Part 6 | Motorcycle Portland, Oregon to Yellowstone

Anaconda to West Yellowstone: After a long winter of limited motorcycle riding, a ride from Portland, Oregon over the Continental Divide to Yellowstone might be just what the doctor ordered. This is the sixth part in the Portland, Oregon to Yellowstone series.

After another 50 miles on I-90, we were ready for more off-interstate motorcycling. We cut south on MT-41 and US 287, and cruised through numerous picturesque small towns on the road to Virginia City. You definitely feel the mountains coming and we saw rain showers holding menacingly over the mountain passes. Virginia City is an old mining town set up with an eye for tourists. But turning south on US 287 in Ennis, the famous fishing of the Madison River became the focus. The highway follows the Madison up, up , and up to Quake Lake, formed when a 1959 earthquake caused a massive slide blocking the outflow of Hebgen Lake.

Just a few miles past Hebgen Lake is the town of West Yellowstone, one gateway into Yellowstone National Park.

Read more!

Part 5 | Motorcycle Portland, Oregon to Yellowstone

Missoula to Anaconda: After a long winter of limited motorcycle riding, a ride from Portland, Oregon over the Continental Divide to Yellowstone might be just what the doctor ordered. This is the fifth part in the Portland, Oregon to Yellowstone series.

Zooming along I-90 at Montana freeway speeds is fun for awhile, but MT-1 is a far more pleasant motorcycle ride. After running about 50 miles east on Interstate 90, we turned right onto the scenic MT-1, through the Deerlodge National Forest and alongside Georgetown Lake. Phillipsburg is a friendly town catering to the nearby Discovery ski area. MT-1 eventually runs through the mining town of Anaconda and the landmark stack (the Washington Monument would fit inside) standing sentry over the town.
Read more!

Part 4 | Motorcycle Portland, Oregon to Yellowstone

Lewiston to Missoula: After a long winter of limited motorcycle riding, a ride from Portland, Oregon, over the Continental Divide to Yellowstone might be just what the doctor ordered. This is the fourth part in the Portland, Oregon to Yellowstone series.

U.S. Highway 12 is a beautiful and recently completed (1960s) stretch of highway connecting Lewiston, Idaho with Missoula, Montana. It follows several rivers, climbs through Lolo Pass, and finally drops down into Montana. This road keeps you interested with white-water rafters, zooming around curves through the forest, and dodging rain showers as you wind through the Bitterroot mountain range. Click here for more information on motorcycling this scenic route.
.

Read more!

Part 3 | Motorcycle Portland, Oregon to Yellowstone

Pendleton to Lewiston: After a long winter of limited motorcycle riding, a ride from Portland, Oregon, over the Continental Divide to Yellowstone might be just what the doctor ordered. This is the third part in the Portland, Oregon to Yellowstone series.

Leaving Pendleton, Oregon, the Yellowstone motorcycle trip turns north and crosses into Washington at Walla Walla. If you have a little time, stop and enjoy one of the numerous vineyards and small wineries in the area.

Continuing north on WA 12, the highway skirts the western edge of mountains through small but friendly towns like Waitsburg, Dayton, and Pomeroy. The road itself is curvy but high-speed, and your motorcycle can easily cruise around 55mph while taking in the farms and rolling hills. About 25 miles before Lewiston, the road peaks in elevation at Alpowa Summit, then descends rapidly until it meets up with and follows along the Snake River. Cross over the border into Idaho, and your motorcycle and you can take a break in Lewiston.

Read more!

Part 2 | Motorcycle Portland, Oregon to Yellowstone

Portland to Pendleton: After a long winter of limited motorcycle riding, a ride from Portland, Oregon over the Continental Divide to Yellowstone might be just what the doctor ordered. This is the second part in the Portland, Oregon to Yellowstone series.

The first 60 miles of the Yellowstone trek as you motorcycle east out of Portland, Oregon is the lush, forested, often cloudy and misty Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area. Rivers, waterfalls, and green things line the roads on either side of the Columbia River. The climate and terrain changes rapidly as you emerge on the east side of the Cascades between Hood River and The Dalles. Before you know it the landscape is arid, hot, and windy. Wind power is the growth industry in this area and hundreds of windmills can be seen on the hilltops as you motorcycle east. The Columbia River here is a series of slack-water pools, slowed by one dam after another. The climate is perfect for growing things, and the 25,000-acre tree farm along I-84 in Boardman is a good example. Rows and rows of tall, leafy trees go on for miles just south of the Interstate.

Read more!

Scenic Motorcycle Route | Portland, Oregon to Yellowstone

Whitewater rafting on the Lochsa River, ID

After a long winter of limited motorcycle riding, a ride from Portland, Oregon over the Continental Divide to Yellowstone might be just what the doctor ordered. This is the first part in the Portland, Oregon to Yellowstone series.

The ride to West Yellowstone, the small town at the West entrance to Yellowstone National Park, runs about 850 miles from the Portland, Oregon area. The route we chose:

Portland/Vancouver to Pendleton, OR via WA-14 and I-84;

OR-11/Oregon Washington Highway No. 8 to Walla Walla;

US 12 through Lewiston, ID to Missoula, MT;

I-90 and MT-Hwy 1 to Butte;

and finally Mt-41 and MT 287/US 287 to West Yellowstone.

This route allowed us to avoid interstates, take a couple scenic short-cuts (sometimes fewer miles but always more time), but still make a pretty direct path to the Park. We made the trip in three short riding days going out and two long days on the return.


View Larger Map

Read more!

Motorcycle the Columbia River Gorge | Bridge of the Gods

If you connect the north bank and south bank legs of your tour of the Columbia River Gorge with a crossing at the Bridge of the Gods, you're in for a surprise.

The Bridge of the Gods is a two-lane steel truss cantilever bridge that connects Washington State Highway 14 near Stevenson with Cascade Locks, Oregon. Built in 1926, the first thing you notice is there is a fifty cent toll for motorcycles.

What brings the real surprise is the deck of the bridge. It is a steel grate surface, and causes your vehicle wheels to travel an inch or two laterally as you drive or ride across. This can be an unnerving feeling especially for motorcyclists, but as long as you just relax and let the wheels travel you'll have no problem moving safely across. Read more!

Motorcycle the Columbia River Gorge

Looking to spend the day on a motorcycle ride out of Portland, Oregon? You won't find one more spectacular than riding along the Columbia River Gorge.

The Columbia River carved a canyon on its way through the Cascades, an area that enjoys protection as a National Scenic Area. A good way to motorcycle the gorge is to head out one side of the River and back on the other. Travel on the Washington side on Highway 14, a two-lane state highway with an average speed of 40-50 mph. On the Oregon side travel on Interstate 84 if time is short; otherwise don't miss the chance to ride the patchwork of remaining segments of the Historic Columbia River Highway, with an average speed of around 25 mph. Set the length of your ride by crossing the river at one of four bridges: Bridge of the Gods (40 miles from Portland), Hood River (60), the Dalles (80), or Biggs Junction/Maryhill (100). Read more!