The Bike Pit

The Bike Pit, officially the Pilot Rock Motocross and ATV Park, is a community off-road facility 15 miles south of Pendleton in Umatilla County, and one of the only tracks in the Pacific Northwest that is completely free to ride. The land belongs to the City of Pilot Rock, while every track on it is planned, built, and maintained by Pilot Rock OHV Inc., a volunteer nonprofit powered by sponsors and grant money, with the express goal of drawing riding tourism to eastern Oregon. Three riding areas share the property: the primary outdoor motocross track, a transitional ATV loop, and a smaller youth and beginner track. Dirt bikes, quads, and even mountain bikes are all welcome. The dirt is honest high-desert topsoil mixed with gravel and rock, and because grooming happens on volunteer workdays rather than daily, the surface runs rough, hard-packed, and rocky between sessions. Locals recommend wrap-around handguards and stout tires, and chest protectors are encouraged on the MX track. The gate policy could not be simpler: open seven days a week, 8am to 8pm, at no charge, closing only for volunteer maintenance days, construction projects, or serious winter snow. The park steps up as a race venue too, hosting recurring EWDRA Moto-Scramble events that stretch the main track into the natural terrain, and northwest shops like Xtreme Heights Motorsports run Beta factory demo days where riders 18 and over test new machines for free. Want to give back? The nonprofit board holds open meetings the first Thursday of every month at 7pm in the Pilot Rock City Hall chambers, and the whole operation runs on volunteers and donations. For riders in Pendleton, Hermiston, and along the I-84 corridor, the Bike Pit is the everyday spot, and stopping for gas and groceries in town is exactly the point. (541) 379-2568. Updates on the Bike Pit Facebook page.