Date Reviewed: 06/16/07

Length: 51 miles.

Technical Difficulty: Moderate because of some challenging and unmarked corners, changing pavement conditions and distracting scenery.

Location: The report begins at the intersection of NF-52 and NF-73 at N44° 54' 49" and W118° 24' 02" and ends in Baker City at the intersection of Hwy 30 and Main St. at N44° 46' 41" and W117° 49' 47".

Connects With: NF-52, Hwy 220 and Hwy 30.

Amenities: Full amenities in Baker City.

Places of Interest: Anthony Lake, Anthony Lakes Ski Area, Eastern Oregon Museum, Baker City and the Blue Mountains.

Review: As you can see from the profile image below, there is a tremendous elevation gain and loss over the course of the ride. The first 15 miles you gain a little over 2,000 feet. The next 15 miles you lose nearly 4,000 feet! The first 29+ miles of the northern section of the Elkhorn Scenic Byway is packed with awesome riding, from a scenic and cornering perspective. The last 21 miles or so, is bucolic, but beautiful, in its own way.

The spot this route starts is truly a motorcycling wonderland. North, south, east or west, you can't go wrong for an exciting, beautiful experience. This is the heart of the Blue Mountains, and it doesn't get much better than this for scenery combined with great motorcycling.

NF-73 begins, like a lot of roads in Eastern Oregon, with mellow corners and a few straights. What distinguishes NF-73 from most of the others is the mountainous scenery right off the bat. The Elkhorn Range of the Blue Mountains is very rugged with several granite peaks visible from the road.

After about six miles of gentle corners and and straight stretches the road begins climbing fairly steeply. The pavement is not bad, a little bumpy, but the corners are great. Lots of 30 mph corners and two 180 degree switchbacks take you to the summit at 7394 feet. This ascension includes some fire damaged forest and a relatively level stretch with some great views.

A couple miles past the summit, at about 17 miles into the ride, is Anthony Lakes Ski Area and Anthony Lake. Stopping at the lake is a must! Anthony Lake is classic Alpine scenery. Quiet and serene with few people. Gunsight Mountain dominates the scene. A trail circumnavigates the lake and if you have the time, the hike to Hoffer Lakes, less than a mile from the southeast corner of Anthony Lake, is well worth the time and effort.

From Anthony Lake it is mostly downhill, and pretty abruptly, as you lose almost 4,000 feet in about 15 miles. This is really high country and the pavement shows it. There are very rough sections, but there are also several miles of some fantastic curvy sections on perfect pavement, making the rapid descent memorable. Watch out for sand left over from the winter season.

At around 29 miles into the ride, you abruptly exit the forest into Baker Valley. While the cool, mountainous ambience is gone, the view and atmosphere is not exactly bad. As you turn south toward Haines and Hwy 30, to the east are the spectacular Wallowa Mountains and to the west is the amazing Elkhorn Range. On a clear day, this is a great scene. The productive, fertile valley nestled between these two beautiful mountain ranges is special.

The contrast between the first 29 miles and the last 21 is stunning, but both can be appreciated for what they're worth. Actually, the last straight, undemanding miles may be a relief if you've been on the road all day in the middle of the Blue Mountains. On the other hand, riding it east to west would probably be the best because of the long eastern slope climb, and the scenery gets better as you go. Either way, NF-73 is spectacular and is an absolute gem of a road. Don't miss this one!

Rider Comments

Part of the Eastern section of this great road will be slowed by construction this summer. In the long run, this will be a very good thing. This from the Forest Service: "Expect delays of up to one hour through the summer months. Construction begins at the Forest boundary and continues for approximately 10 miles to the junction with Forest Road 43 (Ladd Canyon Road), past Anthony Lakes." - Editor