Bicycling the Banks-Vernonia State Trail
The "rails-to-trails" route is the centerpiece of the Columbia County cycling scene.
Peter Beland
Cyclists flock to Columbia County, less than an hour from downtown Portland. The small logging town of Vernonia has become a central hub for bike routes through the surrounding state forest.
The Crown Zellerbach Trail, a reclaimed logging road, offers mountain bikers 17 miles of rugged path descending to Scappoose. From there, it’s less than 10 miles to shopping and dining in the historic “Olde Towne” district of St. Helens.
Vernonia is also connected via an extension trail to the Banks-Vernonia State Trail, one of the region’s premier cycling paths. This 21-mile, multiuse, fully paved path is the state’s first completed “rails-to-trails” project, repurposing a route that was once used to haul lumber from old-growth forests to Portland. Most popular with cyclists, the trail also draws walkers and equestrians, but birds like the red-capped pileated woodpecker far outnumber people.
The prodigious flora and fauna along the trail provide a welcome respite from civilization, while the rough-shod wooden struts of the 600-foot-long Buxton train trestle serve as reminders of an age when raw industry ruled the land in these parts. Such encounters are likely to make you appreciate the surrounding wilderness that much more.
Explore on two wheels
Bicycle Maps & Where to Ride
With bike lanes and paths throughout the city, Portland has great places to ride for cyclists of all abilities.
Exploring Gresham by Bike
Gresham, an east Portland suburb, offers a bevy of bike-friendly businesses and stellar views of Mount Hood.
Biking in the Columbia River Gorge
The Columbia River Gorge is a recreational biker’s paradise, with options including car-free blacktop, smooth single-track flows and canyon trails with tricky switchbacks.