America's 'First Scenic Bikeway' Is A Riverfront Route Winding Through Oregon's Scenic Wine Country

Exploring Oregon's wine country reveals a bounty of treasured experiences, from this paradise of vintage trailers offering a dreamy retro retreat to this secret wine region for finding rare varietals and edgy, innovative blends. It's also where you'll find America's first official Scenic Bikeway, a winding route spanning 134 miles through gorgeous Oregon countryside. The Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway is appropriately named, as it transports you slowly past the most picturesque parts of this wine-producing region, including vineyards, the Willamette River, charming rural towns, dramatic mountains, and wildlife refuges.

Now, 134 miles may seem pretty daunting, but there's absolutely no need to rush and the maps and green-and-white WV signage help guide you. Many riders opt to take their time with a multi-day journey. This is made even easier (and cheaper) by many of the state parks along the route offering overnight biker camping for less than $10 per person. Though if you prefer the comfier confines of an actual room and bed, you can find these at various towns along the way, such as Salem, Albany, and Brownsville.

Most riders begin the multi-day ride at the Champoeg State Heritage Area, which has overnight parking, then get the train back to Salem once they've reached the end. It ends up being a little over 165 miles of cycling when you factor in the ride to the train station in Eugene and the one back to Champoeg from Salem. If you don't want to ride the full trail, you can opt for a single section. There are a few popular ones that offer different experiences, such as the 30-mile Champoeg to Willamette Mission loop past hop fields (only in summer or fall), which also has overnight camping facilities.

Willamette Valley is ideal for traveling slower and taking in the sights, smells, and sounds. Although it is accessible year-round, summer is the most popular time, with warm, drier weather, vibrant flowers, and farmers' roadside stalls selling local fruit between April and November. "When we jump on our bikes, every single time, we say we have the best backyard in the world," a local cyclist said in an article for the Willamette Valley site. "This is beautiful countryside, especially in the summertime. It's heaven for cycling."

Heaven may be an apt description. The route follows the tranquil Willamette River all the way to Eugene, passing hazelnut and walnut orchards, fields of rye grass, and welcoming towns. The region's wineries, such as Ankeny Vineyard, will no doubt entice you off your bike with their delicious pinot noir and pinot gris varietals. Ankeny Wildlife Refuge is another highlight, thanks to its population of Canada geese. You may also want to fuel up on tacos and enchiladas in Salem, where you can find a ridiculous amount of great Mexican restaurants.

Most of the bikeway is relatively flat and ideal for intermediate riders, but there is one steep section just after Brownsville on the final leg. It's about 600 feet in elevation and eventually levels out with a much milder incline until Armitage County Park. Fortunately, there are plenty of inviting places to rest and refuel each day. Albany has hotels, B&Bs, and numerous bar and grills clustered in its downtown area along the river, while Brownsville has tranquil cafes and campsites. Part of the Oregon Scenic Bikeway program, Willamette Valley is just one of many locally nominated routes for riders throughout the state, which is also home to this artsy bike-friendly city full of cascading waterfalls, historic charm, and eclectic shops.