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Geographic region: Tualatin Hills, Oregon Coast Range
Municipality/town: Banks, Forest Grove
Route configuration: out-and-back
Distance: 15.8 miles
Min/max elevation: 258’/1,160’
Total ascent: 1,953’
Max grade: 9.2% up/9.2% down
Surface: gravel road
Bikes allowed: yes (gravel or mountain bike recommended)
Obstacles: none
Best months: any
Permits: none required
Traffic: very light (a little more traffic the first and last mile or so)
Feels safe to go alone (my personal comfort level): yes
Driving distance from downtown Portland: 29 miles
[Click on buttons above to get route links on Gaia GPS or Ride with GPS]
To get to the start: Locate Time Gas Station at 49950 NW Sunset Hwy, Banks, OR 97106 on Hwy 26 just south of Buxton, OR. Park in the parking lot near the gas station.
Head south on NW Fisher Rd – go 0.2 mi
@0.2 mi: L on NW Staley Rd – go 1.1 mi
@1.3 mi: L on Cemetary Rd – go 0.5 mi
@1.8 mi: Cemetary Rd turns L and becomes NW Strassel Rd – go 6.1 mi
@4.2 mi: straight at 4-way intersection to stay on NW Strassel Rd
@7.9 mi: turn around at Timber Rd and head back on NW Strassel Rd – go 6.1 mi
@14.0: NW Strassel Rd turns R and becomes Cemetary Rd – go 0.5 mi
@14.5 mi: R on NW Staley Rd – go 1.1 mi
@15.6 mi: L on NW Fisher Rd – go 0.2 mi
End @15.8 mi
This is a simple out-and-back course on a rural gravel road that cuts through forest and a little bit of farmland. It has some decent hills in it, but these nor the distance is extreme.
The route starts just off of Highway 26, making its way through residential neighborhoods for a bit before it becomes gradually less populated. There may be some cute and inquisitive goats, cattle, or horses to greet you if you take the time to say hello (which I always do).
As you gradually climb up and over the peak of the route (round the six-mile mark), you will catch some lovely views of the Oregon Coast Range, which may be covered in snow if you choose to do this route in the winter. You will coast downhill for two miles until the turn-around point on NW Timber Road. And though it’s an out-and-back route, the scenery always looks different from coming from the opposite direction. Also, if you started early in the morning, the lighting will be different as well, giving you fresh views.
Geographic region: Tualatin Hills, Oregon Coast Range
Municipality/town: Gales Creek (unincorporated Washington County)
Route configuration: triple out-and-back
Distance: 20.6 miles
Min/max elevation: 287’/1,204’
Total ascent: 2,767’
Max grade: 13.3% up/13.3% down
Surface: ~20 miles gravel road, ~0.5 miles paved road
Bikes allowed: yes (gravel or mountain bike recommended)
Obstacles: none
Best months: any
Permits: none required
Traffic: very light
Feels safe to go alone (my personal comfort level): yes
Driving distance from downtown Portland: 33 miles
[Click on buttons above to get route links on Gaia GPS or Ride with GPS]
To get to the start: Park in the parking lot of Oak Grove Academy at 9125 NW Sargent Rd, Gales Creek, OR 97117.
Head south on NW Sargent Rd – go 150’
R on NW Old Wilson River Rd – go 3.7 mi and turn around
@3.8 mi: head back on NW Old Wilson River Rd – go 3.6 mi
@7.4 mi: R on NW Soda Springs Rd – go 0.3 mi
@7.7 mi: R on NW Potts Rd – go 2.4 mi and turn around
@10.1 mi: head back on NW Potts Rd – go 2.4 mi
@12.5 mi: R on NW Soda Springs Rd – go 3.9 mi and turn around
@16.4 mi: head back on NW Soda Springs Rd – go 4.1 mi
@20.5 mi: R on NW Old Wilson River Rd – go 400’
@20.5 mi: L on NW Sargent Rd – go 150’
End @20.6 mi
Starting in the heart of the tiny town of Gales Creek, this route is a unique three-pronged out-and-back course. And each prong requires a hefty climb, so it’s not an easy one.
This route came to be because of my attempts to make connections where Google Maps said they’d be, but in reality they were not. Each of the three prongs end up on dead-ends roads. But the area is lovely, so I thought, why not mash them all together to make one route?
The first branch, up NW Old Wilson River Road, has some beautiful views of farmland, and is the least vigorous climb of all three. The second branch, up NW Potts Road, has the steepest climb and is a mixture of some farmland and forest, with some more recently clear-cut and replanted areas which allow for some lovely views. The last branch, on Soda Springs Road, is more forested along the way, and dead-ends at a horse ranch. This route can be easily adapted to be shorter just by shortening any one of the three legs. But of course, it’s worth it to see all of it.
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