FR500 Oakley - Rogerson
Rd(sh)
Of what I know of the Twin Falls
area sofar ... the nicest paved climb in
this area is a ride up Rock Creek Rd to the laid
back Magic Mountain ski area. On a road bike this
is an out and back ride. But not restricting
yourself to paved roads, with a mountain bike, you
can construct virtually endless loops, utilizing
this canyon road as part of the loop. This
particular one reaches a summit on a good, unpaved
backroad connecting the small towns Oakley and
Rogerson.
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1.(00.0m,4260ft)START-END
NORTH-1: jct Rock Creek Rd - Cherry Creek
Rd
2.(18.0m,6710ft)profile turns right onto
FR500
3.(21.1m,7170ft)TOP: FR500 Oakley -
Rogerson Rd(sh)
4.(27.4m,5400ft)profile turns right onto
FR513
5.(31.0m,6440ft)TOP: FR544 Indian Springs
Rd
6.(36.8m,5740ft)profile stays right on
Indian Springs Rd
7.(43.2m,4260ft)START-END NORTH-2
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Approaches
From North-1. Rock creek
carves through grassy slopes, between croissant
like layers of lava. It gives the whole landscape
a very linear structure. The most picturesque part
is the lower part. The road is in good paved
condition since it leads up to ski resort - very
low key, with a few rustic cabins to relax in,
instead of neon apres ski circus.
As the road traverses the ski area, unpaved FR500
diverts on the right, and doubles back to the
north. There are several trailheads here. After
several switchbacks the road reaches a summit with
far reaching views to gentle distant ridges to the
south. The view also includes a higher mountain
with another ski area to the east (Pomerelle), and
countless linear rock lips stretching in low
canyons to the Snake River Plain to the north. The
road is in great shape for fast progress without
any washboard
From North-2. (described
downwards). Progress is lightning fast, with just
enough slope to let the bike roll at full speed
through only a few turns. The scenery here is just
fairly nondescript low hills. My own route turned
off at FR513 to the Bear Gulch campground, and the
profile continues over the route I happened to
take, over a second summit point: FR544
Indian Springs Rd(sh).
Dayride with this point as highest summit:
PARTIALLY PAVED / UNPAVED
( < Mores
Creek Summit | Pike
Mountain s(u) > )
FR500 Oakley - Rogerson Rd(sh) , FR544
Indian Springs Rd(sh) : entrance to
canyon on Id-G3 Rock Creek Rd > up Id-G3 Rock
Creek Rd > Magic Mtn ski area > FR500 Oakley -
Rogerson Rd west > FR513 north > Bear Gulch
campground > TR848 north > FR544 north >
FR544 Indian Springs Rd(sh) > at unsigned fork
the eastern option directly back down to Id-G3 Rock
Creek Rd > Rock Creek Rd north back to starting
point: 45.5miles with 4400ft of climbing in 4:52hrs
(garmin etrex30 m5:17.9.20).
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