The Forest Grove – Vernonia Populaire is a pleasant loop through Washington and Columbia Counties with a great mix of gently rolling roads, a good climb, and 20 miles of car free multi-use path. I left work early on Thursday 17 May for a workers’ ride – the Populaire will be Saturday 26 May and starts at 10AM, giving plenty of time to sleep in, take the MAX out of Portland, and arrive at the start in Forest Grove.
I took the MAX to the end-of-the-line in Hillsboro, Hatfield Government Center which is five miles from the start at the McMenamins Grand Lodge. From there, I walked North to Main St, took a left and rode along until the intersection with Baseline/HWY 8 and took a right. Stay on Baseline for four miles and then turn right on Quince/HWY 47. Take a left into the Grand Lodge parking lot and you’re at the start. (Heading home after the ride, you take Baseline going East and turn left onto SW Adams Ave (there’s an Elmer’s on the corner).
A strong North wind made for a slow first half of the route and suggested that Gales Creek is well named. That said, this was one of only a few times I’ve been on this road on a sunny day and I greatly enjoyed the pastoral scenery and occasional alpaca sighting. I was happy to reach the more heavily forested Timber Road and exchange my headwind for some elevation gain. The first info control is near the summit, just before the ramp flattens out briefly and descends. I just couldn’t bear to further interrupt the descent which already has some sharp switchbacks and a railroad crossing.
In Vernonia I decided that sitting down outside of the Black Bear Cafe and eating a sandwich would be better than a fast finish time. I did my best to pretend that sitting in the sunshine was warm and pleasant, but the wind made it quite chilly. They had the radio on and I heard the weatherman say that the wind was blowing at 14mph from the North West. Luckily, this is the halfway point and the loop returns South from here via the pleasant and carfree Banks-Vernonia Linear Park.
I made good time on the nearly empty trail and enjoyed the late evening sun casting shadows through the trees. The info control on the trail (which is also a bathroom) comes just before Tophill – where you will actually descend an absurdly sharp set of switchbacks (signs say to walk bikes, but you can ride down easily if you use your brakes) and then ride back up the the trail. One thing to note is that just after the info control, there is some construction on the path, so take care as the path gets quite narrow and I don’t want anyone falling across the orange netting and into a giant pit. From Tophill, it is a gradual descent all the way into Banks and the flat for the last few miles into Forest Grove and the finish at Grand Lodge.
Despite at least 25 minutes off the bike, I did the loop in 4h50m. Please keep in mind as you ride that the path from Vernonia to Banks is very popular for cyclists and pedestrians, and while I didn’t see many people out on a Thursday afternoon, there are likely to be more on a Saturday. Pass with care and a bell or “hello” and try to remember that we’re not racing, so slowing down around pedestrians and their dogs doesn’t hurt.
More photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/theoelliot/sets/72157629787536912/
Theo Elliot 