The Whiskey Springs Honey Badgers start and finish just out side the entrance to the Whiskey Springs campground, located 8 miles north of Highway 140, just off of county road 821. There’s plenty of parking alongside the road, but make certain you’re not sittign out in the road. The rides sit on the western flank of Mt. McLaughlin, in the Big Springs watershed, which supplies much of the Rogue Valley with it’s drinking water. It’s an area with abundant streams and creeks that run year round, allowing a person the chance to have cool fresh water on their ride if you pack a small filter. The grades are fairly gentle and much of the route has shade, so this has become one of my favorite rides during summer wen the valley is in triple digit conditions.

The shortest of the Whiskey Spring Honey Badger routes is the refinement and distillation of the basic route that started me down the path of exploring this area. While its the shortest of the three route options, it covers much of the same terrain and scenery of the two longer loops.

The medium length option is the Goldilocks of the Whiskey Spring Honey Badger routes. This route is the just right for covering a huge expanse of terrain without going too far into the hurt locker. It’s the usual route choice for me when I ride here. If people are on the fence between the short route and this one, I recommend this one if you’re up for it. This loop drops you down to the South Fork of the Rogue River and really maximizes the amount of smiles per mile.

The long Whiskey Spring Honey Badger route is the full pour, three fingers of whiskey option. When you want maximum flavor and effect, this is the route to choose. It covers a huge amount of territory ranging from just north of Hwy 140 and going al the way to just south of Hwy 62 and then looping back, all in the shadow of Mt. McLaughlin.

The ride is mostly on gravel with some cinder and dirt thrown into the mix. There is some pavement, but not enough to make a person want to bring a road bike with fatter tires. A mountain bike would be overkill as the gravel is generally fairly smooth. 36-40c tires are the cat’s pajamas. Later on in the fall, it becomes a popular spot for hunters, so there is a slight increase in vehicles in the woods and folks out utilizing dispersed camp sites. I’ve never had any issues with folks and most of them are friendly and respectful.

Ride With GPS Links

Whiskey Springs Honey Badger Short

Whiskey Springs Honey Badger Medium

Whiskey Springs Honey Badger Long

Length

Whiskey Springs Honey Badger Short 23.6 Miles

Whiskey Springs Honey Badger Medium 41.1 Miles

Whiskey Springs Honey Badger Long 60.8 Miles

Altitude

Whiskey Springs Honey Badger Short 2403ft

Whiskey Springs Honey Badger Medium 4139ft

Whiskey Springs Honey Badger Long 5412ft