Motorcycle Day Trips
from & around Portland (PDX), Oregon
disclaimer
These suggested motorcycle routes are for people who live in the
Portland, Oregon area or the surrounding area and want a nice day
trip on scenic and winding back roads. These routes are also for
motorcycle riders who are visiting the Portland area, or elsewhere
in Oregon, as part of a long-distance trip, and want some
interesting rides while here. If something isn't paved, I note
that.
These suggested routes will take you on many winding roads by
historic sites, several villages and small towns, and in one case,
a ferry crossing.
These routes pass through or end in places where there are food
options and at least one gas station (or ends reasonably near
such).
- Forest Grove through
Vernonia and Birkenfeld to Jewell, Oregon, about 100 miles
from Portland, and from there, you have several options to
either go back to Portland or to go on to the coast. Make it
even longer and go all the way to Astoria or Seaside, or it can
be combined with some other trips on this page.
- Nestucca River Road is
50 miles of twisties, and connects Carlton to Beaver on Highway
101, about 15 miles south of Tillamook. Note: Nestucca River
Road is now ENTIRELY paved. You can go all the way to Tillamook
and the Oregon Coast, or, you can make a left at Bible Creek
Road and then via Willamina
Creek Road (and have lunch in Willamina) and on back to
the PDX area, making it at least a 168 mile loop altogether. OR,
you can go up Bible Creek Road from Nestucca and then make a
left onto NW Bald Mountain Access Road, stopping at Sheridan
Peak Overlook (there's a pit toilet there). It's all paved.
These are my favorite local roads for motorcycle touring
- scenic, twisty, and usually not a lot of traffic.
- Mount Hebo via Siuslaw National
Forest Service Road 14. This is 18miles of dirt and
gravel, much of it uphill, in beautiful forested lands and
brings yo to the top of the mountain. Combined with 47 and Nestucca River Road on the
way there, and 22 and 18 on the way back, this is a
less-than-200 mile day trip from Portland (161 miles round trip
from Forest Grove, Oregon).
- To Trask River
Campground and then through the woods to Nestucca River Road.
This is mostly paved, except for the 14 miles through the woods
to Nestucca River Road, and one part of that gravel route is
challenging. Adding in an additional paved loop, it's 150 miles
of fun. Can be combined with the Mount Hebo route easily.
- Foss Road / Nehalem Road to
Foss Road, which includes about 10 miles of gravel and
passes three primitive public campgrounds, and returns you to
Highway 26 or state road 53, depending on which direction you
take. If you choose to go all the way to the coast and 101 then,
from there, if you have enough daylight, you can do any of
these, but you may run out of daylight to get back to Portland.
- Twisties to Vernonia &
some gravel: Forest Grove to Vernonia to Scappoose to
North Plains & back to Forest Grove (Oregon) - 96 miles,
including 16 miles of very twisty gravel on Dixie Mountain Road.
Route is easily shortened. Perfect road for practicing your
gravel skills. From Highway 30, turn South onto Old Rainier Road
/ Old US Highway 30. In less than two miles, you will make a
nasty uphill hairpin turn to go up Apiary Road. This gets you
back to 47 at a point a few miles north of Vernonia.
- Any of the through roads going South or West from US Highway
30 between Astoria and the St. John's Bridge. These include NW
Germantown Road, NW Newberry Road, NW McNamee Road, NW Cornelius
Pass Road, NW Logie Trail Road, NW Old St. Helens Hwy / Rocky
Point Road, Dutch Canyon Road (paved) to Otto Miller Road
(unpaved) to Dixie Mountain (unpaved), Scappoose Vernonia Hwy
and the Mist-Clatskanie Hwy.You could spend all day just going
back and forth from Highway 30 on these amazing oh-so-twistie
roads.
- Tillamook State Forest in Oregon, from Cochran Road and the
town of Timber. This is mostly gravel. I did it in 2014 and it
was easy in terms of road conditions - packed gravel, gentile
inclines. But then I tried it in 2017 and it was incredibly
challenging: thick gravel and washouts that had been replaced
with baby head rocks instead of gravel. You can do a loop inside
the forest, but things aren't marked very well, so bring a GPS
if you want to stay on main roads. No OHV permit required if you
stay on the main gravel roads. Tons of unmarked forest roads
everywhere.
- Willamette River Motorcycle Route,
a two-three hour trip South of Portland, Oregon.
- New Era through
Beavercreek to Mollala, a 30-40 minute motorcycle ride
South of Portland, Oregon.
- Canby, Mulino, Mt. Angel
& Silverton, a two-hour motorcycle ride South of
Portland, Oregon (how long it takes depends on how often you
stop). Probably the most popular motorcycle day trip from
Portland. Make it even longer and go all the way to Salem.
- Columbia Gorge Motorcycle
Route on WA-14 & Historic Columbia River Highway To
Maryhill (Stonehenge) & back, 200+ miles. Something easier
to do from East Portland than west of the city, at least in one
day.
Mt. Hood and Detroit Lake are also nice day trips from Portland and
very easy to map out yourself - though I prefer all of the above to
those, probably because there's much less traffic, more twisting
roads, and I just think all of the above is prettier.
A route I still haven't mapped is to various Oregon
covered bridges.
I also haven't mapped out a very decent, short route around the
tiny town of St. Paul. Very easy route - few hills, gentle turns.
Also see roadsnw.com. Has
maps by region - Eastern Washington, Western Washington, Idaho,
Eastern Oregon, Western Oregon - and by type: Twisty Roads,
Sweeper Roads and Adventure Roads.
Of course, there's even more possibilities, if you include more
forest roads. If you do choose forest roads, remember that some
trails require an OHV permit.
Your suggestions for additional routes would be welcomed by me!
Here's some photos from some of these day trips.
And now this word from my husband:
Adventure Motorcycle Luggage
& Accessories
www.coyotetrips.com
Tough, Durable Motorcycle Fuel Containers in two different
sizes,
Top Case Adapter Plates,
Facet Fuel Pump with & without holder (for Honda XRV750
Africa Twin, holder fits RD07 & RD07A only),
& Much More (check coyotetrips.com
frequently for latest offerings - they change!).
Designed or Curated by an experienced adventure motorcycle world
traveler
Based in Oregon. The designer & curator doesn't just sell
these items - they are what he uses himself (& me, his
wife). Nothing here hasn't been FULLY tested by the designer
himself.
You won't find these exact products anywhere else;
these are available only from Coyotetrips.
_______________________________________________
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Quick Links
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Advice for camping
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