woman sitting on the ground in front of a pondwith a bicycle next to her woman sitting on the ground in front of a pondwith a bicycle next to her
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Tanner Springs Park is located in the Pearl District. There are plenty of good spots to eat, drink, and shop by the park

Bicycle Maps & Where to Ride

Find your way around with these resources and recommended bike routes.

2 min read

With bike paths and lanes all over town — not to mention cool forests and striking scenery — Portland has great places to ride for cyclists of all abilities. Those who want to experience the City of Roses from the road have plenty of options, including guided bike tours and rental shops. For those who didn’t bring their own wheels, one very visible option is the Biketown bike-share program, which offers visitors the opportunity to rent orange-colored eight-speed bicycles from many locations around the city. Biketown has also partnered with local bike rental company Kerr Bikes to create Adaptive Biketown, a program dedicated to increasing access to bicycles for those with disabilities. (Before hitting the road, make sure to review bike safety tips.)

Know Before You Go

While COVID restrictions have been lifted in the state of Oregon, health department officials in Multnomah County (where Portland is located) strongly recommend that all individuals should wear a mask in indoor public spaces, regardless of their vaccination status. This applies to everyone 5 years of age and older.

In addition, masks are required in certain settings including airports, airplanes and public transit, and local businesses can continue to require customers to wear masks. Be prepared and carry a mask with you just in case.

Maps & Resources

The Portland Bureau of Transportation offers great resources for cyclists. There are many maps for those who want to explore the city and region via their bike lanes. Cyclists who crave a journey off the beaten path, should venture to the Columbia River Gorge, where there are easy, moderate and challenging rides for everyone to enjoy.

Portland Bike Maps

Bike Maps for the Greater Portland Region

Nine Best Rides Around Portland

Questions about Portland Bike Routes

How do I choose a bike route?

This article gives you a great place to start. Depending on your level of mastery, you may choose to stick to the many bike lanes throughout the city or head to a bike trail off the beaten path.

Does Google Maps have cycle routes?

It does! When entering a destination into Google Maps, you have the option to select a bike route option for your directions. Riders can customize their routes by dragging the blue line. Otherwise, the route options are color-coded as follows: Dark green lines represent trails designated specifically for bicycling. Light green lines represent streets with bike lanes. Dashed green lines represent other recommended streets for bicyclists.

How do I find bike routes near me?

Find a bike route near you in Portland (or wherever you’d like to be) by putting your address into the Metro Interactive Bike Map.

Popular Portland Bike Routes

Springwater on the Willamette

From downtown, cross the Willamette River via the bike-friendly Hawthorne Bridge and follow a 3-mile (4.8 km) path between OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) and the Sellwood Bridge. This is the Springwater on the Willamette, the westernmost leg of the Springwater Corridor, a rails-to-trails project. From this section of the trail, you can access Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge, Sellwood Riverfront Park and Oaks Amusement Park — or head into the Sellwood neighborhood for food, drink and shopping.

5 to Ride

Best Parks for Cycling

Explore these local outdoor attractions on two wheels.

  • Springwater Corridor Trail

    The rails-to-trails project’s paved surface, generally 10-12 feet wide with soft shoulders, is designed to accommodate walkers, joggers, hikers, bicycles, wheelchairs and equestrian users.

  • Laurelhurst Park

    Surrounding a scenic lake, Laurelhurst Park was the first city park named to the National Register of Historic Places. It offers picnic and play areas, a dog off-leash area and a horseshoe pit, plus basketball, tennis and volleyball courts.

  • Mt. Tabor Park

    This popular park features expansive views, picnic areas, natural-surface and paved paths, a dog off-leash area, a playground and a performance stage, plus tennis, volleyball and basketball courts.

  • Rocky Butte

    Rocky Butte is an extinct volcanic cinder cone with great views of Portland and the Cascade Range. The butte features hiking trails and is a popular rock climbing area.

  • Council Crest

    At 1,073 feet above sea level, Council Crest is the highest point in Portland. From the top of the hill visitors can see five mountains in the Cascade Range: Mount Hood, Mount St. Helens, Mount Adams, Mount Jefferson and Mount Rainier.

Hawthorne Bridge to Mt. Tabor Park

For this bike route, take the Hawthorne Bridge to Southeast Portland, then roll through historic Ladd’s Addition and the foodie heaven of the Division/Clinton neighborhood before beginning the climb toward Mt. Tabor Park. In the park, you’ll ascend 650 feet (198 m) on forested paths to the summit, where you can enjoy sweeping views of the terrain you just covered and the city skyline.

GO TO MOUNT TABOR

Northeast Neighborhood Greenways

Explore the residential neighborhoods of Northeast Portland via low-traffic routes known as greenways. Enjoy views from the Alameda Ridge, and, for an extra challenge, climb Rocky Butte at the eastern edge of the loop.

Biking, Outdoors

Bike Safety Tips

Portland loves bikes, but it's still important to be armed with knowledge and cycle safely.

Stay Safe

Elsewhere Online

Metro

Interactive Bike There! Map

Travel Oregon

Oregon Scenic Bikeways