# Road and Gravel Rides from Jacksonville, Oregon — Riding Guide | Cycle Analysis

> Road and gravel rides from Cycle Analysis in Jacksonville, Oregon: the 26-mile Sterling Creek loop through the Applegate Valley, and a 45-mile gravel route over Anderson Butte, with Ride with GPS maps.

URL: https://cycleanalysis.net/riding/road-and-gravel  
Last modified: 2026-09-29

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![Sterling Creek Road curving through pine forest near Buncom.](https://cycleanalysis.net/storage/variants/7f9285b511141f78/1024.jpeg)

### South and west into the Applegate.

Head up Cady Road from town and you're quickly on Sterling Creek Road, a
quiet paved climb through the pines that drops down to Buncom and the Little
Applegate. From there you can loop back through Ruch and over Jacksonville
Hill on Highway 238.

Past the pavement, the Little Applegate Road turns to gravel, and roads like
Anderson Creek and Anderson Butte climb to ridge views over the valley. Bring
wide tires, extra water and a layer: it's remote up there, and the weather
changes fast in spring and fall.

![A two-lane road past green pastures toward forested mountains in the Applegate Valley.](https://cycleanalysis.net/storage/variants/3c6138ae337afc51/1024.jpeg)

### The Sterling Creek loop.

26.3 miles and about 2,600 feet of climbing, all paved. Cady Road to Sterling
Creek Road, down to Buncom and the Little Applegate, then Upper Applegate Road
to Ruch and back over Jacksonville Hill on Highway 238. The high point is
about 3,030 feet on Sterling Creek Road.

### Spring Fling: Anderson Butte.

44.8 miles and about 4,900 feet of climbing, 41 percent unpaved. This is one
of the shop's gravel-series routes: out Cady Road and Highway 238, up the
Upper and Little Applegate roads, then Anderson Creek and Anderson Butte
before heading home. It's a big day. Go in dry weather and tell someone your
plan.

### Photos from our rides.

From the Cycle Analysis team blog.

![Four riders round a bend on a gravel road through oak-covered hills.](https://cycleanalysis.net/storage/variants/2fe3173ff7cf5b5c/1024.jpeg)

![Two riders on a gravel ridge road on Anderson Butte above forested valleys.](https://cycleanalysis.net/storage/variants/b25f038fcdb81834/1024.jpeg)

![Three riders with bikes look over the Applegate Valley from Woodrat Mountain.](https://cycleanalysis.net/storage/variants/79f0a418048520d8/1024.jpeg)

![Riders on a wide gravel road through pines and oaks.](https://cycleanalysis.net/storage/variants/a0391916036c242d/1024.jpeg)

![Sterling Creek Road curving through pine forest near Buncom.](https://cycleanalysis.net/storage/variants/7f9285b511141f78/1024.jpeg)

![A two-lane road past green pastures toward forested mountains.](https://cycleanalysis.net/storage/variants/3c6138ae337afc51/1024.jpeg)

### Ride reports from these roads.

- [Spring Fling 2016 - Short Course Photos](https://cycleanalysis.net/blog/spring-fling-2015-short-course-photos) — Jacob Hammond, April 2016
- [Spring Fling Ding-A-Ling](https://cycleanalysis.net/blog/spring-fling-ding-a-ling) — Aaron Mock, April 2016
- [Sore Knees And Big Trees](https://cycleanalysis.net/blog/sore-knees-and-big-trees) — Aaron Mock, September 2016
- [Forgotten...But, Not Gone?](https://cycleanalysis.net/blog/forgotten-but-not-gone) — Aaron Mock, February 2017
- [So Long, Mr Dingman](https://cycleanalysis.net/blog/so-long-mr-dingman) — Aaron Mock, October 2017
- [In Retrospect: The Gravel Grinders of 2016](https://cycleanalysis.net/blog/in-retrospect-the-gravel-grinders-of-2016) — Jacob Hammond, July 2018

### Set up for gravel?

We can fit wider tires and look your bike over before a big day. Call [(541) 899-9190](tel:+15418999190) or stop by 110 N 5th St.