Biking at Banks-Vernonia Rail Trail

It was about 20 degree C today. After breakfast, we drove to Banks-Vernonia Rail Trail. It took us almost 30 minutes to reach there. The girls were so excited that we are going for biking again.

The Banks–Vernonia Rail Trail is 21 miles of paved trail between to two Oregon towns of, what else, Banks and Vernonia. The trail links these town with other stops in between—Manning, Tophill, Stub Stewart, Beaver Creek and Buxton—providing a spectacular recreation opportunity for cyclists, walkers, runners or equestrians. Old railroad trestles, wildflowers and wildlife add to the charm of this nature-lover's trail. The trail is steep in places so cyclists are asked to walk their bikes or slow way down for your own safety and that of other trail users. The trail climbs from Banks toward Vernonia, passing through the Hilltop Day Use Area (camping available).

It has 13 bridges and two 700-foot long, 80-foot high railroad trestles at Buxton and Horseshoe, offering amazing views. There's an equestrian bypass at Buxton, which crosses Mendenhall Creek. The route follows an abandoned railroad corridor, which was used between the 1920s and 1957 to haul timber from mills in Vernonia and Keasey to Portland. For five years during the 1960s, the rail was used as a passenger excursion; construction of the trail began in 1991.

We started from Buxtock to Banks. One of the places that we passsed by is Manning.

Love this trail as the condition of the tar road is so good, beautiful scenaries as we passed by some houses, farms, and the girls were amazed when they see tractors, combine harvester, house and cows along the way. We saw some beautiful wildflowers and birds singing here and there. It made the whole journey very relaxing and definitely we will come back again!

We cycled for almost 4 hours, went through almost 20 plus km of uphill and downhill. ES had a bike which attached to Daddy's bike and she cycled for the whole journey. Think she is really doing a good job as we almost cycled none stop, except when we reached Banks, we took a short break. Whereas MSLS fell asleep for awhile...