Mileage: 21.4
Elevation gain: 1740
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You said you like to ride hills? Here’s another one up a big, curvy hill with stunning views of Mount Hood. I’d even venture to say that this is the best hill climb in the Gorge. Not steep enough to crush you. Steep enough to be a good workout. Good pavement. I love this hill.
Directions: Drive up Highway 35 from Hood River. Follow the signs to Parkdale. Park anywhere along the main street in Parkdale.
0.04mi – Head west on Baseline Dr toward 2nd St
0.04mi – Turn left onto Clear Creek Rd
2.75mi – Continue left onto Evans Creek Dr
3.39mi – Turn right onto Cooper Spur Rd
Climb the hill.
10.69mi – Head east on Cooper Spur Rd toward OR-35 S
10.99mi – Turn left onto OR-35 N
16.73mi – Head north on OR-35 N toward Baseline Rd
Follow Baseline Rd back to Parkdale. You will have to make a left at the 4-way stop to stay on Baseline.
One reply on “Cooper Spur from Parkdale”
ODOT recently chip-sealed part of the climb from Parkdale to Cooper Spur. I’m not sure how many miles are covered in gravel, and I didn’t want to ride it to try. The first four miles of the ride up still have good pavement, but the beginning of the steep, curvy climb is gravel. Yuck. A nice alternate is to ride up to Laurence lake instead. Only 1/4 mile of that ride is gravel, and it’s packed down already.