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My wife and I, along with our 4 month old labradoodle, did this ride and are grateful we took Diane's advice from her prior post. Start in Sunriver and ride up the hill to the Lava Lands visitor center as Diane posted. Our puppy was able to trot along side my wife's recumbent trike for the first 2.5 miles. Afterwards, he rode comfortably in our dog trailer. The trail is plenty wide and well maintained. There are mile markers throughout and great signage to ensure the rider is heading the correct direction. There are pullouts if needed. No water or restroom stops until you make it to the Lava Lands visitor center. None at the Sunriver location. The Lava Lands Park Ranger was kind enough to allow my wife to stay on her bike due to her disability. This kind gestured allowed us to check out one of the walking trails. There is also a trail that leads to a waterfall and one that leads to the top of the Lava dome. We highly suggest taking the time to explore this bike trail and the many walking trails at the top.
There is a slight downhill slope on the way towards campus so be aware if you're a newbie rollerskater.
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.
Had a fun time cruising this trail. In some parts there are quite a few homeless people which is a side of the city some people might find uncomfortable. Also you are close to the freeway the whole time. Positives are it’s an easy trail that even kids can do that goes a long way. The creek is beautiful and there are some nice natural areas all along the trail. I will do it again for sure.
Enjoyed this trail from beginning to end. Well maintained with beautiful views of wooded hillsides, covered bridges, old barns, river, flowers, farmland, and the lake. Stayed in Schwarz Park campground about MP 6 of the trail. Accessed the trail about 1/2 mile from campground. First day rode from camp to top end of trail around the lake and up through the farmlands. Second day from camp to town for coffee and baked goodies at the brewery. Afternoons spent exploring the wineries. Very much enjoyed this trail.
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.
I rode the trail from Klamath Falls almost to Dairy. The paved portion was OK. The road crossings have crosswalk lights at some, and you have to yield at others. The cinder portion of the trail was awful. I have ridden on about twenty rail to trail paths around the country, and the cinder portion of this trail was the worst, loose and bumpy. I was riding a cyclocross bike with 33mm slightly knobby tires. A mountain bike with knobby fat tires would have been better, but probably not fun.
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!
Good for a quick ride, relatively flat throughout. Watch out if the cottonwood trees are in bloom, and careful of the traction speed bumps on the bridge portion — they can make for an unsteady ride on a road bike for beginners.
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.
We started the ride at the Lava Visitors Center and rode to Sunriver. The trail in this direction is slightly downhill. The return ride is, of course, slightly uphill. If you are riding with children or novice riders of any age, you may want to start at Sunriver. It’s always more fun to downhill at the end of the ride!
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