(Photo by J. Maus/BikePortland)
A new online survey just launched by Travel Oregon wants to know more about your bicycling experiences in the Columbia River Gorge. With exciting cycling momentum — both on and off road — in the Gorge, state tourism officials now hope to analyze the impacts of recently completed projects as they prep for new ones already in the pipeline.
As we shared back in November, nearly two miles of newly paved cycling paths opened adjacent to I-84, completing the connection between Troutdale and Cascade Locks. That new path is already spurring economic development in Cascade Locks, a small town that is quickly becoming a bicycling epicenter in the Gorge.
And Travel Oregon says more projects are in the works, including a new trail segment between Wyeth (Exit 51 on I-84) and Starvation Creek State Park (Exit 56 on I-84) and the completion of the trail between Viento State Park and Hood River. Once those sections are complete, it will be possible to ride through Gorge from Troutdale to Hood River without ever having to ride or walk on the I-84 shoulder.
Travel Oregon is conducting this survey in order to get a clearer picture of where people are riding, how often they’re traveling to the Gorge, whether or not they’re staying overnight, and so on. The results will be used to make better decisions about project planning, funding priorities, and advocacy efforts.
The Northwest Trail Alliance is encouraging their members to take the survey because, “This is the first official survey we have seen that asks meaningful questions about Mountain Biking in the area.”
Here’s more from an email sent out by the NWTA last week:
“Imagine packing some gear on your mountain bike and riding to Troutdale to ride along the new Historic Columbia River scenic bikeway to a bike-in-only campground near Cascade Locks (after filling your growler at Thunder Island Brewing and buying some supplies at the store). The next day, you hit the new CLIMB trail next to easyCLIMB for a few hours, then pack up your stuff and ride to Hood River along the scenic bikeway. After leaving your gear down the hill at another bike-in-only campground, you take a new trail up to Post Canyon from the scenic bikeway for another epic day. After that, you swing through Hood River for a killer dinner, a few supplies, and then back to camp.”
If that sounds good to you, take five minutes and complete the survey.