Total Distance: 42 miles
Climbing: 2865
Starting Point: BZ, Washington. Park at the launch site for the White Salmon.
There are some rides that are must-do rides, and this is one of them. You’ll have gorgeous views of Mt. Adams, the chance to see some wildlife at the Conboy National Wildlife Refuge, and some nice pavement with a great downhill. In addition, you’ll hardly seen any cars on the BZ-Glenwood and Glenwood-Trout Lake segment, and even the Trout Lake-BZ segment isn’t too heavily traveled.
Cross the Hood River bridge. Take a left. Go a couple of miles and take a right up the Alt. 141 towards Trout Lake. Drive a dozen miles or so to BZ. Park in BZ, at the park on the right, just past a gas station on the left.
You can ride this route either clockwise or counterclockwise, but I’m going to suggest you do the former. If you ride it the way I like it, you’ll have a beautiful descent to end the ride, and you won’t risk a nasty headwind through the center portion of the ride. Trust me. Clockwise.
The ride starts out rather “meh”, as you follow Highway 141 north for 8 miles. But once you take a right on Sunnyside Road, the fun begins, as you cruise past beautiful farms, cows, and great views of Mt. Adams.
Your biggest climb of the ride, around 700′, starts around mile 11, just after you make the turn onto the Trout Lake Highway. Once this is out of the way, the ride is gravy. Rolling hills through pine forests give way to miles of flat or slightly downhill pavement into the town of Glenwood. Stop for a drink or a bite at one of the three options in town before taking a right on the BZ-Glenwood Highway and heading for home.
As you pedal the mostly-flat BZ-Glenwood Highway, you’ll go past Conboy National Wildlife Refuge. You’ll see lots of birds, deer, and amazing views of Mt. Adams and old barns. Bring your camera for this stretch. Around mile 33, you’ll do a last series of short climbs, which bring you to the top of a fantastic descent into the farms above BZ. A few miles of flat pavement give way to a curvy, fabulous descent that leaves you at your car with a big smile on your face.
If you’re hot and sweaty, drive down to Husum and jump off the bridge by the fire hall (not the bridge at Husum Falls – the OTHER bridge) on the right side of the road near Wet Planet to cool off. The White Salmon is approximately 43 degrees, cold enough to cool off even the hottest cyclist.
Enjoy the ride!
0.0mi – Head north on WA-141
8.12mi – Take a right on Sunnyside Rd
Stay on Sunnyside Road as it winds through the farms.
10.95mi Turn right onto Trout Lake Hwy
Go a long ways through pine forests until you reach the town of Glenwood
22.4mi Turn right onto BZ-Glenwood Hwy
28.29mi – Take a right to stay on B Z Glenwood Hwy
Follow the BZ-Glenwood Hwy back to your car in BZ
3 replies on “BZ-Glenwood Loop”
Susan, the next day it’s a little cloudy, come ride the State Road – 7 Mile – Rowena Crest loop with me. The Gorge is the best (gym) ever! =)
As my first long ride in, the gorge the BZ-Glenwood loop set the bar pretty high. I enjoyed heading up the BZ Glenwood highway first reaching the view of Mt. Adams after a satisfactory climb. I felt like Adams was pulling me up, only to swing around and have Mt. Hood take me home. The views were just incredible and traffic surprisingly minimal. I love my backyard.
Saturdays are usually run to the dump day for many residents of this area so better on a weekday or a Sunday. I like it better to start going up the main highway, 141. Spend some $ in the store in Glennwood. If some in the group want a shorter ride, have them come a bit later and meet them at the Troutlake School. I think mid July is when you get pelted with grasshoppers up in Glennwood. It is a great ride!