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The Willamette Valley's gentle topography and high bird diversity make it the perfect place for birding by bicycle.
As you pedal along in the open air, you'll see and hear many birds that you might miss from a car.
Scenic rural landscapes and bicycle-friendly communities will add to your enjoyment of this uniquely Oregon style of birding.
For a short bicycle outing, try one of the many sites for which bicycle directions are included in the
trail guide.
Longer trips are possible along most of the loop routes.
Please check the Ride Oregon website for updates on
the best options for safe and enjoyable bicycle travel throughout the Willamette valley.
Weather
The most comfortable time of year for bicycling is the drier period, which usually runs from May through October.
However, with good rain gear you can enjoy bicycle birding even in the wet months of winter and early spring.
Snow accumulations are rare on the valley floor, but freezing rain may occur December through February.
Practical Tips
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One challenge for bicycle-birding is how to carry your optics.
For binoculars, several types of harnesses are sold commercially. These keep binoculars from dangling while you lean over the pedals,
yet have elastic straps that allow you to bring the binculars up for quick viewing of birds that you encounter along your ride.
Spotting scopes with tripods may be carried upside-down in panniers and secured with a bungee cord, as in the photo at left (courtesy of Vjera Thompson), to save precious seconds when you come upon ducks or shorebirds while biking past wetlands.
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Bicycle-Birding Field Trips
An excellent way to learn about bicycle-birding is to join a field trip.
In the Corvallis area, bicycle-birding pioneers Don Boucher and Lisa Millbank offer free field trips each year,
from late May through September. See their
Neighborhood Naturalist
website for upcoming events.
Bicycle Routes in the Willamette Valley region
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Banks-Vernonia State Trail
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This 21-mile paved, former railroad grade open to non-motorized use traverses riparian habitat in the northern Coast Range. See Columbia Loop description for more information.
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Scappoose-Vernonia Linear Trail
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Not yet officially open, this trail is planned to connect from the Scappoose bottomlands to the north end of the Banks-Vernonia State Trail.
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40 Mile Loop
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A loop route through the Portland metro area that now comprises more than 140 miles linking wetlands, buttes, fields and pastures, neighborhoods and parks throughout Multnomah County.
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Canby Ferry Classic
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Bicycle route past Camassia Natural Area, Mollala State Park, and Willamette Falls.
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Alpine Century Ride
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These 50- and 100-mile loop routes are through challenging forested terrain along the Alsea Falls Loop in the Coast Range, passing close to Marys Peak.
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Row River Trail
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A 17-mile route along a former railroad grade, from Cottage Grove past Dorena Lake to within a few miles of Sharps Creek Recreational Site.
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Presenting Sponsors:
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Fiscal Sponsor:
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This project was made possible by a grant from the Oregon Tourism Commission.
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