(Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
(Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
As you plan summer bike adventures, make sure Hagg Lake is on your list of places to explore. The 10-mile paved loop that follows the lake’s jagged shoreline has wide shoulders, stunning views, and lots of nooks and crannies to stop and soak in the beauty of the Coast Range foothills.
And as of last summer, there are also friendly ‘Bike Hubs’ to support your ride if you need it.
In 2019 the Washington County Visitors Association and partners in Tualatin Valley came together to boost the region’s cycling cred in order to encourage two-wheeled tourism. The first step was to identify, develop, and promote the best paved and gravel routes in the area. They worked with Portland-based Ride With GPS to create 15 excellent routes — from Scappoose and Vernonia in Columbia County, west to Forest Grove and south to Yamhill.
Among the routes is the 10-mile Hagg Lake loop and a 36-mile ride that begins in Forest Grove and includes a jaunt around the lake.
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On a recent trip to the lake (when I drove out with my son to try out a kayak) I noticed a very nice Bike Hub. Since you can’t see it from the road, I want to make sure folks know where to look. The area around the lake — between Gaston and Forest Grove — is relatively remote, so if you get in a pinch with a mechanical issue or run out of battery with your phone or GPS device, it would be a bummer.
Thanks to Washington County tourism officials, Hagg Lake is one of 12 areas in Tualatin Valley that have Bike Hubs. The hubs offer tools and pumps and a place to park. More deluxe versions have a solar-powered USB charging station.
If you are at or near the lake, you will find a work stand, basic tools, and an air pump at two locations: the fee both/main entrance and at C Ramp Recreation Area (pictured above) on the lake’s west side. The C Ramp hub also has a charging station… not to mention a restroom, picnic tables, and a great view!
For more on cycling Tualatin Valley, check out this website. I can also recommend McMenamins Grand Lodge as a base camp.
Have fun out there!
— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org
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They describe it as “low traffic,” which is only true when it’s not a warm-weather weekend or holiday. I was surprised to hear no mention of the adjacent trail encircling the lake, which I enjoy quite a bit more than the road.
Is it paved or unpaved?
Unpaved. A little technical, but eminently rideable swooping singletrack. On long summer evenings, I like to do a second loop.
Neat! I guess this makes up for the Hagg Lake Hurl.
I’ve always wondered if these “hubs” are more performative than they are useful, as I have never actually used one. I always carry a pump and patch kit, since, as we all well know, a flat can happen anywhere and you probably aren’t going to be next to a “hub” when one happens. The hubs are certainly a way for organizations to say “We care about cycling.” I know of one employer in Portland that is trying to SEEM bike-friendly while DOING everything to be as bike-unfriendly as they have always been. But they recently put in a bike hub! “Look how bike-friendly we are!”
Anyway, Hagg Lake is a wonderful place to bike, thanks to the wonderful wide and smooth shoulders, and I look forward to cycling there again soon. Thanks for the story.