OR-27: Only partially unpaved state route?

[Sd_fan2119]

I was shuffling through the Wikipedia entries for the Oregon routes and although you can't always trust Wikipedia, it lists that "OR 27 has the distinction of being one of the only state highways in Oregon which is partially unpaved". Does anyone know, first, if any other portions of marked state routes are unpaved? Also, I was curious as to why paving the rest of OR-27 hasn't seemed to be a priority for ODOT, given the freight traffic coming to the Les Schwab HQ? I'm not familiar with this area (been to Prineville once) so I'm not sure exactly how much traffic actually comes, but US-20 to OR-27 would definitely be the most direct route coming from the southeast (rather than US-26). There is even a sign reading "Trucks not recommended" right before the junction from US-20, so are many of these trucks from the east forced to use US-26 instead?

[nexus73]

I was always curious about why 27 was not a fully paved route.  Thanks for bringing up the topic Sd_fan! 

Looking at earlier Oregon maps shows that what is now 138 between Elkton and Sutherlin was at one time numbered as 255.  It was not fully paved up to the Sixties as I recall.  That is another little Oregon curiosity that I wonder about...

Rick

[agentsteel53]

CA-173 used to have a brutally unpaved section, but apparently it has been decommissioned, so all of California's route system is now paved.

[Molandfreak]

Maybe this is just GSV, but OR 205 around Denio appears to be unpaved.

[agentsteel53]

Maybe this is just GSV, but OR 205 around Denio appears to be unpaved.

my RMN shows some unpaved roads in that area as well... but are they actually OR-205?

[corco]

I thought OR 205 ended just south of Frenchglen

[Molandfreak]

I thought OR 205 ended just south of Frenchglen

You are probably right; on GSV, the road north of Denio appears to be a county road.

[Tarkus]

I thought OR 205 ended just south of Frenchglen

You are probably right; on GSV, the road north of Denio appears to be a county road.

It's a Harney County Route along the Catlow Valley Road and Fields-Denio Road sections.  Don't know the exact number.  I'm hoping to get out there this summer--I've been planning to get a milkshake in Fields to celebrate finally getting done with the never-ending Ph.D. program.  (I'm a sucker for desert highways.)

The images on GSV are a bit sketchy as far as telling what the actual pavement type is there.  It looks like it could be gravel, but it could also just be really rough chip-sealing.  I've heard rumors that there's been some more pavement placed out that way, though.

As far as OR-27, it's actually of somewhat diminished importance now, and its primary function now is to serve the Prineville Reservoir from the northern paved section.  A few years ago, with some prodding from Les Schwab and other industry in that area, a gravel road out of Prineville called Millican Road (also known as George Millican Road) was rebuilt to rural arterial standards and extended southward, such that it meets US-20 about 7 miles west of its junction with the gravel section of OR-27.  In fact, there are some ODOT documents from back when the road was first proposed that suggest they've considered moving OR-27 onto it.

[Molandfreak]

The images on GSV are a bit sketchy as far as telling what the actual pavement type is there.  It looks like it could be gravel, but it could also just be really rough chip-sealing.  I've heard rumors that there's been some more pavement placed out that way, though.

That... Could very well be true

[xonhulu]

I was shuffling through the Wikipedia entries for the Oregon routes and although you can't always trust Wikipedia, it lists that "OR 27 has the distinction of being one of the only state highways in Oregon which is partially unpaved". Does anyone know, first, if any other portions of marked state routes are unpaved?

There is only one other unpaved Oregon state route: the northernmost 5 or so miles of unsigned OR 413 into Cornucopia.  Here's some pix:





And the bridge inventory tag on that bridge:



However, as  I said, last time I checked OR 413 was unsigned and I won't be surprised if it's never signed, so it is true that OR 27 is Oregon's only signed unpaved route.

Also, I was curious as to why paving the rest of OR-27 hasn't seemed to be a priority for ODOT, given the freight traffic coming to the Les Schwab HQ? I'm not familiar with this area (been to Prineville once) so I'm not sure exactly how much traffic actually comes, but US-20 to OR-27 would definitely be the most direct route coming from the southeast (rather than US-26). There is even a sign reading "Trucks not recommended" right before the junction from US-20, so are many of these trucks from the east forced to use US-26 instead?

As Tarkus said, there is a much better county road, George Millican Rd, that parallels OR 27 to the west, and I'm sure it was developed specifically for the truck traffic to US 20.  I've driven it, and it's a very good, nearly straight route.  I think OR 27 stays around because it serves the Crooked River Canyon and Prineville Reservoir recreation areas, but I also suspect Crook and Deschutes Counties won't take it off ODOT's hands.

As for OR 205, corco's right: OR 205 ends at the Roaring Springs Ranch, a few dozen miles south of Frenchglen.  South of there, it's Harney County roads.  But I've driven Denio-to-Frenchglen twice, and I'm pretty sure it's all paved, albeit roughly.  There might have been a gravel section near Fields.

Speaking of Fields: I have had that milkshake, Tarkus, and it was damn good!  I hope you make it out there this summer, it's a very rewarding trip.  I really enjoy the wide-open spaces and solitude in that part of the state.

[Sd_fan2119]

Thanks everyone for all the info! I've actually been curious about OR-205 as well, mostly because of its remote location. In SE Oregon, I've only been as far south as Ontario and as far east as Lakeview. I would love to take a road trip in that direction sometime to check it out, although it's about 7-8 hours from where I live. Driving US-395 from the US-20 junction to Lakeview in the afternoon, we went 20-30 minutes or so at a time without seeing another car, so I wonder what this is like on OR-205...Also the Steens Mountains are over in that direction, which I've heard have some beautiful scenery.

[agentsteel53]

I as well would really like to know the quality of the Denio-Fields-Burns road.  can I drive it in my low-clearance car?

[xonhulu]

I as well would really like to know the quality of the Denio-Fields-Burns road.  can I drive it in my low-clearance car?

You'll have no problem.  I was last on it two years ago, and it was fine.  First time I drove it was in a Chevy Cavalier, and had no issues.

[Tarkus]

Bumping this after a couple months.  I finally got out to get the milkshake (absolutely well worth the trip), and I can confirm that the entire route down to Denio, beyond the end of the OR-205 designation, is paved and striped, and you won't notice too much of a difference in road quality as it switches from ODOT maintenance to Harney County maintenance--except maybe that the cattle grates are more jarring to cross (ODOT's are merely painted).  Just make sure to get gas when you can.  Going to Lakeview from Burns, via Fields, I only passed 4 gas stations (5, if you count the Pacific Pride cardlock in Adel) on a roughly 250 mile stretch of road.  I'd imagine it's about the same if you were to go east on NV-140 toward US-95 instead.

[roadfro]

... Going to Lakeview from Burns, via Fields, I only passed 4 gas stations (5, if you count the Pacific Pride cardlock in Adel) on a roughly 250 mile stretch of road.  I'd imagine it's about the same if you were to go east on NV-140 toward US-95 instead.

I'd assume it'd be worse heading into Nevada on SR 140... That's the desolate northwestern part of the state, with Denio as the only town of any significance between the Oregon line and US 95. I've never been out on 140, but I have to imagine that Denio would be the only gas in that ~110 miles.

[Sd_fan2119]

I'd assume it'd be worse heading into Nevada on SR 140... That's the desolate northwestern part of the state, with Denio as the only town of any significance between the Oregon line and US 95. I've never been out on 140, but I have to imagine that Denio would be the only gas in that ~110 miles.

Found this pic via Google Images from NV-140...looks like there's at least an 81-mile stretch without gas. I've always been curious about this area cause of how desolate it is, but I would like to have a destination rather than driving out in the middle of nowhere...maybe I'll take a detour on my next trip to Reno.

[roadfro]

I'd assume it'd be worse heading into Nevada on SR 140... That's the desolate northwestern part of the state, with Denio as the only town of any significance between the Oregon line and US 95. I've never been out on 140, but I have to imagine that Denio would be the only gas in that ~110 miles.

Found this pic via Google Images from NV-140...looks like there's at least an 81-mile stretch without gas. I've always been curious about this area cause of how desolate it is, but I would like to have a destination rather than driving out in the middle of nowhere...maybe I'll take a detour on my next trip to Reno.

That's a hefty detour to SR 140 if you're starting at Reno...like 230+ miles of a detour to get out to Denio (rough midpoint on SR 140)...

[Tarkus]

Judging by that, it's a longer distance toward the next fuel station going back into Oregon, than it is going further into Nevada.  The sign going back toward Oregon on NV-140 says that there's no services for 111 miles, which is the distance to Lakeview.

It's an absolutely gorgeous road if you like desert scenery, and it's arguably the most remote place I've ever been.  There's almost nothing but desert mountains out there, and that's what's great about it.  Going toward Lakeview, out of Denio, I don't recall seeing even a single building for at least 60 miles.  If you're looking for a destination, I'd go to Fields and get a milkshake.  It's a perfectly delicious excuse, and fueling up there, assuming your vehicle gets decent enough mileage, you'll be primed to make it through to farther into Nevada or back into Oregon without issue.

The stretch from Denio to US-95 is pretty steadily around 4500', from the looks of things, but going Denio to Lakeview is anything but.  And unlike NDOT, who are quite good about putting guardrails along all the crazy elevation changes along their stretch of 140, (Sl)O(w)DOT doesn't bother, which gets . . . interesting . . . right around the Oregon side of the OR/NV border.

[agentsteel53]

it's arguably the most remote place I've ever been.

quite likely the most remote in the lower 48 that has highways.  US-6 in Nevada comes close, but has more ranches.

I believe the search-and-rescue folks consider the Idaho interior to be the most remote in the lower 48.  go fishing there, run into trouble, good luck coming back.

[Bruce]

WA-165 is a dirt/gravel road for its first 10 miles just north of Mount Rainier National Park. Only miles of the Washington state highway system that isn't paved that I know of.

[Sd_fan2119]

I'd assume it'd be worse heading into Nevada on SR 140... That's the desolate northwestern part of the state, with Denio as the only town of any significance between the Oregon line and US 95. I've never been out on 140, but I have to imagine that Denio would be the only gas in that ~110 miles.

Found this pic via Google Images from NV-140...looks like there's at least an 81-mile stretch without gas. I've always been curious about this area cause of how desolate it is, but I would like to have a destination rather than driving out in the middle of nowhere...maybe I'll take a detour on my next trip to Reno.

That's a hefty detour to SR 140 if you're starting at Reno...like 230+ miles of a detour to get out to Denio (rough midpoint on SR 140)...

Oh wow...figured it was far but not that far. Interestingly enough, going from Portland to Vegas via US-20 and OR-205 according to Google Maps is only 32 minutes longer than the suggested route which is OR-58 and US-97 etc. through Klamath Falls and Reno...I could hit 205 then if I ever make that trip, maybe when it's actually cheaper to drive to Vegas than fly...