Day trips out of Portland?

[JGroenke]

My wife and I are riding our bikes from LA to Portland, spending a few days vacationing and then taking a leisurley ride on the the coast highway back to SF before beelining back to LA. I'm looking for the best day trips out of and around Portland. The Columbia Gorge and Astoria look pretty interesting but I'm wondering if any locals or people familiar with hte area have any other ideas? (I haven't been to the PNW in over 20 years) Thanks for any help you can give.

Jeffery

 

[slapnpop]

Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Adams.

If you're going out to Astoria, you should make a coast loop out of it and check out a few other coastal hot-spots.

 

[wingshot]

Take 205 to Washington. Then 14 east to Bingen. Then 141 to Trout Lake go past the Gas station and across the river and take a right on Sunnyside Rd and goto Glenwood. Go through Glenwood toward Goldendale. When the Glenwood-Goldendale rd 'T's with Hwy 142 turn right and goto Klickitat and down to Lyle. At 14 turn left and go east to Dallesport then turn right onto 197 and go south to Dufur. At Dufur take the Dufur Hill road to Hwy 35. At 35 go south to 26. At 26 go west back toward Portland.

A bit of a long day, but you get to see the best of the eastern side of the mtns and the Gorge; IMHO

 

[Aasland]

The Klickitat / Goldendale route is great!

Another, shorter one is to take I84 east to Corbett then Hwy 30 through the gorge to Hood River. You'll pass lots of waterfalls, good opportunities for short hikes and resting. Then take Hwy 35 south around mt Hood and go west on 26 to Government Camp. Go up to Timberline Lodge for outstanding views and explore the historic lodge (good place for lunch too). Just make sure you go to the TIMBERLINE LODGE not the WYEASY DAY LODGE. Then take Hwy 26 back to Portland.

You mentioned Astoria ... to be honest, that isn't the best loop. Hwy 30 to get there is sort of boring, and so is Hwy101 from Seaside to Astoria (plus it is full of traffic). If you're determined to go that way, consider 26 west to 47 through Vernonia and Clatskanie, then take 30 the rest of the way to Astoria. Or consider 202 from Vernonia to Astoria. It's a very tight and windy road but watch for logging trucks ... in the past the pavement hasn't been the best, dunno what it's like now.

I was going to suggest some coast loops but I think you'll get your share of them on your way home. HWY 26 will take you to the tourist trap of Cannon Beach, but Hwy 6 is much more fun and drops you off in Tillamook (and the Tillamook cheese factory). From there go to Cape Meares (lighthouse) and continue past Lookout Cape and Cape Kiwanda. Another way to get to the coast is Hwy 34 from Corvallis to Waldport.

 

[JGroenke]

Thanks for the tips, we're hitting the road in a few hours. Please, put the rain on hold for us!

Jeffery