Biking in Oroville

Heading East out of Oroville you'll have one of your steepest climbs to get to the Highlands.  The road winds up through the Tonasket Creek canyon before getting to the rolling meadows and forests of the Highlands.  Through the canyon section be sure to stay as far right as you can even though the vehicle traffic here is light.  A nice side trip is the 5 mile paved road to the Molson Ghost Town.

Your route is mostly down hill to Chesaw.  Here you can have lunch at the Chesaw tavern or buy munchies at one of two mercantiles.  The canyon through to and past Beth & Beaver lakes will need special attention.  But, again, the traffic is very light. There is forest service camping at both Beth and Beaver Lakes.

This is a very short section between two options for looping back to Oroville.  Light traffic.

Many who take this long section break it up with a stay in Curlew or Republic.  (Republic has three motels, Curlew... maybe something).  Plus there is camping at Curlew Lake State Park.  From Malo to Republic there is a non-paved rail-trail route.  The highway between Malo and Republic may have a bit more traffic than the county highways.  But not much more.

This is a short segment connecting two loop return options.   It is on state route 20 that an have a bit more traffic than the county roads.

Other than a few curvy sections, this segment that follows state route 20 should be easy riding. Almost all downhill in this direction, with the last couple miles into Tonasket especially steep.  

The graphic make it look steeper and sharper than all the others, but that's because it is only 17 miles long and has very little elevation changes.  NOTE:  the map follows US 97, but best to cross the river in Tonasket and go up old hwy 7.  Very light traffic.  Welcome back to Oroville.

This follows the Similkameen river as far as the Chopaka border crossing turnoff.  There are some undeveloped BLM campsites along the river.  Extremely light traffic.  A non-paved option for the first 1.3 miles is to take the Similkameen trail from the Kernan Rd. Trailhead.

Want an international experience?  Pass through the Chopaka Border Crossing.  Very light traffic until you reach Canada Hwy 3.  But it is pretty broad.with narrow but paved shoulders. Stop and see the spotted lake,  On the way south from Osoyoos you'll be on US 97.  Two miles south of the border take Westlake Rd which will return you to US 97 at the city limits.

From the Chopaka Border to turnoff back to Oroville through Loomis is one of the most popular routes.  You can get a snack at the gas station in Loomis.  There is camping at the north end of Palmer lake. 

Beautiful trip through the rolling meadows and forests of the Highlands. Might be just a bit more traffic than Chesaw road, but not much more.

After a relatively easy climb you'll have a nice bike through the forests.  Forest service campground and swimming at the south end of Bonaparte Lake. There are cabins and a favorite diner at the Bonaparte Lake Resort. Extremely light traffic.

This route will take you by the ghost town of Bodie (just a couple inaccessible buildings).  Very light traffic