Please click here to jump to the Overview section with all tour details including pricing.

Crater Lake & The Cascades Bike Tour: Highlights

Our Crater Lake & The Cascades Oregon bike tour was designed to complement our Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park tours. Although the Crater Lake & The Cascades tours offers a bit more overall challenge than our Glacier tour, if one has ridden in Glacier the Crater Lake & The Cascades would be a good tour choice.

The Crater Lake & The Cascades covers some of the most remote and car-free terrain within the Cascade Range of southeast Oregon traveling between three national forests, visiting Crater Lake, riding through dense old growth forests and offering stunning views around every turn. This should be every cyclists bucket list tour!

In 2017 we took an intermediate to advanced-level group of long time Lizard Head Cycling riders on the Crater Lake & The Cascades tour. These clients reported that they loved the Crater Lake & The Cascades tour with a few saying it was their favorite Lizard Head Cycling tour ever. High praise!

You can doooo it! On Lizard Head Cycling tours one can customize each day’s mileage. We offer “bumps” from each aid station. These are 10 to 15 mile shuttles down the road that put cyclists out front. This is something we are well known for. Yes, we offer full sag support each day of our tours. It is not about riding ALL the miles, it is about getting out there and giving it your best.

Overall, the Crater Lake & The Cascades tour is not considered one of our most difficult tours. Yes, there are a couple of big climbs: such as up to Crater Lake and McKenzie Pass, but overall the tour is a good tour for intermediate, upper-intermediate and advanced level… this is a fantastic Crater Lake bike tour! NOTE: We can shuttle riders part way up these climbs.

Crater Lake & The Cascades Bike Tour: Testimonials

Read what previous guests on our Crater Lake & The Cascades Bike tour have been saying…

Fantastic trip, leaders, people and rides. MY FAVORITE WAS MCKENZIE PASS!!!!!!! – Sue

The trip’s been great so far. Deanne and Rashid have been terrific and the weather at Crater Lake alone made the trip a success. Never expected to snowshoe in June! – David

McKenzie Pass. One of my most favorite rides ever. Our guides, Deanne and Rashid, are very good together. The massage therapist on tour is so accommodating and she is very, very good at massages. Buddy just mentioned his massage was A+. – Louise

After riding around [Crater lake] many of us went over in the afternoon to hike down to the lake for a swim and will admit that everybody thought it was amazing with the most spectacular deep blue we’ve ever experienced. Plus the temperature was really nice. – David C.

Crater Lake & The Cascades Bike Tour: Dates

Potential tour dates are listed below and not all tour dates will run. Lock in your preferred tour date early as unopened tour dates will be closed. Please see the Winter/Spring/Autumn Tour Calendar and the Summer Tour Calendar for confirmed departures. Any unopened date can be a Custom Week (9 riders required). Please contact us via email or call 970.728.5891

To easily register for a particular tour, please click the Book Now! link after the tour date listed below. This will select the tour name and the appropriate date on the registration form.

NOTE: If the summer dates for the Crater Lake & The Cascades do not work for you, consider our Colorado Cols tour.

2025 Tour Dates

• July 20 to 26, 2025 (Book Now!) – TOUR OPENED
• July 27 to August 2, 2025 (Book Now!) – TOUR OPENED

Tour Status Notes: NO STATUS = Date Set, no riders have signed up. TOUR OPENED = Tour Opened, rider minimums not met. TOUR A GO! = Tour is Go, rider minimums met. SOLD OUT = Tour Full, rider maximums met.

Why Should you Sign-Up Now and OPEN a Tour Date?
This is the proverbial chicken and the egg conundrum! We need our cyclists to first commit to the date that works for them so that we can commit to that date.

For starters, when you OPEN a date you get to pick your preferred departure date, and there is no penalty if the tour does not run. Once you pick your tour date, Lizard Head closes nearby dates and funnels all additional riders to your chosen date until the tour meets its 6 rider minimum.

BONUS: As an added bonus, we can also hold a spot for you on another tour date of your choosing. There is no fee to switch to another tour date.

In conclusion, if you want a tour to run, we need you to sign up and not wait for others to do the same! Waiting for others may mean that a tour date takes longer or does not confirm. Just Do It! Once a few riders jump into the proverbial waters, others will follow!

NOTE: In anticipation and encouragement of future tour signups prior to reaching the tour minimum, the Lizard Head Cycling website may be updated to show TOUR A GO prior to actual tour confirmation. So, even if the website says that this tour is a go, please wait for your official Email Confirmation before booking non-refundable travel reservations.

Crater Lake & The Cascades Bike Tour: Overview

Tour Length: 7-Days Cycling/6-Nights Lodging (Includes one layover day in Bend, Oregon with an optional loop ride)

Arrival Town/Airport: Eugene, Oregon (Eugene Airport – EUG) or Portland, Oregon (Portland International Airport – PDX). Note: If arriving into Portland, you will need to take a shuttle (such as Amtrak Cascades) the day prior to the tour start to Eugene where the tour starts the following day.

Departing Town/Airport: Eugene, Oregon (Eugene Airport – EUG) or Portland, Oregon (Portland International Airport – PDX) Note: If departing from Portland, you will need to take a shuttle (such as Amtrak Cascades) back to Portland.

Total Miles: 380 Miles (Can I keep up on this tour?)

Ability Level: Upper Intermediate (3) , Advanced (3/4) , Expert (4) – Several long climbs to higher elevations and overall higher mileage days.

Tour Cost: $3,460 per person with shared accommodations. Add $600 per person to this Tour Cost for a private room each night of the tour (6-Nights).

Tour Discounts: Please see our Reptile Rewards & Tour Discounts page to learn more about Reptile Rewards, Tour Discounts, and Group Discounts. Tour discounts are not stackable with any other discounts or promotions – only the highest valued discount is provided. Please note that for discounts to apply the tour minimum must be met.

Winter Solstice Discount - For 6-Day or longer tours take $125 off the tour cost and $75 off a bike rental. Discount applies to new registrations only made before January 1, 2025. Please make sure to mention this offer when you register.
Excludes Self-Guided tours. Tour discounts are not stackable with any other discounts or promotions.

Tour Includes: 7-Days guide service, 6-Nights lodging, all meals (except 1 dinner), entrance fees, energy food, liquid refreshments, in-tour shuttles, and mechanical support. Alcoholic beverages, bike rental, and massage (if available) are additional.

Non-Riding Spouses & Partners on Tour: If a non-riding spouse or partner would like to join you on tour and they have their own transportation, they can stay in your room for the cost of the tour's single room supplement. Please note that non-riders cannot check into hotels prior to guide arrival as the guides need to manage the check-in process. Checking in a large group can be challenging and take longer than normal, so non-riders need to hang back and be patient. Non-riding spouses and partners are welcome to join the Lizard Head meal plan which includes breakfasts and dinners for $75 per day. Note: Lunches are not included for non-riders driving their own vehicles due to the inherent variability of both lunch timing and locations. It is best for non-riders to plan to explore each day.

Lodging for 6 Nights: (subject to change)

• Night 1: Steamboat Inn, Idleyld Park, Oregon
• Nights 2 & 3: Crater Lake Lodge, Crater Lake National Park
• Nights 4 & 5: McMenamins Old St. Francis School or The Oxford Hotel, Bend, Oregon
• Night 6: Belknap Hotsprings and Lodge, McKenzie Bridge, Oregon

Meeting Hotel and Ending Hotel reservations and costs are NOT included unless specified otherwise. Guests are on-their-own to make reservations at the Meeting Hotel or Ending Hotel, or other nearby hotels.

Road Bike Rentals

NOTE: The make, model, and specifications of rental bikes may differ from what is described below. Please contact us if you have any specific needs for a rental bike or have any questions about rental bikes.

Lizard Head Cycling Guides is proud to rent Scott Bikes. The Scott Addict 10 Disc was designed from the ground up with those longer days in mind. With geometry that is less focused on racing and more on enduring, the Addict 10 will be your go to when you’re looking to put the miles in.

The Scott Addict 10 Disc features: Carbon Frame and Fork, Shimano Ultegra 2x11 Drivetrain, 34x32 Compact Gearing, 30mm Tires, and Hydraulic Disc Brakes. Approx. Weight: 16.89 lbs / 7.66 kg (without pedals)

☛ Learn more about our Rental Bikes and Equipment

Road E-Bike Rentals: Click Here for more information on our Road E-Bike Rentals including pricing. Please note that E-Bikes are not available for certain tours including those that involve camping. Please contact us for more information before registering for a tour. NOTE: E-Bikes are great, but our tours are designed to be ridden without motorized assistance. We offer "bumps" along the road so that everyone can stay together.

Tandems and Recumbents: Lizard Head Cycling Guides happily accommodates both tandem and recumbent bikes on our tours.

If you have any further questions, please read more on our Rental Bikes FAQ page. You can also email us at info@lizardheadcyclingguides.com or call us at 970.728.5891

Meals On Tour

Lizard Head Cycling Guides provides most meals on all tours (unless otherwise noted) including breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Guides will prepare a daily lunch en route for nearly every tour, both road and off-road, as well as provide nutritious snacks at periodic aid stations during the day.

Most of our road tours utilize local restaurants for all meals and occasionally guides may prepare a dinner or two during a tour. Due to the nature of being "off the grid", most of our off-road tours feature guide prepared meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. FUN NOTE: When guides prepare a meal in camp and the guests sit around and watch, this is called "Guide TV".

We also pride ourselves on being able to cater to specific dietary requests and needs, so rest assured that you will be able to get the nutrition that works best for you during your tour. Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan, or a someone who loves it all – we will keep you well fed during the tour!

Lunches: Lizard Head Cycling Guides prepares healthy lunches to keep you going. We will serve you fresh organic fruits and veggies, salads, hummus, sandwich fixings, nuts, gourmet cheeses and, of course, plenty of salty/sweet snacks such as chips and cookies.

Dinners: On our road tours, Lizard Head Cycling sources our favorite restaurants in each town that we visit. Our guides focus on establishments that offer fresh and local ingredients and guests choose whatever they desire to eat off the menu including: appetizer, salad, entrée, and of course, dessert... yum! Also, while on tour if a guest wants to dine early before the group and go to bed, this is fine. We understand that on some days sleep is the most important post-ride element.

Overall Route Map

Below is an example of the daily routes for this tour and are subject to change based on season, available accommodations, road closures, and other factors. The actual routes will be made available to registered participants before their tour, so please view these routes as a general outline as to what to expect.

Crater Lake & The Cascades Bike Tour: Itinerary*

*PLEASE NOTE: Tour itineraries are subject to change and modification based on the group, available accommodations, road construction, road closures, and other unforeseen circumstances including weather, wildfires, flooding, hurricanes, landslides and/or other acts of nature. Also, the distances and elevation profiles shown below may not reflect the actual distances and elevations while on tour as these are provided here to give an idea as to the anticipated mileage and terrain. Please view this itinerary, the distances, and elevation profiles as a general outline as to what to expect while on this tour.

Day 1: Cottage Grove to Steamboat Inn
50 miles with up to 4,120 feet of climbing

Following a short shuttle from Eugene, Oregon, we tackle the first day starting from Cottage Grove, Oregon soon finding ourselves deep in the dense Oregon forest. About halfway into our ride, we hit our first big climb of the tour up a Category 1 hill with an average grade of 10% and then enjoy a rapid descent to our accommodations at the Steamboat Inn.

Day 2: Steamboat Inn to Crater Lake
63 miles with up to 7,940 feet of climbing

Today offers a deceptively challenging ride as we gradually attain an elevation gain of nearly 8,000′ over the course of the day until we reach the indescribable beauty of Crater Lake. We then ride around the western rim of Crater Lake stopping to enjoy the views along the way and then end the ride at Crater Lake Lodge.

Day 3: Layover – Crater Lake Loop
33 miles with up to 4,020 feet of climbing

Today is the day to take in the entire splendor of Crater Lake with a casual loop ride around this magnificent natural wonder. We ride in the morning and then take an afternoon water cruise to Wizard Island.

Day 4: Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway
69 miles with up to 3,450 feet of climbing

Today is all about the beauty of the Cascades as we ride along the gorgeous Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway with magnificent views of it’s many lakes and stunning views of Mt. Bachelor. We finish in Bend, Oregon and check into our quirky accommodations at McMenamins Old St. Francis School, our home for the next two nights.

Day 5: Layover – Twin Bridges Scenic Bikeway
35 miles with up to 1,615 feet of climbing

After four days of challenging riding, today is a perfect day to give the legs a well deserved rest as you explore the town of Bend and simply relax. There will be an optional on-your-own 35 mile Twin Bridges Scenic Bikeway ride for those looking to keep on pedaling.

Day 6: McKenzie Pass
Standard: 38 miles with up to 2,325 feet of climbing
E.F.I.: 58 miles with up to 3,565 feet of climbing

Departing from Bend, the morning offers an easy 20 mile ride to Sisters, Oregon from where we ride up to McKenzie Pass and amaze in it’s otherworldly volcanic beauty. Those looking for a shorted distance can shuttle to Sisters. We then enjoy a 23 mile descent to end the day at Belknap Hotsprings and Lodge to take a well deserved dip in the refreshing warm waters.

Day 7: Aufderheide Scenic Highway
68 miles with up to 3,630 feet of climbing

Saving the best for last, our final day starts from Belknap Hotsprings to the start of the Aufderheide Scenic Highway where we meander deep into the old growth forest riding along perhaps the best kept secret in all of Oregon. We end in Westfir, Oregon and then shuttle back to the starting town to end our tour.

Crater Lake & The Cascades Bike Tour: Logistics & FAQs

General Tour & Cancellation Policies

Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with all of our tour and cancellation policies, which can be found by clicking here.

Travel Insurance

If you have not already, now would be a great time to consider adding travel insurance to your tour. You are welcome to use any travel insurance company you would like. We recommend Generali/Trip Mate.

American Guests - use this link: http://www.generalitravelinsurance.com/get-a-quote.html?partner=LIZA0855

• The Premium Plan is the only plan which offers Pre-Existing coverage so long as the plan is purchased prior to Final Payment.
• The Premium Plan is the only plan that offers an optional Cancel For Any Reason - the policy must be purchased within 24 hours of initial trip deposit, the full trip cost must be insured, and if they cancel for Any Reason, it must be 48 hours prior to departure, and the reimbursement for an Any Reason claim is 60% of pre-paid, insured, non-refundable trip cost.
• Customer Service can be reached at 1-800-874-2442 for coverage questions and policy modifications or to purchase by phone. Agency Code: LIZA0855

Canadian Guests - use this link: https://tripmate.catravelins.ca/?utm_source=lizardhead