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From I-5 in Portland, exit on N. Rosa Parks Way heading west. Take this to the junction with N. Willamette Blvd. Turn right and continue to N. Carey Blvd. Turn right onto Carey. The trailhead is in a cul-de-sac at Carey and N. Princeton.
Large numbers of homeless people live along this trail. The amount of used needles, human feces, and trash is incredible. It is not safe, and definitely not a family-friendly environment.
This is a Public Health & Human Safety Biohazard Risk! Needles and trash everywhere, plus the stench of human feces and urine. I won't even ride my bike between Willamette and Lombard on the trail, let alone walk it! It's a breeding ground for disease.
C'mon, City of Portland, CLEAN IT UP!
I'd upload an image but there is no link.
It was a good idea to develop this trail next to the railroad cut that runs between the Columbia and Willamette rivers. Several issues make it lees than ideal for cycling: The surface is not in good shape due to tree roots. Ok for walking, but jarring for a cyclist. Lots of homeless people living along there and wandering around. Possibly safety issues. The north end of the trail simply ends at Columbia Boulevard, which is a very heavily trafficked street. Signage recommends riding on the street east to the Columbia Wastewater Treatment Morning Kant, where you can connect up
The Peninsula Crossing Trail has connections.
The TrailBear has been scouting them out with Google Earth and a twelve page Metro report: Regional Trails and Greenways. It would appear that the Portland region has more trails than TrailLink shows. It needs a good survey update. Volunteers?
So, what are the connections? What can you do with the PCT?
THE WILLAMETTE BOULEVARD BIKEWAY...
At the south end it connects to the start of the Willamette Boulevard Bikeway - a pair of bike lanes running along the boulevard. The lanes die out shortly after crossing the RR tracks to the west, but continue to the east to N. Rosa Parks Way and then along this street for miles.
The lanes were used in a loop ride:
<http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Marine-Drive-and-Peninsula-Crossing-Loop>
TrailBear leaves bike lanes to those brave and fast roadies. He heads for the Class I trails. "Does not play well with cars."
THE COLUMBIA SLOUGH TRAIL...
Head north to the end of the PCT and turn right. The goal is to connect with a spur of the Columbia Slough Trail that will take you across the slough and connect to the Marine Drive Trail ( West ). The spur ends at the sewer plant.
N. Columbia Blvd. is said to be heavily trafficed and there are no bike lanes, but if you go two blocks to N. Van Houlen Ave. you can dodge across Columbia and down Van Houlen to the backwater of N. Columbia Court. Turn right and two blocks later look for a cross walk leading to what appears to be a RR underpass and the spur trail. No joy? Another block on there is another RR corssing and the trail in front of the plant fence.
The trail swings down around the plant and crosses the slough to T into the Columbia Slough Trail. The trail is in segments with many gaps. Turn right and you can ride over to I-5 along the slough. Turn left and ride the slough a short distance to a spur of the Marine Dr. Trail (Columbia River Trail - West). Now you can ride out to the Smith and Bybee Lakes Wildlife Area and Kelley Point Park.
For the big picture, check out this 40 Mile Loop map:
<http://www.40mileloop.org/maps/40MileLoop_map.pdf>
Ride on!
TrailBear
Searching out Portland trails
Starting out on the South end the trail is 3 sections of nice paved trail. broken up by 2 cross walks , one at N. Lombard and one at N. Fessenden and then ends up at N. Columbia Blvd . From here you can connect to a trail that will take you to the historic community of Kenton or . to the 8.5 mile Columbia River Trail West
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