The Tickle Creek ride heads East towards Boring, Oregon then turns South toward Oregon City to make a nice East side loop. Tickle Creek is one of those rides that gives all the whole ride and starts off flat for a nice warm up to get you and your group in the mood.
The ride starts pretty mild and just before the middle it pops with some amazing views of mount hood on a clear day before rolling into some lush green less traveled roads that cut through heading south from the Boring to Barton area.
I cannot count how many times I have ridden this route, but it’s many and from the first time to now it’s an amazing ride with friends or solo for a thinker. An overriding benefit of this route is that it’s not too hilly, there’s 2500ft over 60miles which is really not that much.
Mileage: 60Miles
Elevation 2,500ft
Terrain: Road, 35% car free
Ride Route: here Ridewithgps or 2023 edited version (read below & comments)
Bicycle: Road bike
Services: Multiple stops available inc food
Let’s Start the ride:
Starting at Water Ave coffee for some great pre ride fuel, the route takes you east through the inner east side and up over mt.tabor for some nice views of the city (bit of a cloudy rainy day when I took these) and to get your legs going.
At mile 6.5 you pop onto the bike path, from here you have 14.5miles of pretty flat terrain, At mile 9.2 on the bikepath you will turn LEFT to head East, be careful here sometimes busy. Just before this intersection you will see the mural (photo below) This all bike path until you get to Boring Oregon. Along the way are a few rest rooms.
You arrive in Boring at about 22miles in. Stop by Mc Call Country Store if you need to grab anything. From here the ride will start to get more hilly and a little more remote. Cross the main road and head down Richey Rd, this area can have some traffic so watch out. Take a Left on SE Church Road, on the corner a quaint little church
From here you will wind your way to Tickle Creek Rd, and at mile 24, on a clear day you will have a great view of mt.Hood to the east followed by a quick sprightly descent and a good climb up Tickle Creek Rd, watch out for at least a couple of cool rusted out cars and have a chuckle at the local’s signs on neighbours gates (mile 25.4)
After some brisk climbing and sweet views, at mile 28 you will run into Highway 211, you will be turning right and will notice the road looks like a rollercoaster! be careful here, wait for a good gap in traffic, at the far side, top of the rollercoaster hill you will be turning off, so it’s a short distance (only 0.7miles) but the climb up the hill can be deceptive and is taxing for the last 0.2miles. I have found people to be pretty courteous on this hill when passing you on the way up. (Unfortunately there is not a workaround to this part)
At the top of the rollercoaster- RIGHT TURN ON JUDD
Judd road is quiet and has some great views off to the south Estacada hills and Mile 31 marks the start of a fast descent, if you pedal hard you will hit 50mph easily, but I don’t recommend that unless you have ridden this route a few times and know what to expect. At mile 33.3 there’s a food and water Stop if needed in Barton Market next to the 76 gas station, a nice store but the clerks can be a little feisty.
Just after the store stop, the road crosses the Clackamas river on a fine bridge <pic> from here it weaves down Clackamas river rd towards Oregon City.
UPDATE 8/2023: Over the past few years tis area has become busier with cars on the road, there has been quite a few traffic changes nearby that have diverted more cars onto Clackamas River Drive. If you happen to be cycling on a busy day or prefer less cars I put a diversion route here that goes around the area, it’s not as pretty and has a little bit more climbing
The route then weaves through Oregon City just passing by as it heads back North towards Portland, we will take a couple of interesting back routes to avoid some traffic.
Turning onto S Agnes Ave at mile 46, don’t worry about the Dead End signs, these are not true! Head towards the road closed sign and you will see you can sneak through.
These roads sneak us through to the Park Place Bridge (Clackamas County, Oregon)
Built 1921, Abandoned 1977, Restored for pedestrians in 1986 that goes over the Clackamas river and connects to the abandoned 82nd Ave.
Following the route eventually gets you to River Road, where the shoulders are nice and wide.
After turning left on Umatilla (Mile 55) follow the bike signs to get you to the Springwater trails which leads back into Portland, where you can also get a glimpse of the new Tillacum bridge at around the 59mile mark
The route will put you where you started (just next door to Water Ave Coffee)
I did this loop Saturday August 19. Mile 28.1 to 44.3 has little to no bike lane. A couple stretches were pretty scary. I’d recommend avoiding this section on hot summer days when there’s a ton of traffic associated with the Barton to Carver river float (I think it’s safe to assume a decent amount of this traffic involves people who have had a few beers on the river…).
I almost rode it Sat also, I rode Bull Run instead.
So the roads you are speaking of are : the hill climb on 211, SE Judd Road, Clackamas Highway, Bakers ferry Rd, South Springwater Road, South Clackamas River Dr ,
hill climb on 211 – it is what it is, I have found more people to be courteous, its also very short.
SE Judd Road – yeah theres no shoulder, it’s a countryside road but it’s an amazing road mostly downhill with no traffic
Clackamas Highway – its a 0.4 mile necessity. I can see how it can be busy sometimes, but its a wide road and there’s a decent size shoulder.
Bakers Ferry Rd (just after the store) – I have never had a problem here, lanes are smaller but its a lower to moderate traffic road.
now maybe to the crux of the matter.
South Springwater and Clackamas River Drive
Of recent years, I can certainly see on a peak summer day that there will be a lot of traffic on these to and from and to Oregon City side.
Over the years Clackamas River drive has become a lot busier, somewhere the traffic patterns changed and forced more cars on here, it went from a quiet great road to a normal, moderate traffic road most times. I’m disappointed at this also. Maybe now it’s just a Sunday road.
There is a route around this, which is Hatton, Gronlund and Forsythe which I have ridden a few times, it’s a little more elevation and doesn’t have the curb appeal of a quiet Clackamas River Drive bt might be a good option for days which you know are going to be busy.
Ride Safe