Cottage Grove in Lane County, Oregon is a historic former gold mining hub that’s now residence to some 10,000 residents and an entire lot of coated bridges. Actually, Lane County is residence to extra coated bridges than another county west of the Mississippi River. It’s an amazing vacation spot for those who’re into biking due to the Lined Bridges Scenic Bikeway – a route that follows the well-signed Cottage Grove Bridges Tour.
All it takes is half a day to bike the 38-mile loop – or much less for those who’re speedy. There are additionally choices to do and out and again for those who favor to keep away from the roads. The biking is generally flat, simple, and scenic. Together with coated bridges, there’s a charming city to discover (Cottage Grove) and a fairly lake to take pleasure in on the base of the Cascades. Among the route is within the forest, whereas different sections are in farm nation. The bike trip makes for an amazing day journey from Eugene, simply 30-minutes away.
Cottage Grove Lined Bridges Bike Tour particulars
Whole distance: 36 miles however you possibly can shorten it
Variety of coated bridges: Six together with Centennial Bridge, Swinging Bridge (not coated), Chambers Bridge, Mosby Creek Bridge, Stewart Bridge, Dorena Bridge and Currin Bridge.
Time wanted: 2.5 – 4 hours
Greatest for: Virtually all ages together with households although some highway sections must be prevented if children are very younger
Begin: Bohemia Park, the Group Centre, or the Mosby Creek Trailhead if you’d like a automotive free bike trip
Services alongside the path: 4 loos, 7 parking areas, and three picnic areas
When you have extra time: Try a number of the wineries within the space together with Saginaw Vineyards, Iris Vineyards, and King Estates.
Enjoyable reality: The charming city of Cottage Grove has been in a variety of Hollywood motion pictures together with The Basic in 1926, Animal Home in 1978 and Stand By Me in 1986. Search for markers alongside the bike means indicating filming areas.
Route description of the Cottage Grove Lined Bridges bike tour
Park at Bohemia Park the place you’ll discover plenty of free parking. Hop in your bike and head for the paved Row River Path – a devoted bike /pedestrian path that travels for 17 miles alongside the north aspect of Dorena Lake. There are lengthy sections of clean pavement however do be careful for yellow paint highlighting any bumps or cracks within the pavement. And when its moist, take note of the slimy inexperienced bits on the fringe of the pavement – except you’re taken with ejecting out of your bike.
Over the 17 miles on the Row River part of path, take pleasure in really pretty forest, residence to some very massive timber, wildflowers, and the odd peek a boo view of Dorena Lake. It is a quick part as its on an outdated railbed with a mild grade. Very quickly you’ll really feel immersed in nature the place the one factor you’ll hear is your respiration and maybe the odd chicken name. When the panorama opens, because it does now and again, try the foothills of the Cascades to the east.
You’ll most likely wish to cease in any respect the bridges you come to. Each is photogenic and all have historical past hooked up to them. Reportedly Dorena Bridge is standard for weddings – and I can see why as its in a beautiful location on a scenic part of river.
The official Bikeway route takes you again to Cottage Grove through Shoreview Street on the south aspect of Dorena Lake. It isn’t tough biking however there are a couple of small rolling hills. More often than not we didn’t see vehicles however on two events logging vehicles handed us – so it is advisable to be snug with the odd massive car. Happily, there’s a superb shoulder. After a number of miles on the highway, flip left following the Cottage Grove Bridge Tour signal and start the one main climb on the route. After stopping to catch your breath on the high, benefit from the enjoyable downhill previous a fairly farm to succeed in the intersection of Garoutte Street and Mosby Creek Street.
If climbs aren’t your factor, you possibly can bypass Garoutte Street and take Shoreview Drive again to the Row River Path.
At The Mosby Creek Trailhead decide up the path that takes you proper again to your start line – however I’d advocate biking by way of historic Cottage Grove and testing two extra coated bridges and one swinging bridge.
The next images offers you a good suggestion of what to anticipate on the Cottage Grove Lined Bridges bike tour.
Cottage Grove
Whereas I didn’t spend a lot time in Cottage Grove, I did take pleasure in biking down Foremost Road in what is known as the Downtown Industrial Historic District. This a part of the city is listed within the Nationwide Register of Historic Locations. If I’d had extra time, I may have stopped in at one of many cute eating places on Foremost Road or quenched my thirst with a beer at Coast Fork Brewing and Feed Retailer.
There’s a bike trip by way of the downtown that’s nicely price doing. In the event you proceed to the western finish of the downtown, you cross two extra coated bridges (Centennial and Chamber Bridges) and the Swinging Footbridge. The Chambers Bridge is the one coated railroad bridge west of the Mississippi that can also be included on the Nationwide Register of Historic Locations. The bridge was utterly rebuilt for each bikes and pedestrians in 2011.
Ought to I get an opportunity to return to this gorgeous city, I’d try a number of the native vintage retailers, absorb a present on the theatre and do a self-guided strolling tour to see the ten murals that inform the city’s story from early settlement days, to the Gold Rush after which the Hollywood interval.
Extra helpful data
If you wish to take pleasure in extra of the realm after the Cottage Grove Lined Bridges tour, go to the Cottage Grove Space Chamber of Commerce.
A number of of the realm parks supply providers. Schwarz Park close to Dorena Lake has a campground and restroom amenities. Bake Stewart Park and Wilson Creek Park have restroom amenities.
There are excursions and leases out there from Cog Wild in Oakridge, simply 40 miles southeast of Eugene.
The place to lease bikes for the Cottage Grove Lined Bridges Tour
In Eugene, you possibly can lease e-bikes from Pedego.
In Cottage Grove, near the Row Path and Cottage Grove coated bridges you possibly can lease from Wet Peak. They’ve a small fleet of bikes. Try their informative Fb web page right here.
Location map of the Cottage Grove Lined Bridges bike tour
Additional studying on bike rides
A large thanks to Bicycle Adventures for main me on the tour (they may be providing it in 2023) and to Eugene, Cascades & Oregon Coast for internet hosting me. It is a bike trip I’d advocate to anybody who likes to get out and discover new countryside.
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