Just came back from a week at East Fort Rock in Oregon. We had a fantastic time!. Got there on Monday and we got a nice heavy rain Monday night so dust was non existent and traction was awesome. Weather the rest of the week was sunny and temps in the high 60s low 70s.We camped at road 25 staging area and we were the only ones there all week. We love this place. It provides us with beautiful scenery, great trails that are fast, fun, and not too gnarly for the wife. Campfire ban had just been lifted so a nice fire with an amazing full moon was a perfect way to finish our day. It is our favourite place on Earth.

It's a wonderful area, even better if you had rain. The dust there can be some of the thickest I've ever ridden through. We camped at China Hat but the water there was polluted with E.Coli so I was glad I had a 150 gallons. I think they've just given up on fixing the water there. Did you make it up to the observatory?

Post some pics. Like to see what that area looks like

Been there about 4 times. Really set up nice. The China Hat campground in July was very buggy! The water issue is not e coli but rather the gen. system not working. We always went during the week so really cant say anything about w/ends.

I haven't taken any pics there but there are a few videos on Youtube, search China Hat.It is high desert country. Big pine trees and open desert at the north end, more trees and some lava flows in the south end. Usually hot and dusty in July and August. Sept. is much better for temps. Always dusty, bring spare air filters. Can't really say it gets busy because the area is huge and has over 320 miles of trails for quads and bikes plus many miles of roads for SxS and jeeps, so the trails are always quiet.Really cool thing happened. I was sitting in the lawn chair as a bluebird flew by just off the ground about ten ft from me. All of a sudden out of the corner of my eye this hawk screams past and knocks the bluebird out of the air, grabs it and flies away with dinner. Very Cool!

Here are a few trips from my 2006 trip. I'll second the spare air filter, as well as face masks for the riders. Make sure you bring along tire patch kit, compression strap and air pump. I managed to hit my tire on a side log and broke the bead, glad I had the compression strap and air pump as well as some other riders.

Just had a great week at East Fort Rock | Good Sam Community

katoomer
Explorer
Sep 25, 2013
I was telling my wife when I win the lotto I will buy a trail groomer and will groom trails there
for something to keep busy with.
DB_Cooper
Explorer
Sep 25, 2013
katoomer wrote:
MyKidsDad wrote:
We stayed at the South Lava Trailhead and nearly had the place to ourselves. In June we found it too dusty and too rocky for group rides with young children; is the northern part of the area better riding?

The northern areas are still dusty but a have very few rocky areas, mostly sand. We deal with the dust by having the kids count to 20 before leaving after the rider before them. The north end is more open and trails are not as tight and twisty.
Typically in the early spring the northern areas start to get dusty while the southern areas are still covered in ice. Fall is the ideal time to go but can get seriously cold at night. The area is 4400-6400 ft above sea level. On a good day, there is still nothing like it. When I win the lottery I'm going quite my job and home school my kids at EFR.
katoomer
Explorer
Sep 25, 2013
MyKidsDad wrote:
We stayed at the South Lava Trailhead and nearly had the place to ourselves. In June we found it too dusty and too rocky for group rides with young children; is the northern part of the area better riding?

The northern areas are still dusty but a have very few rocky areas, mostly sand. We deal with the dust by having the kids count to 20 before leaving after the rider before them. The north end is more open and trails are not as tight and twisty.
MyKidsDad
Explorer
Sep 25, 2013
We stayed at the South Lava Trailhead and nearly had the place to ourselves. In June we found it too dusty and too rocky for group rides with young children; is the northern part of the area better riding?
mapguy
Explorer
Sep 24, 2013
DB Cooper wrote:
EFR is really getting popular. Week days are the best time to go. I haven't had a head on but have had a lot of close calls. I avoid holiday weekends and try to steer clear of trails near staging areas. There is nothing better when the soils is damp.

Yes, you can rail when the crowds are low and the soil is damp....

We like to go early in the season. Can't always get to the ice caves from the northern staging areas....

This was the last trip down well before Memorial Day.... there about 10 rigs at Rd 25 staging area and a few here and there. Our group had 5 camp rigs and about 15 people.

Same spot same day later when sun came out:
DB_Cooper
Explorer
Sep 24, 2013
EFR is really getting popular. Week days are the best time to go. I haven't had a head on but have had a lot of close calls. I avoid holiday weekends and try to steer clear of trails near staging areas. There is nothing better when the soils is damp.
katoomer
Explorer
Sep 24, 2013
mapguy wrote:
EFR is a great place for a early or late season m/c group ride as the difficulty level is moderate to low for an experienced rider, but manageable and fun for less skilled/beginning riders doing long confidence building loops. Only way a very skilled m/c rider will feel much of a challenge is by high speeds. It is a very busy place on holiday weekends.

That is one of the reasons we like it so much. I can take my wife on her quad, with my 13 yr. old daughter on the back and my 10 yr. old son on his bike and we can ride all week as a family without getting them into situations they are not comfortable with. In the northern section we can ride quite fast and not have to worry about unexpected obstacles.
It is a great family place. I get my challenges riding with my buddies closer to home.
Y-Guy
Moderator
Sep 24, 2013
Good point mapguy, and speed there can be risky since many of the trails are loose pumice or dry dirt (dust).
mapguy
Explorer
Sep 24, 2013
EFR is a great place for a early or late season m/c group ride as the difficulty level is moderate to low for an experienced rider, but manageable and fun for less skilled/beginning riders doing long confidence building loops. Only way a very skilled m/c rider will feel much of a challenge is by high speeds. It is a very busy place on holiday weekends.
Y-Guy
Moderator
Sep 23, 2013
Here are a few trips from my 2006 trip. I'll second the spare air filter, as well as face masks for the riders. Make sure you bring along tire patch kit, compression strap and air pump. I managed to hit my tire on a side log and broke the bead, glad I had the compression strap and air pump as well as some other riders.