Eugene to Crest: Bunchgrass Ridge Tr3559
Twitter Search
#EugeneCrestTrail
Overall: 10
Aerobic: 8
Technical: 7
Steepness: 8
Flow: 7
Singletrack: 100%
As with Alpine Tr3450, there are few non-epic ways to ride the Oakridge Oregon Bunchgrass Ridge Trail section of the Eugene to Pacific Crest trail.
Type
OAB
Length
Avg: 33mi
Ascent
Intense
Elevation Change
TH:3520'
Avg Ascent:9400'
Ascent Incline
15%
Duration
Avg: 8hr
Weather
Forecast
NOAA
popup
USFS
Formerly labeled Trail #1575, Bunchgrass Ridge is now #3559 as part of the Eugene to Crest Trail system.
This 25mi (9000' ascent) ridgeline trail connects Oakridge to Waldo Lake...like how US101 connects Astoria to Gold Beach.
Rather than starting an OAB ride from Salmon Creek, using FR5871 (8.5mi from the Salmon Creek TH) as the TH eliminates the tough Aubrey Mtn Tr3554 climb.
FR5871 is also a popular shuttle point for those seeking a short, Aubrey Mtn. downhill ride.
Moderate OAB option: The mid point (18.7mi) of the ride can be accessed from FR2408, involving a long, winding backcountry drive.
A 21mi (5700' all-ridgeline ascent) FR2408 Bunchgrass Ridge Tr3559 OAB eliminates all of the sustained ascent, so would be a better fit for intermediate riders.
Many prefer to shuttle Bunchgrass Ridge Tr3559, if for no other reason than to cut the length down to something more human/humane.
FR5883 and some doubletrack fireroads access the eastern TH, with a long drive to the TH.
The Fuji Mt Tr3674 TH is more easily accessed and connects to Bunchgrass Tr3559 via FR5883, for a 33.7mi (6600' ascent) shuttle ride back to Oakridge.
Although open to biking, Verdun Tr3686 and Devils Garden Tr3665 are short, steep and somewhat remote. They also may not have had recent maintenance, so check conditions prior to attempting these trails. Devils Garden Tr3665 trailhead is on a rocky knob above the railroad tunnel. The trail follows a route up the drainage, with a switchback ascent to Devils Garden Meadow.
Diamond Creek Falls Tr3598 is open to biking but is also easily accessible to hikers so may be too crowded to use on busy summer weekends. It also serves as a Salt Creek Snopark XC Ski route.
Directions: See Map. SR58 from Oakridge to FR5871, then go 4.2mi to TH. View Larger Map. No Map?.
OAB Directions
got gps?
FR5871-Bunchgrass OAB
- TH: Ascend from the intersection, around Squaw Butte. Descend to the small lake at 5mi, then climb as much of the 1.5mi, 17% grade Little Bunchgrass ascent, passing several singletrack connectors to FR2408 near the 6.9mi ridgeline summit. The remainder of the ride is along the ridgeline, with brief ascents and descents.
- 10.5mi: After some moderate, rolling ascent, climb 600' to the ride summit at 11.2mi, then descend to a 4-way intersection at 12.6mi, with a singletrack connector to FR378.
- 14.9mi: After a moderate ascent and descent, cross FR379, then ascend to High Divide Tr3572 at 16.9mi.
- Option: ride High Divide Tr3572 to the wilderness boundary, over 1.5mi of relatively flat terrain before the Fuji Mountain ridgeline ascent. Ride back to the TH.
Fuji-Bunchgrass Shuttle
- TH: From the Gold Lake campground or the Fuji Mt TH, ascend steeply for 1.7mi, then more gradually, passing Birthday Lake, Verde Lake and some smaller lakes, to the 3.8mi South Waldo Tr3586 intersection. After reaching the ride summit at 4.5mi, descend to an intersection with the FR5883 connector at 4.9mi, then go left and ride to FR5883. Go right onto FR381 at 7.4mi and ascend to the Bunchgrass Ridge Tr3559 TH at 8.3mi, then pass the High Divide Tr3572 intersection.
- 10.3mi: Moderate descent to the FR379 intersection, followed by a moderate climb and descent to a singletrack intersection (which accesses FR378) at 12.8mi. Steady ascent to a summit at 14mi, followed by a 1.5mi switchback descent.
- 18.3mi: Near the Little Bunchgrass summit, pass a FR2408 singletrack connector on the right, steeply descend off the ridgeline (1.5mi, 17% grade) alongside FR2408, then pass another connector at 18.9mi. Another mile of corkscrewing switchbacks then pass a connector trail on the left at 19.9mi, then pass a small lake at 20.2mi, as the trail moderately traverses the ridgeline to Squaw Butte. No need to ride on any of the doubletrack in this area.
- 24mi: Ride around Squaw Butte, leaving Bunchgrass Ridge, then cross FR5871 at 25.3mi. Cross Pepper Creek at 25.7mi, followed by a moderate Heckletooth Mountain ascent.
- 27mi: Switchback descent from the Heckletooth Mountain summit, then pass the Aubrey Mountain Tr3554 intersection on the right at 28.9mi. Descend to the TH by the landing strip, with some steep switchbacks along the way. Go left at the landing strip road and descend past the railroad tracks, to Co. Rd. 6170 (Fish Hatchery Rd).
Trail Index
This Ride
Bunch Grass Trail 3559, Fuji Mountain Trail 3674, Verdun Trail 3686
Oakridge Area
Alpine Trail 3450, Aubrey Mountain Trail 3554, Box Canyon Trail 3660, Chucksney Mountain Trail 3306, Cloverpatch Trail 3457, Deception Butte Trail 3466, Eagles Rest Trail 3461, Eugene to Pacific Crest Trail 3559, Eula Ridge Trail 3463, Goodman Creek Trail 3461.1, Grasshopper Mountain Trail 3569, Grasshopper Spur Trail 3314, Hardesty Trail 3469, Hardesty Way Trail 1402, Larison Creek Trail 3646, Larison Rock Trail 3607, Lawler Trail 3473, Lone Wolf-Patterson Mountain Trail 3470, Lost Creek Trail 3462, McBee Trail 3523, Middle Fork Willamette Trail 3609, Mount June Trail 1400, Salmon Creek Trail 4233, Sawtooth Trail 1401, South Willamette Trail 3465, Tire Mountain Trail 3485, Winberry Divide Trail 3476
Waldo Lake Area
Waldo Lake Wilderness Hiking
XC Ski
Diamond Creek Falls Trail 3598, Fuji Creek Trail 4371, Gold Lake Snopark, Maiden Lake Trail 41, Marilyn Lakes Trail 3689, Salt Creek Falls Snopark, Waldo Lake Snopark
Campgrounds
Blue Pool Campground, Gold Lake Campground, Islet Point Campground, North Waldo Campground, Salmon Creek Falls Campground, Shadow Bay Campground
Trail Rankings
Ranking consistently applied to all of the listed trails.
- Overall Rating: Ride quality and challenge
- Aerobic: Ascent challenge
- Technical Difficulty: Terrain challenge
- Steepness: Average incline
- Flow: Uninterrupted riding
- Elevation Change: Total elevation gain
- Ride Difficulty: Terrain challenge
