23miles, 500ft
Terrain. Mainly “faster” bike paths and wide bike ways
I have been toying with writing this up as a route for a while now. It’s a simple route that can be used for a recovery ride for you racer types or as a diverse city ramble at any time, with the option to ride on mainly faster paths and bike lanes, making it flowy and less stop lighty.
The accessibility is great as you can get to it from most places. the premise is a flatter loop around the North / North East of Portland. It escapes the mainstay of the city in just about 4miles and plops you on the Slough Trail, whisking you around Portland International Raceway and over to the industrious area of the Portland docks / shipping and Kelly Point Park. A quick jaunt along the bluffs and dropping past Adidas headquarters and you have just spent 22miles through a few interesting areas.
images in order of the route counter clockwise
If you ride this on a Saturday or Sunday the industrial area will be quiet and you can ride on the road as you wish. During the week the traffic might be busier, but fortunately theres an entirely separate 8ft wide bike path! that runs all the way. Thats what makes this a great ride for anyone, a multitude of faster / direct bike paths and separated paths make this low key and easy.
Rolling this route counter clockwise I prefer.
You start by rolling out of the city down the main avenue of a Northern bike through-pass. Bike lanes are plenty and traffic speed is low on Williams with an escape the urban sort of vibe.
A quick turn onto Vancouver sends you down a mild hill and towards the river, but we turn onto the Slough Path (pics 2,3).
The Slough Path is smooth then a bit gravelly, but easy gravel, with some decent views.
Popping you out near Bebee Lakes (not much to see) and Portland International raceway. The path then throws you into an industrious area of docks and warehouses (pics 3,4). From Bybee lakes the bike path is paved and 8ft wide, separated from traffic. mellow.
A quick additional note to add here: at mile 11ish near Kelly Point , the city signage can be a little misleading and lead you down some dead ends. here is what to look for / straight through dotted path to take.
Then a quick zip around the industrial area, and you pop back into residential neighborhoods of North Portland (5,6,7,8). Then drop down near Adidas headquarters on the crazy eye popping path (pic 9)(all via bike path) and done!
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