Commissioner Fish in front of a map of
Forest Park at a roundtable
discussion last April.
(Photo © J. Maus)

Exactly one year ago today, newly elected City Commissioner Nick Fish made a bold proclamation about the future of mountain bike access in Forest Park. Following an unprecedented groundswell of community enthusiasm and activism calling more bike access in the 5,000 acre urban natural area, Fish told me, "I think there is a need and there is a demand and my job is to see how we can make that happen. I’m not interested in delaying this.”

Fresh off his election to City Council and as the newly appointed commissioner in charge of the Parks bureau, Fish said he brought a "fresh look" at the situation. He continued:

"My interest is not in studying this to death, it’s seeing what we can actually do. I assume everybody comes to the table in the good faith. I am committed to finding ways to significantly expand our current inventory of single track trails."

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NWTA President Tom Archer.
(Photos © J. Maus)

In light of the discovery of an unauthorized bike trail in the northern reaches of Forest Park, I spoke about the situation this morning with Tom Archer, President of the non-profit off-road advocacy group the Northwest Trail Alliance.

Archer was clearly disappointed by the discovery and expressed hope that attention on this incident will not distract from the ongoing effort to increase off-road trail riding opportunities in the region. (Archer is a member of the Forest Park Single Track Cycling Committee formed by City Parks Commissioner Nick Fish.) (more...)

Parks employee Dan Moeller with the
illegal trail behind him.
- Slideshow below -
(Photo © J. Maus)

Portland Parks & Recreation staff have discovered an unauthorized mountain bike trail built in the northern end of Forest Park. Parks spokesperson Beth Sorensen said the trail was found at the end of last week in "one of the most pristine habitat areas in the park."

According to Sorensen, the trail is "pretty damaging" and whoever built it cut down trees, removed large rocks, and dammed a stream. The trail was created where elk and deer are active and Sorensen says it has "destroyed an area of highest habitat value." The location of the trail is about 200 yards off of the Forest Park entrance on Harborton Drive, about 10 miles north of downtown Portland. (more...)

Commissioner Nick Fish talks
Forest Park and "freak-outs".
(Photos © J. Maus)

It's been almost one year since citizen activist Frank Selker re-energized the issue of increased bicycle access in Forest Park. Since then his effort has sparked widespread momentum for the issue and now the City of Portland's Bureau of Parks and Recreation has convened a committee to develop recommendations and move the issue forward.

However, last week two members of that committee made headlines when they voiced strong opposition to the idea. (more...)

Former Parks Bureau staffer
Gregg Everheart enjoys a rare piece of
Forest Park single track.
(Photos © J. Maus)

Ever since citizen activist Frank Selker launched his grassroots campaign to garner support for more bicycle access in Forest Park, progress has followed at a steady clip.

The community responded quickly, business support followed, and even City Commissioner Nick Fish added his support to the effort. But all along, even as momentum and the coalition of advocacy grew around the issue, opposition simmered under the lid. Now, with the formation of an official Parks Bureau committee to look into how increased bike access will play out, those opposing voices are being heard. (more...)

The Forest Park Conservancy (FPC), in collaboration with a range of stakeholders, has released the final version of its White Paper on Off-Road Cycling in Forest Park.

The paper (download PDF here) is an effort to take a closer look at existing conditions and issues around increased access for bikes in the 5,000+ acre urban park.
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At a meeting in City Hall last night, Parks Commissioner Nick Fish (in suit in upper left corner) learned more about urban mountain biking issues from a host of experts and advocates.
(Photos © J. Maus)

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Universal Cycles storefront at
NW 18th and Thurman.
(Photos © J. Maus)

Universal Cycles in northwest Portland has committed $10,000 a year for the next five years in order to help push local advocates and community leaders into creating more singletrack mountain bike trails in Forest Park.

Universal general manager Mike Doolittle told me this morning that, after reading about citizen activist Frank Selker's plan and realizing that the trail idea was gaining momentum, he decided now was the right time for his company to step up. (more...)

Local mountain bike advocates are
gearing up for a day of trail
work in Forest Park.
(Photo © J. Maus)

This Saturday, trails throughout Forest Park will be full of mountain bikers. Is it a rogue protest for equal access? No. The off-road riding enthusiasts will have their hands on shovels and pick-axes, not on their handlebars. They'll be putting in sweat equity to maintain trails as part of Forest Park's second annual Day of Stewardship. The event is hosted by the Forest Park Conservancy.

With excitement building around the idea of increased access for bicycles in the park, advocates hope for a big turnout.
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The idea of mountain bike access in Forest Park has been an issue for Portlanders for over two decades. Local advocacy group, the Portland United Mountain Pedalers (PUMP) was founded over twenty years ago specifically to counter threats of bikes being prohibited from the park altogether (currently, bikes are allowed on all fire access roads and a .3 mile stretch of singletrack).

In recent years, the idea of adding more singletrack trails -- or allowing bikes to ride on the many miles of existing hiking trails -- has languished due to a variety of factors (that's a whole other story entirely).

But recently, momentum has picked up for a new approach to the conversation: The League of American Bicyclists chastised Portland's lack of urban off-road riding opportunities; the City of Portland Bureau of Transportation responded to that by officially adding a chapter on mountain biking to the update of their Bicycle Master Plan, citizen activists have stepped up their efforts, and fresh faces in City Hall bring the potential of a new perspective. (more...)

Frank Selker
(Photo © J. Maus)

Frank Selker, the man with the mountain bike plan for Forest Park, is just 20 people shy of his goal to get 100 new, mountain-bike loving Portlanders to join the Forest Park Conservancy (FPC).

When we checked in with Frank last month, he was halfway to his goal. Today, he emailed to tell us that he just got the latest membership numbers from January. "I believe we are up to 80 cyclists," he wrote, "and close to $6,000 in contributions to the FPC."

Back in December, Selker challenged the community to step up and join the FPC -- a non-profit group that works closely with the Parks Bureau as stewards of the park -- in an effort to make a statement that it was time to move forward with talks about opening up more space for bikes in the 5,000 acre park. Currently, there is just 1/3 of a mile of trail that is legal for bikes to ride on (bikes are allowed on all the park's larger, fire access roads). (more...)

Enjoying a road in Forest Park.
(Photo © J. Maus)

Last month we shared a new, grassroots effort to open up more of Portland's Forest Park to bicycles (currently, only 1/3 of a mile of trail -- out of over 5,000 acres -- is open to bikes).

Frank Selker, a citizen activist who is passionate about riding off-road, decided that the path to more bike access was to join the the Forest Park Conservancy. As a non-profit, the FPC has worked as a respected partner of the Portland Parks and Recreation Department for many years. (more...)

Erik Tonkin
(Photos © J. Maus)

[Publisher's note: This article was written by Sellwood Cycle Repair co-owner, community advocate, and beloved off-road racer, Erik Tonkin. Erik writes about an issue that's close to his heart, mountain bike access in Forest Park. He's been riding his mountain-bike and 'cross bike in the park for 16 years.

For background, read A new plan for MTB access in Forest Park. You can also browse all of our Forest Park coverage here.

I believe the Forest Park Conservancy [formerly Friends of Forest Park] is the group best positioned to improve off-road bicycling access in Forest Park. Last Wednesday, the FPC’s Stephen Hatfield (Stewardship Director), Andrea Schwartz (Development and Communications Director) and David Prause (board member), invited me on a hike in the park. It was not only flattering but very educational. They shared their concerns about the park's ecology and discussed the relationship between cyclists and Forest Park and, by extension, the FPC. I’ll never see the park or those who work to sustain it in the same light.
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The Fat Tire Farm on NW Thurman.
(Photo © J. Maus)

Fat Tire Farm, a shop that specializes in high performance mountain bikes and is located near a busy Forest Park trailhead, has stepped up to encourage its customers to join the Forest Park Conservancy (FPC).

According to citizen activist Frank Selker, the shop has agreed to give a 10% discount to customers that flash an FPC membership card.

The gesture by Fat Tire Farm comes after Selker met with them to share his plan to get more involvement and cooperation between mountain bikers and the conservancy -- two groups who are key to moving the conversation about increased access to Forest Park forward.

Selker says he plans to talk with other bike shops to encourage them to offer similar discounts.

Selker also reports that nearly 20 people have joined the FPC since we published a story about his plan yesterday. His goal is 100 new members and he seems well on his way.

A rider enjoys the rare piece
of singletrack in Forest Park.
(Photo © J. Maus)

Frank Selker is like many people in Portland who wish there was more opportunity for mountain biking on singletrack trails in Forest Park.

The issue has been batted around by a number of individuals and groups over the past two decades. But so far, not much has improved for those who crave the experience of riding narrow trails.

Currently, the all-powerful Forest Park Natural Resources Management Plan (adopted by city council in 1995) states that mountain bikes are only allowed on "trails" (roads really) that are at least eight feet wide.
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Chris Distefano and Tom Miller chat
while riding in Forest Park last night.
(File photo)
Gallery - slideshow below

Last night the Portland United Mountain Pedalers (PUMP) led a group of city staffers on a mountain bike ride through Forest Park. The ride was organized to give key decision makers and city planners an up-close and personal experience of urban mountain biking.

During the ride, PUMP members explained sustainable trail building methods, shared their thoughts on the importance of mountain biking to Portland's Platinum effort, and continued to make their case for adding more singletrack trails in Forest Park.
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A packed meeting room at
City Hall for last night's Bicycle
Advisory Committee meeting.
File photo: 5/8/07

Symbolic of the pent-up demand for more mountain biking in Portland, nearly 40 people crammed into the Lovejoy Room inside City Hall last night for the most crowded Portland Bicycle Advisory Committee (PBAC) meeting I've ever attended.

The agenda for the night was cleared to make room for a mini-summit on mountain biking (or the lack thereof) in Portland; which has long been a neglected part of our cycling story.

The committee, which advises City Council on all matters related to bicycling, heard from both advocates and citizen cyclists who came to share their frustrations over a lack of off-road riding opportunities in and around Portland and their willingness to help change that reality.
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