Giant Loop Ride 2025
2025 Giant Loop Ride: Dirt, Detours and Desert Bonds
If you’ve ever wanted to feel the wild pulse of the American West beneath your tires, the annual Giant Loop Ride out of Crane Hot Springs, Oregon, might just be your calling. For the Department of Wander crew, this year’s event was more than a ride — it was a journey through some of the most breathtaking, remote terrain on the continent, and a reminder of why we ride in the first place.
Andy on his DR650 making easy work of the rocky trails.
The Long Way Up: 800 Miles of Beauty and Solitude
We started our trip from Los Angeles, heading north on the legendary Highway 395 - a ribbon of tarmac that threads together the high desert with the towering spine of the Eastern Sierra Nevadas. Riding past Lone Pine, with the snow-capped Mt. Whitney looming above, we took a quick detour into the Alabama Hills to shake down our gear in the granite-strewn dirt. It’s the kind of place that feels pulled straight from an old Western - fitting, considering how many movies were filmed there.
Mt Whitney and Alabama Hills. Best seen standing on the pegs of a Ducati DesertX or a BMW F900GS.
From there, we rode past the somber historical site of Manzanar, and climbed through the cool alpine air of Mammoth Lakes, eventually cutting into Nevada and then diving deep into southeastern Oregon’s wild, open country. The landscape up there is another world - wide, silent, and raw.
Welcome to Crane Hot Springs
After 800 miles of open road, we rolled into Crane Hot Springs - the home base for the Giant Loop Ride. Picture a field full of ADV bikes, tents pitched around steaming hot springs, gear laid out to dry in the sun, and the hum of stories being traded over beers and campfires. Riders and vendors from all over the country show up for this one - and for good reason.
Plenty of varied terrain to keep you on your toes.
The event is brilliantly organized, offering a selection of off-road tracks curated for different skill levels. Whether you’re on a CRF300L or a fully-loaded R1250GS, there’s something for you. For us, the area around the Steens Mountains was a standout - wide open vistas, rolling high-desert hills, and some of the best ADV terrain we’ve ever ridden. Our group, naturally, found ourselves drawn to both the mapped-out scenic routes and the unscheduled detours. Some of these “shortcuts” tested our bikes - and our resolve - with rocky climbs, tight sandy washes, and one memorable water crossing that left our boots squishing for the rest of the day.
John charging through a water crossing on his Aprilia Tuareg.
Brotherhood in the Dust
We came as a crew of eight - old friends and new ones, united by the dirt. Over the course of four days, we faced everything together: spills on rocky switchbacks, a flat tire under the punishing sun, and one particularly tense crash about 30 miles from the nearest pavement. That was the moment we were glad we brought a Garmin InReach satellite communicator. Fortunately, the rider was able to get back with us under his own power, but it was a sobering reminder that this is real wilderness - the kind where a wrong move can have serious consequences.
At night, we refueled with home-cooked meals and let the aches melt away in the mineral-rich waters of the hot springs. Few things in life feel better than sinking into a natural pool under a sky full of stars after a full day of off-road riding.
Riding with friends makes situations like these so much more manageable.
What You Need to Know Before You Go
If you’re thinking about joining next year’s Giant Loop Ride - and you should - here are a few key tips from the trail:
Fuel is not guaranteed. One of our rides had a 140-mile gap between gas stops, and not all stations are open or operational. Call ahead.
Water and food are non-negotiable. Bring more than you think you'll need. There are no roadside diners out here.
Bring a satellite communicator. Cell service is almost nonexistent. Don’t gamble with your safety.
Don’t ride alone. The land is as unforgiving as it is beautiful. A good crew can make all the difference.
Mind your speed and watch for animals. It’s tempting to fully open up on some of the wide open stretches of dirt. We had a couple of too-close-for-comfort moments with cattle and antelope.
Up here it can be hard to keep your eyes off the scenery and on the road.
Until Next Year
The 2025 Giant Loop Ride gave us more than memories - it gave us a renewed appreciation for the freedom of the open road, the beauty of this rugged land, and the bond that forms when you help someone pick up a 500-pound motorcycle in the middle of nowhere.
Part of my heart is still out there on those dusty roads, somewhere between a cold creek crossing and the warm waters of Crane Hot Springs. One thing’s for sure: you’ll see us again next year - gear packed, tanks full, and ready for the ride.
Stay wild out there.
