Portland to Eugene: Bike Touring on the Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway

It's funny how inspiration comes from the most random places. The whole idea to bike from Portland to Eugene and back was devised after watching the 1969 classic movie, Easy Rider, which has become one of my all-time personal favorites. In case you're unfamiliar, the movie is about two guys, who after making a big drug deal that is supposed to set them straight, decide to create a new life for themselves and travel throughout the U.S. by motorcycle. It's an iconic counterculture film that addresses issues with America, non-conformism, alternative lifestyles, as well as many other topics that are still relevant to this day. As much as I would love to explore the country by motorcycle, I don't own one, nor do I know how to ride one at this time, so my bike was the less sexy alternative.

It took me a few days to plan the trip and gather all of the materials needed. You can see how I went about preparing for this tour here. One of the many beautiful things about Oregon is that the state has designed numerous scenic bikeways that pass between cities. Additionally, most of the highways accommodate for bike travel by implementing extra wide shoulder lanes so there really aren't any problems traveling by bike. There isn't a designated bike route that connects Portland to Eugene directly, but the Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway covers most of the ground, starting around 30 miles south of Portland and ending about 5 miles north of Eugene. The journey totals in at about 175 miles in one direction. I managed to complete the tour, round-trip, in 5 days, so it's definitely manageable. The speed and duration of your trip is up to you. 

I think the easiest way to break down how I conquered the route is to separate it into different segments.

Segment 1: Portland to Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway Starting Point

In order to reach the Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway starting point, located at Champoeg State Park, you have to bike about 34 miles south of Portland. The route I took lead me through Hillsdale, Multnomah Village, Tigard, down to Tualitin and Sherwood, before finally reaching Newberg, the last town before the state park. I think the easiest route would be to just ride the 99W southeast toward Newberg. The shoulder lane is wide enough that you won't be too close to passing cars on the highway. You will be exposed to the most traffic during this portion of the ride, but once you begin on the Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway, passing vehicles will be sporadic on the back-roads.

Champoeg State Park will be the first of your major milestones on your journey.  The state park has a rest area, an information center, as well as a hiker/biker camp ground if you decide to stay here for the night. I got a bit confused here because I wasn't sure if the bike route started inside the park or not. If you want to continue onto the Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway, you don't have to enter the state park. The route begins on the highway.

Segment 2: Champoeg State Park to Willamette Mission State Park

I was overcome with excitement once I actually reached the scenic bikeway. At this point, you can continue to follow your GPS if you'd like, but the bikeway is well-signed. Anytime you need to make a turn, you can guarantee there will be a visible sign telling you to.

Most of ride between these two state parks consists of farm land. Your senses will be filled with the sweet aroma of grapes and berries as you pass through vineyards and wineries. Stop by one and pick up a bottle of wine if you'd like. Numerous species of birds can be seen as you make your way toward Eugene. Be sure to stop and enjoy your ride. Reaching your destination is only but part of the trip. 

Willamette Mission State Park is only 19 miles away from Champoeg State Park. Since I began my journey in the afternoon, I decided to camp at Willamette Mission for the night. Camping only cost $5 per night, which was the cheapest price that I ran in to, unless you wanted to wild camp. Find out more about Willamette Mission here.

Segment 3: Willamette Mission State Park to Brownsville

Willamette Mission State park is only 14 miles outside of Salem, so if you want to visit Salem or pick up some supplies, you don't have to ride too far. I found Salem to be a cute little city with everything you need there. The bikeway passed by the State Capital building, which I thought was a nice addition to the route. I stopped in Salem to charge my phone and pick up some more food supplies and then hit the road again. 

This portion of the route begins to pick up in terms of scenery. You'll come in contact with the Willamette River several times. You'll still pass through miles and miles of farm land, which is deserving of appreciation as well, but you'll start to see different shades of green. There is also a one mile climb as you leave the town of Jefferson, so be mindful of that. 

Now I covered a lot of ground in one day to make up for my late start the previous day, but there are several towns along the way that you can stop and camp at if necessary, like Independence and Albany. 

Brownsville seemed like the perfect town to rest at. In case you didn't know, Brownsville's claim to fame is that the movie Stand By Me filmed some scenes here. It's a quaint little town with a few bars and restaurants, as well as a market. You can also camp here at Pioneer Park for $10. 

Segment 4: Brownsville to Eugene

From Brownville you are only 32 miles away from the end of the Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway. The finally stretch of the bikeway is a combination of many things. It is easily the most beautiful part of the ride, yet at the same time, it is also the most difficult. As you leave Brownsville you face the highest climb of the ride, a hill with an elevation of 740 feet. The climb was manageable, but definitely a challenge carrying the extra weight. All you can do is focus on your breath and take it one pedal at a time. Once you hit the peak and begin your descent, it's easy the rest of the way. Keep in mind that once you enter Lane County, you will encounter the worst conditioned roads of the ride up until you reach the town of Coburg. Hopefully you have spare tubes just in case. Before you know it, you'll arrive at Armitage County Park, which is the end of the Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway. They have bike camping available for a pricey fee of $20. If you want to continue on to Eugene, just follow the highway for about 5 miles.

This is definitely an enjoyable bike tour, although turning around and making the return trip can be a bit disgruntling. I ended up ditching the scenic bikeway and returning home on the highway just to save some time. You can also take on portions of the bikeway if you'd like. It's not necessary to bike the whole thing on one go. I definitely look forward to exploring more of the scenic bikeways in Oregon.

For more information on the Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway, visit RideOregonRide or Oregon.Gov.