Oregon bike trails are full of backcountry downhill loops, beautiful rivers, impressive waterfalls, and incredible wildlife sites. From short trails to more marathon trails, all bikers at every level will find what they are looking for when experiencing biking through Oregon.
Here are the five best bike trails in Oregon, according to Alek Asaduryan from Yescycling.com.
Oregon Timber Trail
Are you ready to go bikepacking? Oregon Timber Trail is 670 miles and four tiers long. The trail takes about 20-30 days to complete depending on the number of miles you complete per day.
The trail spans from California to the Columbia River Gorge and runs from south to north. It offers breathtaking country forest views during your journey.
Be sure to have a decent mountain bike because most of the landscape is made up of trails where you need these bikes to navigate the 60% singletrack terrain expertly.
If you can’t go bikepacking for almost an entire month, there are different routes listed on their website that are about 5-50 miles long for all bike novices and experts alike. You can complete these routes in 1-2 days while you camp out on the trail or at a local hotel.
You can also try their suggested tier loops that can usually be completed in a devoted 3-day weekend.
If you’re in it for the long haul, take a look at their Long Distance guide to get bikepacking tips and GPS locations, so you always know where you are.
McKenzie River Trail
The McKenzie River Trail is about 25 miles long and can take an entire day (about 4-5 hours) to complete if you are devoted to the rigorous mini journey. It’s mostly a downhill journey.
Along the way, you can stop to take photos as keepsakes of the natural sights such as Tamolich Pool, otherwise known as the Blue Pool. The water is a crystal clear blue color that is captivating to observe.
Don’t forget to stop for a picture at the Sahalie and Koosah Falls. They are 2 of the 3 major waterfalls that are present along this trail. Have your picnic lunch nearby one of the waterfalls for a peaceful and captivating view while you eat!
You can visit Cog Wild and/or Horse Creek Lodge & Outfitters while biking the Mckenzie River Trail. Cog Wild can give you mountain bike tours for additional adventures and never before seen sights on the McKenzie Trail.
For about half the journey (the first 10 miles), you will travel the black diamond portion, where you will see black pumice and lava before hitting the more intermediate are of twists and turns going down the trail. Don’t worry! These are old lava flows from long ago that are not active anymore.
If you want to go camping after conquering the McKenzie Trail, Paradise Campground comes up towards the end so that you can set up camp there for the evening to recharge for the next day.
Spence Mountain Loop
The Spence Mountain Loop is one of the smaller trails on our list that clocks only at 9.7 miles. It goes in a large loop, so be sure to have an item that will act as your starting marker, follow the signs, and have a mileage tracker handy.
It spans from the South Ridge Trail to the Upper Hooligan Trail and is rated as an intermediately difficult trail. You will start on the South Ridge Trail and travel to the Summit Spur. This will take you from Junction 2 to Junction 3. Once you finish Junction 3, you will arrive at the Upper Hooligan Trail to complete your journey.
This is a quick bike ride that can be done in a couple of hours or less, depending on your endurance and how many breaks you choose to take during the ride. Ensure you have a mountain bike to conquer this trail as it is a hilly backcountry trail.
You will be nearby Klamath Falls, Oregon, and pass by a small lake during the bike ride. Lunch would be perfect nearby the lake if you like picnicking in nature as well.
Fanno Creek Greenway Trail
The Fanno Creek Greenway Trail is apart of the Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District. It is known as one of the most traveled recreation trails in the district to offer biking, hiking, and nature seeing entertainment.
It’s a little shorter than the Spence Mountain Loop because it measures only 8.3 miles. The trail is easy to access at the starting point. Begin at the Garden Home Recreation Center by parking your car there and gearing up for your bike ride.
You’ll pass through parks, wetlands, and country trails during your journey. The Scholls Ferry underpass is sometimes flooded, so check the current water levels before going out there and the proposed tips for a safe crossing.
Take a break at Vista Brook Park to play a basketball or tennis game as they have accommodating sports courts for these games. If you have older children who are accompanying this bike ride with you, there’s a playground at this park for them to take a fun break.
You have the option of starting from Camille Park. Check the website link above for more details on how to navigate the Fanno Creek Greenway Trail via this starting point.
Stop by and say hello to the waterfowl and turtles that live at the Koll Center Wetlands next to Greenway Park. This makes for great photo memory keepsakes, too!
Champoeg State Heritage Area Loop
The Champoeg State Heritage Area Loop is the smallest trail on our list and is only 3.4 miles long. It’s an easy trail for biking novices to start out small before experiencing longer journeys.
Be mindful that while this trail is family-friendly for older children to come along for the bike ride, it is also a crowded trail. Stay aware of your surroundings and respectful to the bikers and hikers around you.
Champoeg was the first town in Willamette Valley where the valley settlers from the Oregon Trail arrived from their journey.
Start out by going to the Visitor Center to receive a map of the state park and to get a historical background about the area. A barn from 1862 has been restored into a landmark.
Visit the Newell Pioneer Village in between your bike ride for more historical background on Oregon and even fun reenactments for children and adults. It is $6 admission per person.
To use the trail, you will have to pay a $5 one day use fee to access it. Unfortunately, no pets are allowed. You can get guided tours of the trail in the summer to get a more in-depth and scenic experience beyond biking through it.
