Mileage: Approximately 21.4
Climbing: Approximately 1620 feet
Sure, it seems silly to drive a long way for a short ride like this one, but sometimes you just have to get away. The 66 Road is 5-star pavement that winds through old- and second-growth moss-covered forest. There aren’t many cars, and there’s plenty of shade. Plus, there’s a killer (ice-cold) swimming hole on the Little White Salmon river, just down Willard Road from the start of the 66 Road.
So, leave Hood River. Cross the Bridge. Take a left. Take a right on Cook-Underwood Road. Follow the signs to Willard (population 43). Go about 1.5 miles past “town” and park at the bottom of the 66 road. Ride up 10.7 miles of flats interspersed with short, steep hills, past the lava beds, until the pavement ends. Enjoy the downhill… it’s epic.