Bear Creeks Gravel Loop

This route just north of Brothers looks nothing like Brothers. It passes through rolling hills, ranch lands, abandoned premises, and some painted hills. There is some history behind it in that Meek’s Lost Wagon Train went through this area in 1845 (http://oregonhistorictrailsfund.org/trails/meek-cutoff-1845/).

…Cooley’s group of wagons went a different route than the others of the Tetherow group after reaching Little Bear Creek. On reaching the site of the Coffelt Barn, instead of going up Little Bear Creek past Sheep Rock, he turned down Little Bear Creek to Bear Creek and then again hit the Tetherow group trail near the Dunham Ranch. Cooley mentions returning to the same creek they had been on a few days earlier …

…single nugget was eventually recognized as gold, another version holds that when the Stephen Meek Wagon train stopped along the trail in present-day Crook County near Bear Creek, children went to gather water at some distance from the camp. They returned with a bucket filled with shiny pebbles…

Last year's photos: https://cowheelers.wildapricot.org/Photo-Gallery/85657141?own=true#photo

It takes almost an hour to drive from Bend to the start of the ride. This ride is all gravel without any services or water along the way. There is some climbing including a double-digit grade - please come prepared for this wonderfully rewarding adventure!

Call Ben at 541.420.6246 if you have questions.

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