combatdecoy

Is what I meant, not portland. Something about Smith River road.
Does anyone know a solid route to get to Smith River road from the Amtrak station?
Other wise I guess I can take 126 to the coast?
Thoughts?

Mark

mtnbud

Here it is.

There are three campgrounds along the Smith River. You'll only see two of them from the road you'll be on. Vincent Creek is my favorite. There's a small store/bar 14 miles past Smith River Falls. Once you pass Smith River Falls, there are a couple of places along the river you could camp and then there's no real nice spot to camp until Umpqua Lighthouse State Park. Unless you want to ride 90 miles on your first day, I'd recommend camping at Vincent Creek or Smith River Falls.

If you did want to push all the way to the Umpqua Lighthouse State Park, you might consider William M. Tugman State Park even though it's a bit farther. The hiker biker spots at the Umpqua Lighthouse State park aren't that great IMO. The view at the lighthouse is worth the bypass through Winchester Bay.

EDIT: Follow Shifty and B. Carfree's advice for getting through Eugene - They know Eugene - I really don't

Shifty

Mtnbud's map is correct....mostly ;-)

There is a nice (not fancy) motel five blocks from the train station, you might get a reservation here https://www.timbersmotel.net/

The Motel is on Pearl Street and 10th Ave. When you leave the motel go south on Pearl (one way this way) to 15th Ave and turn right on 15th. Follow this street until it ends at the fair grounds, this is where the Fernridge bike path starts, follow this to the end as mtnbud's map shows. I wouldn't follow his route on 5th or Roosevelt, much nicer on the bike path all the way out, especially if you stay at the Timbers.

Good eats around the Timbers, pizza, Lebanese, coffee shops, all with in a block or two. Watch your bike in Eugene, theft is a big problem, keep bikes in your room while out and about walking. Follow my route and mtbud's excellent map and you are in for a great day of riding. Carry lot's of water, or a way to purify stream water, no fresh water source from Crow and the coast. Enjoy!!!

B. Carfree

mtnbud's map is fine, except for the parts in Eugene. From the Amtrak station, go south to 5th Ave, turn right (west) on 5th Ave, then turn left (south) on Charnalton St. two blocks later. Follow Charnalton (warning: door-zone bike lanes, and they do open their doors into cyclists in Eugene.) to W. 15th Ave. Turn right (west) on W. 15th Ave. After you cross Jefferson St, you get onto a bike path. The path will have a few jogs at some streets and one short on-street portion at the fairgrounds, but just keep on it. When you are rolling along the wetlands and feel like you are out of town, about five miles after you started, you will come to the DataLogic company. Here, you get a choice.

Option 1: You can follow the bike path north, then west, then south and come out on Greenhill where you go south to get to Crow Rd. (mtnbud's map shows you getting off at Royal. Don't do that. Stay on until the path ends at the parking lot a bit south of Royal.)

Option 2: At DataLogic, keep going west to the end of the road (about 75 meters). Turn left (south) on Terry, then immediately right (west) Ed Cone Blvd (industrial park, only partially built). This road ends at hwy 126. At hwy 126, go left (east) for about 100 meters to Diess Feed, where you cut through their parking lot to a spur of Crow Rd. Go west on this spur. It ends at Greenhill Rd. At this point go left (south) about 75 meters, then right on Oak Hill followed by a left on the real Crow Rd. This is the way I usually head out of town towards the Smith River. I'll post a map later.

Also, depending on your timing, the city is tearing up and rebuilding all of 5th Ave this spring/summer. If it is closed, just go south on Willamette to 15th (you can cut through the Hult Center that blocks the road between 6th and 7th on the north side).

If you want a "real" campground on your way, you can detour to Clay Creek Campground, about nine miles further along Siuslaw River Rd (downriver) than the turnoff for the Smith River. To avoid backtracking, when you leave Clay Creek just continue down Siuslaw River Rd. to milepost 10 and go left at the fork. That will bring you over the Esmonds Summit and down the West Fork Smith River Rd to Smith River Rd. Total mileage penalty is only nine miles.

I STRONGLY recommend against trying to take Hwy 126 to the coast. I used to live a mile off that road about 45 miles west of Eugene. I commuted to Eugene by bike and am far from a weak or tepid rider. However, the only times I rode in on hwy 126 were when I was coming in about 2:30 A.M. Any other time of day or on weekends, I would ride in on Siuslaw River Rd to Wolf Creek Rd. Your first thirty miles were also my first thirty miles on my way home. Hwy 126 has limited and at times no shoulder. The motorists are literally all over the place and often crash into each other. There is no law enforcement and everyone knows it. Just don't do it.

combatdecoy

Holy crap! Thanks guys!
This info is priceless! I'll start looking at the map and come up with a game plan, then post it up here
and I'd love to get your thoughts.
Mark

fietsbob

You mean the road over the hill to Reedsport.?

flippant

I'm going to repost this:

One of my favourite legs of my Portland-San Diego tour was this leg (143km/96mi) from Eugene to Reedsport. It required you getting from Portland to Eugene, but that's not too far. The route takes you through backroads and along the Smith river and is very, very quiet. We hardly saw any cars, except the construction crew laying new bitumen along certain parts. Can't recommend it enough.

fietsbob

I imagine the Stumpage after the clear cut of the International Paper's lands
Replanted units, have grown up a bit more since I was last there .