New for the year are a series of routes between Prospect and Butte Falls, high in the Butte Springs watershed. You’ll cross the South Fork of the Rogue River at least twice on most of the routes and there’s plenty of creeks that run year round for water filtering. The routes are filled with gentle climbs, fast and fun descents, pavement sections in tall timber and shade, beautiful scenery, and you stand a good chance at seeing wildlife like deer, turkeys, and even black bear. You’ll go right past the Lodgepole and Imnaha guard stations, which are available to rent from the Forest Service if you want to turn the ride into a glamping experience. There’s also tons of dry camping next to water sources, either in approved Forest Service sites or just along the route on whatever little spot that seems perfect to you.

This route is one of my new favorites. There’s some options to park a little further up the route to avoid a paved climb through a recent clearcut if the weather is hot. It’s a great ride to escape the heat and traffic of the Rogue Valley. There’s some roads on the route that are shared with the Whiskey Springs routes, but take out quite a few of their extended climbs. You’ll literally be thinking that there’s more downhill on this ride than there is uphills, especially if you do either medium routes. Click on over to the Lodgepole Routes page for all the details and downloadable GPS tracks and maps.