Overall a good short ride — there’s parking at both sides of the trail. Be sure to watch out for dogs & walkers who may not hear/be responsive to your calls — especially right around the aquarium, where they tend to bunch up. The aquarium itself is worth a quick visit, if you have the time, too!

This gem of a trail has been my go-to for over 15 years, including the outstanding refurb of Buxton Trestle and the 'final mile' into namesake Banks trailhead (used to just end outside of town). Many happy memories. While the pavement is still fine for mountain bikes and most hybrids, it has become increasingly unsafe for the skinny tire set, and any repairs have been mere band-aids. The unsafe ruts and root heaves have been helpfully painted as a warning, but I was still knocked off-trail into the grass last week by an unmarked bump (with both hands on the handlebars). I hope Oregon State Parks has a plan for repaving, considering they do a great job of cutting back blackberries and equipping trailheads with tools/workstands.

Pro-tip: Just north of the crest, near mile marker 11.5, stop by the small clear-cut on a calm day. Sheltered from traffic noise on highway 47, it's among the quietest spots I've experienced in the Portland metro area.

I started at the Banks trailhead and rode to Vernonia. Plenty of parking when I arrived, and not a ton of people on the trail. It was really beautiful, and pretty quiet almost the entire 22 miles there. There were a few sections that were a bit bumpy but just be aware of your surroundings and you should be fine. Almost every trailhead had a bathroom and bike station to use, and there were also great views!

We started at Bonnie Falls trailhead and headed up towards Vernonia. The signage was not very clear and we ended up an a logging road for an extra 4 miles. We should have gone under the bridge at about 14 miles. Instead we went on to the logging road. Good views of Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Adams but on the wrong road. So we backtracked after talking to some people. The trail was quite muddy in spots (mid-March). Most of the trail was packed dirt and gravel. It is paved from Scapoose to Ruley TH. Then it's trees, river, meadows. Very quiet and pleasant.

Did this as a couple (mid 60s) in mid-March. The weather was cool (upper 40s) but with lots of sunshine. Pretty chilly in the forested section but comfortable in the sun. Trail is well marked, well maintained and relatively easy. The section from Beard's Hollow up to the lighthouse could be challenging - however, we have electric assist bikes so it proved to be no problem even going up the hill. Don't let it intimidate you - just shift to a low gear and go slow. It's worth the climb! Great views of the lighthouse and the ocean below. Highly recommend this trip.

We were blown away by how nice this trail is and all the fall colors still are popping. You might want to keep an eye out for horse poop piles hidden in the leaves, and was fun to see mixed use of this trail. I would have expected more people on this trail and will be back to section ride this trail to the coast.

Rainbow falls state park was a great spot to rehydrate and refuel before riding back. Take time to find paths to view the falls.

Overall, this trail was in great condition and a flat trail. Be mindful of the gaps between the gravel and bridges. I ended up breaking a spoke on this ride.

Paved portion of the Willapa Hills Trail is short, 5 1/2 miles, narrow and not well maintained. There are spots where it is so overgrown that it would be tight for passing.

Loved it!

I didn't like how one direction was mostly uphill and the other direction was mostly downhill. I like a little more variety of up and down in each direction. And although it was pretty, I'm I don't understand why this trail is so popular.