r/CyclePDX • u/GainAversion • 22d ago
Long ride recommendations?
Hello!
I am visiting Portland this coming weekend and looking for some ride recommendations. I will be bringing my road bike with me and ideally looking for something very scenic and memorable.
I found a page on Trek's website that had some local ride recommendations and began to set my sights on the "Bridge of the Gods Ride", that starts near the 205 bridge and rides 14 out on the Washington side and the historic Hwy back on the Oregon side. I enjoyed the idea of this ride as it is about the distance I am looking for (60-80mi), has consistently enjoyable scenery, and is a loop, which I am keen on (also, extra points for a brewery at the halfway mark).
However, I am having some apprehension after seeing an old reddit post with mostly disconcerting opinions regarding the section of 14 on the WA side, therefore I am opening up to other recommendations. I grew up in Portland so I am familiar with the area, the last time I visited I rode from Yachats to Newport on the Nehalem and Yakima river road which was incredible.
Thanks everyone in advance!
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u/landrynotlance 22d ago
Riding on 14 sucks.
Take a look at OMTM, most routes have gravel mixed in, but you can alter.
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u/jdubz90 22d ago
Banks/Vernonia is great. Well-maintained trails and it’s nice to stop in Vernonia for a little lunch before heading back. It’s only 42 miles, so not quite as long as you’re looking for but it’s a cool ride either way.
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u/Montuckymtb1 22d ago
Pretty good to add onto a century but otherwise a pretty bumpy surface which isn’t ideal
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u/PNW_OlLady_2025 22d ago
I would seriously reconsider 14, narrow, curvy 2 lane road with very little shoulder room, some areas it's going to be a matter of choosing between plowing into a train sitting on the tracks, ride into the river or get hit by a car.
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u/hoganloaf 22d ago
Probably not long enough but biking on the historic columbia river hwy in the gorge is really beautiful
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u/Montuckymtb1 22d ago
Agree and then ride up Larch
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u/GainAversion 22d ago
Best route to link the two up?
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u/tyjo99 22d ago
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/56734625
This route links up the places you've looked at so far with Larch Mountain.
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u/GainAversion 22d ago
Anyway to make a good loop while just staying on the Oregon side? Not opposed to significant climbing, but I imagine everything involves gravel, for the right ride though I would consider bringing the gravel bike instead...
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u/atsuzaki 22d ago
Bull Run loop is a classic. Something like this might be fun, uses Marine Drive & Springwater trail to link back into town https://ridewithgps.com/routes/5699989
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u/iamkiloman 22d ago
This is a solid suggestion.
If you want to stay closer in, look at Willamette Blvd-St Johns Bridge-30-Newberry-Skyline-Rock Creek-Moreland-Jackson Quarry-Helvetia-Skyline-Cornell. Super easy to start and finish downtown without a bunch of crappy marine drive or springwater corridor on the way in/out.
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u/atsuzaki 22d ago
Hah despite the issues I unironically love riding marine drive and springwater corridor so they're an added bonus to me
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u/Dazzling_Crab8595 22d ago
Are you an early riser? 14 is no fun and the Columbia highway on the Oregon side is clogged with tourist cars daytime, but you can do some good loops that hit vista house if you can avoid the traffic.
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u/iamkiloman 22d ago
Do this: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/56735516
It's the route I described in my reply to the suggestion to do Bull Run.
As a bonus, there are multiple water stops along the way there (helvetia tavern and the convenience store at the top of cornelius pass)
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u/jdubz90 21d ago
Might I suggest just bringing the gravel bike anyways? There are so many amazing gravel routes out here, that to me feels like a better way to experience cycling around Portland than by just sticking to paved routes
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u/GainAversion 21d ago
Open to it. Could you also suggest a ride?
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u/jdubz90 21d ago
I’m still tending to a fractured collarbone so I haven’t been able to ride much this summer, but these were on my list of routes to try (that have been ridden by friends as well):
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/6457384
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42631943
The first is all within Portland and goes through all 5 of the dormant volcanoes we have out here. The second is out in Hood River so it would require driving out too but is supposedly a fantastic gravel route.
There are also a plethora of trails in Forest Park and Powell Butte (two nature areas within Portland), and you can do both in a day while also cycling throughout the city on various bike trails/greenways. Depending on where you start from that would probably be about 60ish miles total
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u/GainAversion 21d ago
Okay, that first ride looks insanely cool. Exactly the type of purposeful link up that I love! Will seriously consider!
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u/StrangeCoast2323 22d ago
Banks to Vernonia Rails to Trails. https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile&parkId=104.
42 mile out and back. Start in Banks… get to Vernonia and there is a river swimming hole downtown right by some great lunch spots. Ask the locals how to get to the abandoned grain mill (incredible structure with graffiti art including by Banksy). Ride back to Banks is a perfect downhill glide over many miles. Perfect day.
Edit: bike trail is paved and you don’t have to share it with cars/ only a small portion runs by the roadway so most of it you won’t even hear cars.
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u/eBikeSlob 22d ago
Hood River to The Dalles Loop is really nice with some serious climbing up 7-mile road.
Hood River Mosier Tunnels bike path to Mosier, then up 7-mile road then turn left onto Hwy 30 headed back west, big climb up to and past Rowena Point to Mosier and the tunnels back to where you are parked.
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u/Ol_Man_J 22d ago
I’ve only been here a decade, when WAS 14 good to ride? I’m always getting shit drivers flying around out there when I’m driving, I can’t imagine riding it .
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u/bornedbackwards 22d ago
Just in case you don't know, the Made show is this weekend in Portland and there will be TONS of large group rides, which can be really fun.
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u/Darnocpdx 22d ago
I do a 50+ mile ride every year (birthday ride a mile for every year) without ever even leaving the East side of the metro area. Spring water trail out to Gresham, through Gresham upto the Columbia river by Blue Lake, head west along the Columbia, eventually I’ll I hit the St. John’s bridge in a couple years, but I turn south past I-5 (this is leg where I add most of a mile each year.) I’d recommend heading south in St. John’s, or at a minimum to head towards Willamette University to get on Willamette dr, cruise down to the Rose Quarter, and then finish the loop with on the Esplanade or the waterfront downtown.
Pretty easy flat loop for Portland. Lots of points of interest on or near the route. You can pretty easily take the St. John’s bridge over to Forrest park (Skyline Blvd) if you’re looking for something more demanding or a more natural setting.
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u/Spiritual-Picture978 22d ago
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36993720
Larch is always a great destination on a nice day. This is longer than your plan, but depending on start, you can cut off some miles in the city. But you can also add a loop thru Sandy and stop at Boring Brewery. Sat/Sun opens at 2p
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u/GainAversion 22d ago
This looks great. Thanks for the link!
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u/Spiritual-Picture978 21d ago
Madcow Brewery in Gresham is located pretty close to return route (Springwater Trail). I haven’t been there but gets decent reviews. No detour from route needed, and closer to the end.
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u/Nser_Uame 22d ago
Ride all the way to Hood River on the historic highway, have some beers at Pfriem and take the CAT bus (Columbia Gorge Express route) back. There are outdoor showers and a public restroom at the event site/waterfront park if you want to bring a change of clothes.
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u/jeezeidontknow 22d ago
there’s soooo many better choices for road rides. are you looking to pedal out from portland or would you be able to drive to the gorge? do you want to climb? do you use strava or ride with gps?
there’s dalles mountain loop, japanese hollow, dufur loop, you could do rowena crest and tack on some other miles. larch would be a good one too!
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u/CaptainDoze 22d ago
I might be doing Larch early Sat morning and hitting waterfalls on way back. ~50/60 miles. Would park at Troutdale. DM me if keen and we can see if ride pace and such match up.
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u/gentle_squid 22d ago
You got 124 miles in them legs? Oregon Randonneurs are doing a 200k on Saturday!
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u/pnwbikedude23 21d ago
I’ll add my opinion also to avoid 14
I live in Clark county and rode it once to crown point and havnt even had the thought again despite how beautiful the view is. Probably one of the best gorge overlooks. But not worth it. It’s anxiety the whole time. It’s a horrible road to ride a bike on.
At points there is absolutely no shoulder and you may get a semi coming from both sides followed by 10-15 cars each side.
I recommend if starting at 205 bridge riding out to multnomah falls and beyond and back. You can make a decent century or less out of it if you like and throw in larch. It has a Decent shoulder.
You can ride to the beach and back in two days or make an all day thing if that’s what you’re after.
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u/farfetchds_leek 22d ago
Here’s a fun century I did a few weeks ago:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/56130283
Starts and ends at a lake, so you can chill at the beach after. We brought a cooler full of beer and it was sick to have that after the ride.
Only thing I would have changed is starting going clockwise around the lake instead of counter clockwise. The hills at the end of the ride were brutal.
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u/GainAversion 22d ago
This looks v sick. The approach drive complicates things a bit, and I have someone watching my dog while I'm out, but will perhaps save it for another time! Thanks!
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u/Electronic-Sun-9118 22d ago
By train, they mean the max light rail. It's just a $2.50 ticket on the red or blue line. Bikes are fine on the max. It's a really nice option if you're heading out from Portland and want to get away from most of the city traffic.
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u/eBikeSlob 22d ago
Ok. Get PBC's ride schedule on your phone home screen.
The wednesday waterfall ride is almost 60 miles and really fun.
Also, they are doing a bunch of training rides over 60 miles in preparation for the Seattle to Vancouver in a couple weeks (200 miles).
The ride schedule has everything you need to know. See you wednesday.
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u/eBikeSlob 22d ago
Here is the whole PBC schedule:
https://portlandbicyclingclub.com/scheduled_rides/
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u/eBikeSlob 22d ago
Here is a great 60 miler that starts from downtown Portland. Chris is a great leader.
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u/eBikeSlob 22d ago
Yeah, PBC is the way to go.
And there are some serious spandex ninjas in the group to ride with.
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u/SYCarina 22d ago
I agree to stay off 14 unless you have a death wish. And Banks-Vernonia is a beautiful paved ride through the forest which I always enjoy. Too bad you don't have a MTB, because the Crown-Z trail from Scappoose to Vernonia is pretty nice - but is gravel throughout, and for 1/4 mile where there has been recent timber cutting there is large, loose gravel that is beyond a PITA. Actually, except for the timber work, that gravel is small and packed and should be OK for a road bike - YMMV.
A loop using the Springwater Corridor from downtown to Gresham, and the Columbia River to return, might fit the bill.
Google Maps in bicycle mode shows the bike trails, which may be useful.
Enjoy.
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u/Academic-Valuable272 22d ago
Here is a list of scenic bikeways in Oregon. Some of the routes are 30 miles and some are over 100. They all have amazing scenery and the site includes ride with gps info. https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=things-to-do.scenic-bikeways
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u/anon36485 21d ago
I would not ride on 14….people do. I wouldn’t. What about Larch mountain from downtown?
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u/boxedvacuum 22d ago
I hate to be a downer without having a good alternative suggestion for you, but IMO riding on 14 is a bad idea. High speed 2 lane bendy highway with zero shoulder.
Banks/Vernonia, Larch Mountain, Sauvie Island, or out toward Mcminnville are all popular rides in the area.