will ever need to know about the Oregon Trail. Soon you will be following the Powder River to Richland. This is a really fine m/c road with good pavement, views and corners. Halfway is next and then Scotty’s at Pine Creek. Now you are almost to the famous Devil’s Tail. This road was built for the construction of the Hells Canyon Dam in the 60′s and is a private road maintained by Idaho Power. Last year they were nice enough to sweep the entire road the week before the rally. If you see any Idaho Power workers, be sure and thank them! When you reach the dam – KEEP GOING. Many people have stopped on the dam, but the Visitor Center is across the dam and one mile north. This is where you can take a break or catch the jetboats or just watch all of the commotion. Steve Tutsei, a retired Florida business man who has lived in Hells Canyon for 17 years sums it up best. “We don’t call it the middle of nowhere, we call it paradise. if you’ve got a month, I can explain that to you.”
I rode from Kent WA to Hells Canyon Labor Day Weekend 07 on my 01 Sportster with 3 other bikes. What a beautiful breathtaking run. We rode 495 miles the first day and stayed at the Frontier Motel & RV Park in Cambridge, ID. Cute little place with an asphalt parking lot with clean comfortable rooms and a nice pool.
The only thing I found lacking was the premium gas we needed when we got came out of the canyon. The store (Scotty’s) that we stopped at did not carry premium fuel as they once did. This little gas station/store is on the Hells Canyon Run route too so I was caught off guard. I fortunately was able to score the last bottle of octane booster. So the next time one goes on a long ride like this…. one may want to take along some octane booster just in case they need it! That is a long way from home for me.
Great ride beware of the tar snake in the warmer months!
I regularly take the trip from Cambridge, ID, following 71 to Brownlee Dam and resevoir then take 86 to Baker City, OR. A great trip with stop for lunch in Halfway. A stop at the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center is a must before taking the final few miles to Baker City. Then take highway 7 through the Sumpter Valley until it connects with 26 which will take you to John Day, Oregon. An absolutley beautiful ride!! I am looking forward to taking in the Hell’s Canyon Motorcycle Rally this year and do the ride to Hell’s Canyon!!
All of these rides sound great but unfortunatly I only have enough time for one good one on Saturday. Maybe a shortie before heading home on Sunday. This one with the canyon carving sounds great. Any opinions about which is the “Must do”?
Well, if you can only do one the the Devil’s Tail is it. You get the canyon, the dam, the Powder River, great roads and super scenery all rolled into one! Enjoy………
Thanks, Steve. Sounds like a great ride. I wonder how it compares to the Tail of the Dragon on the TN/NC state line? I did that one a few years back.
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