Banks-Vernonia Oregon State Trail Favorite NW Bike Ride

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Banks-Vernonia State Trail

near Portland, Banks Vernonia trail, car free, just bikes, people, horses.

NW Bike Rides

Only about an hour drive from Portland is a 21 mile rail-to-trail paved path the Banks-Vernonia State Trail (PDF) providing a fun bike ride in the Pacific Coast Range of Oregon.

The path is multi-use shared by bikes, pedestrians and equestrians.

*Always be cautious approaching horses from behind.

The trail will take you over many bridges and train trestles. It's a fairly common rail to trail type of path.

Of course, we have many options for bike riding in Oregon. Banks-Vernonia State Park and Trail is definitely a fun choice. If you live in the Portland Metro area, this trail not only offers car free riding and beautiful scenery, it's also close enough to be enjoyed often.

Crown Z Trail and Banks-Vernonia Trail loop

Crown Zellerbach Trail aka the Crown Z Trail

The Crown Z Trail is in Columbia County and it is a recently completed trail that lets you do a long loop!

Crown Z trail starts in Scappoose on the Multnomah Channel at Chapman Landing.

There are multiple trail heads along the 23 miles of the trail to Vernonia Lake where you can jump onto the trail, like the Pisgah Trailhead.

Lots of local cyclists have shared their tips and routes. There are a lot of ways you can connect to this trail system by bike, which says a lot about how good our developing trail system is getting!

There are also multiple trail heads with parking lots if you are more in the mood for a short walk, picnic, or driving your bike out to a spot to jump on the trail.

The Crown Z is a lot of different surfaces, lots of gravel. There are public restrooms, picnic tables and they do have bicycle repair stations along the way! It is mixed use on this segment too, which means walkers and horses.

The Crown Z is a historic old logging trail which will take you through rural areas of Columbia County out to the Vernonia Lake in 23 miles. Once you get to the town of Banks, you are off the car free path and you can grab a snack, lunch or keep on to the next car free Banks Vernonia Trail.

People do ride this completely without a car riding hwy 30 to pickup the trail. It's beautiful when you get out there.

Once you are on the trail, there is a bit of climbing, but it is moderate mostly on the way out to Vernonia with some shorter steep parts.