We hiked the trail last weekend going east from Pe Ell to Frances. This is really a beautiful portion of the Willapa Hills Trail. However, there are two dangerous trestles between the towns of Pluvious and Frances that should be avoided. They are 2.3 and 2.6 miles east of Frances. Be aware that the trestle at the west end is marked as closed but there are no closed signs when you approach the trestles from the east. With a 50' drop, one of the trestles has very narrow ties with a wide gap between them. Two of the ties are loose with one of them about to give way. Be careful. We will continue our hike from Frances with a stop in Menlo next. Even with some hazards, the Willapa Hills Trail is a remarkable trail.

This is a well surfaced path sometimes a bit confusing as to where to go to continue but google maps and or TrailLink really help. There is a bit of homelessness under the overpasses but well off the trail. Park worker’s were abundant and really trying to keep things picked up. All in all a very pleasant 1.5 hour ride round trip

I use this trail to workout a lot

There are several very hazardous places on this trail and several places you can't hike because of 'greenery' blocking the trail. Near the Gun Clubb Rd ( that's how it's spelled) you are blocked from the trail and have to go down the bank to the road. Logging trucks are whizzing by as you share the road with them. Shoulder is about 1 foot wide and at one point you cross a short bridge where you could reach out and touch the constant traffic. Definitely very dangerous. A short time later you go back up the bank to access the trail. There are 2 trestles on the trail and one has rotten boards that move when you step on them. No hand rail to help you. Near Robertson road, the trail is totally blocked off with what appears to be trees and bushes grown over the trail. You leave the trail, walk Robertson road for a short bit and then back to the trail. It seems to me that, with the exception of the trestles, the trail could be cleared to avoid road hazards. It could use some mowing of high grass but that is not a hazard but a matter of convenience.

We started on the east end and biked all the way to the west end and back. We enjoyed the large boats coming up the river, charming old homes, picking wild blackberries, and various piers. Scenic, easy flat ride.

I rode my gravel bike from the banks trailhead and the path is plenty doable up until around 4.6mi in. At that point it starts getting pretty rough, but it’s a nice fun path otherwise, friendly for all types (there were plenty of families & kids scattered around the first chunk of the path). Parking is quite limited & tight, so plan ahead carefully!

I rode the full 45 miles from Banks Bike shop where I rented an old, heavy mountain bike (the best they had). This trail is not for road bikes or old, heave mountain bikes. You will want a gravel bike or cyclocross at the least. Best option is a new hard tail mountain bike.

Most of the trail is smooth paved but there are several areas of rough terrain. There are big holes usually in the middle of the trail with a painted circle around them. Also tree roots have pushed the path up in several locations. The edges of the bridges where their wooden floor touches the asphalt have a considerable dip in the asphalt so you'll have to jump these sections.

About 3 miles outside of Banks there is a 2% grade for about 10 miles. Alternating between 1% and 2%. It gives you time to enjoy the scenery! Recommend walking the switchbacks if you have rim brakes. Good luck on their climbs as a few sections range from 8% - 12% There is a repair stand near the 12 mile mark. I didn't see anywhere to refill water but I also didn't stop for the restrooms, maybe it's there.

This ride will never be in the Rails-to-Trails Hall of Fame, but if you like a bit of an adventure, and can tolerate a wide variety of settings over a short period of time, give it a go!

I rode the length of the trail, starting and ending in Boring, and extended the ride a bit by crossing over the Willamette to Portland using the Iron Bridge.

Boring to Gresham, lush and green, few streets, very pleasant. About 7 miles in toward Portland, the side effects of America's struggle to provide adequate housing for those that desire it begin to show up: abandoned shopping carts, piles of trash, burn piles. The homeless camps from Mile 13 into about Mile 9 are ramshackle, creative, and sometime surprisingly high tech. Look close, and listen, and you'll see solar panels, hear generators running, and see discarded propane tanks. At no point did I encounter any hostility or aggression from the camp dwellers.

A bit farther down the trail (mile 8ish?) there is a discontinuity in the trail, and for possibly a mile you follow a tree-lined city street. If there were signs, I missed them, and was grateful to a bicycle riding couple that got me back on track.

Back on the path, a nice run into Portland, with a very pleasant section that parallels the river, popular with walkers, runners, bikers, twisting along the shoreline, dipping down for a bit onto a very cool pontoon supported metal pathway that is designed to adjust itself for changes in river level. There is one more on the street section here, but it is well marked/signed.

Turn around, head back, mild grade to climb, gaining maybe 600 feet over 15ish miles. Not hard. The street crossings come and go, and do require both caution and patience. With my slight extension to the other side of the river, 47 mies roundtrip.

So..excellent ride to cross off on your Rails-to-Trails list. Best approached with curiosity, patience, and acceptance of life styles that do not resemble your own. Didn't see many kids (some, but not many), and between the fairly heavy human traffic (skate boarders, in-line skaters, runners, walkers, etc.), the frequent street crossings and the sections that are impressively trashed out, I can see why many parents would choose a tamer adventure. Glad I did it (really!), don't feel the need to do it again any time soon.

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!