The Mitchell Point Tunnel is finally open to the public! But unfortunately you still can’t bike all the way there.
You might recall a ribbon-cutting event back in November where the public was allowed to view the $31 million tunnel for the first time in 71 years. However, due to some unexpected delays, the Oregon Department of Transportation wasn’t able to open it permanently until last week. “Since the dedication ceremony in November 2024, the trail segment remained closed while crews waited for warmer weather to complete construction including final stonework, paving and striping,” reads an ODOT statement sent out on Friday. “The Mitchell Point tunnel and an additional 1.5 miles of the Historic Highway State Trail are now open.”
The original tunnel — carved out of basalt and featuring five arch windows where Model T drivers could gaze out onto the Columbia River — was a feat of engineering when it was first built in 1915. It was closed in 1953 when Interstate 84 was built and then destroyed and filled with rock in 1966. ODOT resurrected the tunnels in 2018 as part of their ambitious Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail project that looks to reconnect the famous old highway between Troutdale and The Dalles.
When I heard the news last week, I was excited by the possibility of riding through those carved-rock windows out into river gorge below. Unfortunately, bike access is still prohibited. That’s because there’s still a 0.7-mile gap on the Historic Hwy State Trail between Viento State Park and Mitchell Point. Currently, the only way to “bike” to Mitchell Point Tunnel is to lock your bike to racks at the east end of Viento State Park South Campground and then walk a few miles.
Here’s the deal…
You can bike all the way out there. It’s about 63 miles from Portland to where you’d hit an unpaved section of the Historic Highway State Trail. Or you can drive to a parking lot at Wyeth Campground which is about 6 miles west of Viento. Of course there are other places you can drive in the Gorge if you aren’t willing or able to bike there. You can also take the Columbia Gorge Express Bus to Cascade Locks (they allow bikes) if you don’t want to take your car. That’d put you about 12 miles west of where the paved path ends east of Viento.
Let’s get back to Viento. Regardless of how you get there, the Historic Highway State Trail is paved for only about 1.7 miles east of the Viento State Park South Campground parking lot where they have bike racks. From there, you’d have to hoof it another two miles to get to the tunnel.
I asked friend of the blog and Gorge cycling expert AJ “Jerry” Zelada how he’s done it and he shared a detailed route. Jerry’s route looks amazing. It’s nicely buffered from I-84 traffic, but it’s not something you’d bike on. The route connects to Wygant Trail which takes you right to the western portal of the Mitchell Point Tunnel. Jerry even shares over 50 photos to help inspired and/or guide you on your journey.
As for when we’ll be able to bike all the way to the tunnel for those epic photo ops and life-changing vistas? ODOT Public Information Office Ryan McCrary tells me they’ve already got the money to finish the paving and construction to do it is ready to begin this fall. “When it’s complete, approximately 9.5 miles of the trail will be fully connected to the tunnel and accessible by bike,” McCrary shared.
Can’t wait! For now, have fun planning your multimodal adventure to the tunnel. Let us know how it goes.
Thanks for reading.
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“It’s nicely buffered from I-84 traffic, but it’s not something you’d bike on.” Based on AJ’s pictures, the more adventurous among us could have a lot of fun on that route to the tunnel. Sure, no skinny tire bikes, and some huck-a-bike, but that looks like a fun challenge.
Yeah, from those photos, it looks like one could ride most of that.
Yep, piece of cake, 84 is not bad through there, ODOT even had a workaround in place early on in the project but isn’t about to advocate it now and yes you can ride on the other side of the barricades if you want. I’ve done both several times.
We’ll be waiting quite awhile on the new bridge needed here so…….
The big quandary is the other side and on to Hood river, none of it will be any fun as all the neighbors along the route have pushed back completely and rest of the whole route is being shoehorned into not enough space only to end up at the cluster of the 84 overpass, off/on ramps that will not be for the faint of heart, never mind the rest of the ride to downtown and onto Hatfield park, very little fun for many miles to get through there.
But why can’t you ride to it? Is it because the current trail doesn’t allow bikes? Or is it a really rough trail?
ODOT says no bikes allowed on the unpaved section.
A big shout out to Wayne Stewart who helped get jurisdictions to allow this temporary access to the west of the Mitchell Pt Tunnel.Also, we had great assistence to accomplish getting this trail laid out by David Spangler of OPRD, whom has since retired by choice. Both deserve thanks for making this temporary access happen.It will prob go away later 2025 or early 2026 when the last car free trail will be built on top of the real old Columbia River Highway!
The Wygant Trail is really lovely and instantly away from the traffic noise. It will begood to have access to it and going up the Columbia ‘slope’ for hiking the rest of the trail’s length.
For anyone using the trail, no manner the mode, please be aware that more people are using this trail, especially with dogs. My last walk was in late Jan and multiple times last 2024 after Wayne planted the stakes for the trail connection. The last 8 months, I was still surprised how many people knew about this connection and used it. So be courteous! It is not labeled a shared trail.
If approaching from the East, addtionally remember the nine neighbors along the Mitchell Tunnel Drive now have ‘No Parking’ along the road toward the Mitch eastern portal. They have had many, many years of privacy, so they will be facing a lot of transition in the coming two years and beyond. Be Kind.
Happy to answer questions and recieve comments direct comments.
Cheers. AJZ
You can reach it from the east side.
You can but you have to ride an ugly section of 84 and or park illegally near Mitchell Pt. Dr. with no resources, very unwelcoming residents and no way to make this a good ride.