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Highlights
Discover the natural beauty of the Columbia River Gorge as you cycle the Northwest Passage
Soak in the spectacular scenery of the Columbia River as you take pleasant rides on the historic Columbia Highway.
Discover the impressive geological formations of the gorge, especially as you cycle to the Twin Tunnels.
Spend a day exploring the fruit stands and country stores while biking the “fruit loop” trail through orchards and vineyards.
Follow in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark as you ride along the river gorge from Portland to Salem.
This biking adventure through the gorgeous Northwest Passage is easygoing and packed with exceptional Pacific Northwest scenery. Explore the beautiful bikeways that have been newly restored on the historic Columbia River Highway.
This route highlights all the spectacular scenery along the Columbia River Gorge on easy daily bike rides. It includes a day spent exploring the country markets of the fruit and wine region on the famous “fruit loop”, a special dinner on a scenic river cruise, and fresh local lunch at a winery. When you’re not on your bikes you’ll want to explore Hood River, one of “America’s best towns”. The Biking the Northwest Passage tour is the perfect way to spend time enjoying the outdoors on a beautiful cycling holiday!
This biking adventure through the gorgeous Northwest Passage is easygoing and packed with exceptional Pacific Northwest scenery. Explore the beautiful bikeways that have been newly restored on the historic Columbia River Highway.
This route highlights all the spectacular scenery along the Columbia River Gorge on easy daily bike rides. It includes a day spent exploring the country markets of the fruit and wine region on the famous “fruit loop”, a special dinner on a scenic river cruise, and fresh local lunch at a winery. When you’re not on your bikes you’ll want to explore Hood River, one of “America’s best towns”. The Biking the Northwest Passage tour is the perfect way to spend time enjoying the outdoors on a beautiful cycling holiday!
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Biking the Northwest Passage Itinerary
Day 1 Meet your group
You can choose to meet the tour shuttle at the airport in Portland or a Portland hotel. You’ll be driven to Troutdale to meet the group and get your bikes prepared for the trip. Today you’ll take a short ride in the area to make sure everything is running smoothly before enjoying a welcome dinner with the group.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Portland
Distance: 5mi
Meals: Dinner
Day 2 Ride to the Colombia River and Dinner Cruise
Leave the Portland suburbs behind as you ride towards the historic highway. As your ride climbs up over Crown Rock, the majestic Columbia River will finally be in view.
The climbing is done for the day as you continue biking towards the Cascade Locks. Dinner tonight will be on a scenic river cruise!
Overnight Location: Hotel in Portland
Distance: 31mi
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Day 3 Cycle the Twin Tunnels
Today the van will drive you past the section of the bike path that hasn’t been completed, so you’ll be dropped off at The Dalles to start your ride. This section of the path includes the Twin Tunnels that are cut through the gorge and will bring you into the town of Hood River.
Hood River will be your home for the next two nights and has been voted one of America’s Best Towns by Outside Magazine!
Overnight Location: Hotel in Hood River
Distance: 25mi
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Day 4 Ride the Fruit Loop
Your route today is the famous “fruit loop”, which actually has nothing to do with cereal! It consists of the back roads that wind their way through vineyards and orchards towards Mount Hood. Take your time exploring all the stops on your way and take advantage of the fresh produce at the stands and country stores that you pass.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Hood River
Distance: 35mi
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Day 5 Cycle along the Lewis and Clark Highway
Today’s ride follows the Lewis and Clark Highway along the north shore of the Columbia River. The pleasant downhill ride ends with a short climb up to the backside of Mount Pleasant.
As you start to return to the populated area, a shuttle will pick you up and bring you to your hotel in Salem.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Salem
Distance: 30mi
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Day 6 Final Ride in the Willamette Valley
Take the Willamette Scenic Bikeway from your hotels’ doorstep to explore the valley. Ride through vineyards and fields of hops towards Champoeg State Park.
You’ll complete your ride through the Northwest Passage with celebratory lunch with the group at a local winery. After you’ve said your goodbyes, a van will return you to the airport in Portland.
Overnight Location: None
Distance: 25mi
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Biking the Northwest Passage Price and Dates
This guided cycling tour of the Northwest Passage is run as a fixed-departure tour where you’d be joining a group.The prices below are per person, and are valid for groups of 2 and more:
Start
Finish
Duration
Spaces Left
Price
Accommodation on the Biking the Northwest Passage Tour
This tour is based in 3 and 4-star hotels. These hotels offer comfortable rooms and are conveniently located along your route.
In some cases, the accommodation listed below may need to be substituted for other comparable accommodations.
Single Rooms and Solo Travellers
You can pay a supplement to have a private room in a hotel. Please contact us if you would prefer this option. Rooms are double occupancy and solo travelers may be required to pay a supplement.
What’s Included in the Biking the Northwest Passage Tour?
Meals
5 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 5 dinners are included.
Accommodations
Accommodations for 5 nights are included. Accommodations before and after the tour in Portland are not included.
Transportation during the Tour
Transport for you, your luggage, and your bike are included as outlined in the itinerary, including transfers to and from the airport.
Also Included
- English-speaking guide
- Van support
- Park entrance fees
- Tour maps
Not included
- Cycling equipment such as bike, helmets, gloves, and shoes
- Travel insurance
- Flights to and from Portland
- Lunches and dinners or drinks and snacks not previously mentioned
- Tourist taxes if applicable
- Visas if required
- Personal equipment
- Fees not mentioned as included
- Gratuities for guides, drivers, servers, or hotel staff
Optional Extras
- Various bicycle rentals, including touring saddles, odometers, pumps, tire irons, and patch kits
- Single occupancy upgrade
- Any additional nights in Portland before or after the tour
- How hard is the Biking the Northwest Passage tour?
- Do I need to tip my tour guides?
- Do I need a visa to travel to the United States of America?
- Are meals included on the Biking the Northwest Passage tour?
- Do I need insurance?
- How do I get to Portland to start this tour?
- Is the Biking the Northwest Passage tour guided?
- Where does the Biking the Northwest Passage Tour end?
- Are equipment rentals included?
- Can I bring my own bike?
- Is the Biking the Northwest Passage Tour family-friendly?
- Do I need special vaccines to travel to the United States of America?
- Are there any travel restrictions for the United States of America?
- When is the best time to travel to the United States for this tour?
We rate this tour as a 3/5. This tour is of moderate difficulty, there are very few hill climbs and the route is on bike paths or highways with wide shoulders. The average distance covered per day is 15mi, which you can complete at your own pace.
Tipping in the United States of America is customary, but much appreciated. It is recommended to tip 10-20% for exceptional service.
Check with your local country about visa requirements. You could also try this website, though you should verify with your government.
5 breakfasts, 1 lunch, and 5 dinners are included on your tour.
Yes, it is mandatory to have health and medical insurance to join this trip, and your insurance should cover cycling. Get your Travel Insurance.
You can fly into the Portland International Airport (PDX), where you will be picked up to begin your tour.
Yes, you will have an English-speaking guide for the duration of the tour.
This tour finishes in Portland, where you will be taken to the airport.
Bike rentals are not included but can be added as a supplement. There are various style and size options available to rent to mitigate the challenges of shipping your bike. Please bring any additional equipment desired.
Yes, you can bring your own bike. If you would like to do so it is recommended that you use a reputable specialty company to ship your bike ahead of time to the first hotel. You can also bring your own saddle and pedals to combine with your rental bike.
Yes, this tour is great for families and welcomes children 14 years or older. Children should be comfortable on a road bike and up to the demands of the tour.
Check with your family doctor.
Please check with your local government about travel restrictions before you book your tour. This map from the US Department of State provides an overview of the current status in countries around the globe. The UK‘s Foreign Office and Government of Canada also provide advice on foreign travel. Note that the travel advice may change depending on your nationality.
This tour is available from April to September when the weather is a warm and the possibility of the rain is lowest.
Customer Ratings
Timberline Adventures specializes in fully supported cycling, hiking, and multisport adventure tours in the United States and Canada.
Over the last 38 years, our adventure experts have crafted unique itineraries consisting of only the best routes and trails. We are all about striking the perfect balance of challenge, discovery, and tons of fun! Our epic tours include visits to 35 different national parks, and we take great pride in introducing our guests to some of the wildest and most beautiful areas in North America, like Glacier, Yosemite, Acadia, Big Bend, and so much more!
We share in the joy, exhilaration, and sense of accomplishment that is a part of every single tour, and the quality of your experience is how we measure our growing success.
