The newest section of the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail is also one of the most spectacular, offering miles of car-free riding, sweeping views of the river, and access to five waterfalls, including the 190-foot Starvation Creek Falls.

This ride starts at our e-bike rental location in Cascade Locks (15 Herman Creek Lane), where your Bike the Gorge host will give you a detailed training on how to our e-bikes and make sure you feel comfortable before hitting the road.

Our recommended ride route starts with 4.5 miles on a low-traffic shared roadway through the forest before connecting with the Historic Highway State Trail at Wyeth Trailhead.

The next 6+ miles of car-free riding will take you past three waterfalls (with the option to hike to two more) en route to the popular swimming hole at Viento State Park, which is the perfect place to relax and cool off halfway into your ride.

Why you’ll love this ride

Experience the best of the Gorge. You’ll see towering firs, sweeping vistas, and up to five spectacular waterfalls all while zipping along on your e-bike.

Cool off in the river. The swimming hole at Viento State Park is the perfect place to take a dip in the river (or soak up the sun) halfway into your ride.

Escape the car traffic. The six-mile segment from Wyeth trailhead to Viento State Park is completely car-free — and even the shared road that you’ll ride from Cascade Locks to Wyeth doesn’t see much car traffic, as most drivers take I-84. This makes it a perfect ride for anyone who is newer to biking and/or doesn’t feel comfortable navigating high-traffic roadways on a bike.

Leave the planning to us. When you book our half-day e-bike rental, we’ll send you a recommended itinerary and detailed directions that cover everything you need to know to have a smooth check-in process and unforgettable ride experience.

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What you can see and do

Emerald Falls. It’s only a half-mile hike from the Wyeth trailhead to this picturesque waterfall — and if the water levels are low enough and the trail conditions are safe, you can continue another 200 yards to the more secluded Gorton Creek Falls.

Starvation Creek State Park. The 190-foot Starvation Creek Falls is the perfect backdrop for a lunch break — or you can lock up your bike here and take a short hike to Cabin Creek Falls, Hole-in-the-Wall Falls, and Lancaster Falls, which are all less than a mile away.

Viento State Park. The waterfront area at Viento State Park is considered one of the best swimming spots in the Columbia River Gorge, so be sure to leave time for a dip in the water or a doze in the sunshine.

What type of rental you’ll need

We recommend a half-day e-bike rental for this route, which will give you plenty of time to ride all the way to Starvation Creek Falls and Viento State Park.

The best local view of the Columbia River Gorge might just be the one you get crossing the Bridge of the Gods — and that’s not the only reason to take a trip across the river.

This 6-mile ride follows a mix of bike lanes, bike paths, and shared roadways to the charming town of Stevenson, Washington, where you’ll find waterfront parks, sweet treats and tacos, local beer and cider, and a delightful farmer’s market on Saturdays in the summer.

The only hard part will be deciding where to stop for the inevitable mid-afternoon ice cream: Scoopy’s Social Club or The Cabin Drive-Thru in Stevenson or Eastwind Drive-In in Cascade Locks. (The good news: You can’t really go wrong.)

Distance: 12 miles roundtrip from our rental shop in Cascade Locks to downtown Stevenson and back.

Traffic: Moderate. You’ll have to share the road with cars coming into Stevenson, and it can get quite busy during the summer months.

Public Restrooms? Yes, at Bob’s Beach Family Park and Teo Park in Stevenson and Overlook Park in Cascade Locks.

Why we love this ride

Feel the thrill of crossing the Bridge of the Gods. Unlike cars, bikes don’t have to pay a toll to cross the bridge, so you’re free to enjoy the wind in your face and the views all around you. Just don’t look down if you have a fear of heights, as the bridge deck is grated and you’ll be able to see rushing water beneath you.

Combine nature and civilization. You don’t have to choose between sightseeing in the Gorge and shop-hopping through an historic small town, as this ride delivers both. After crossing the Bridge of the Gods, you’ll turn onto a quiet, forested backroad before rolling into Stevenson, where you can park your bike and explore the restaurants, museums, bookshops and waterfront by foot.

Build your itinerary around food and drinks. One of the best perks of riding e-bikes is that you can gorge yourself at lunch without regretting it on the return ride later. Just be sure to drink responsibly, as it’s illegal to a ride a bike under the influence of alcohol, just like with cars.

What you can see and do

Stevenson Farmer’s Market. This waterfront market featuring local food, produce, flowers, art, and music is open on Saturdays from 10am to 2pm, starting June 12.

Bob’s Beach Family Park. Bob’s Beach is the go-to spot in Stevenson for kayakers, windsurfers, picnic-ers and sunshine loungers.

North Bank Books. For the bookworms in your group, North Bank Books is a delightful little shop full of reading material on local history, culture, birds, mushrooms, mythology, and more.

Skamania Lodge. The gift shop at Skamania Lodge is worth a quick detour — and you can scope out your next Gorge adventure while you’re there.

Breweries. The Gorge is full of great brewery options, and this ride will take you past three of them: Thunder Island Brewing and Gorges Beer in Cascade Locks and Walking Man Brewing in Stevenson.

What type of rental you’ll need

It depends on how much time you want to spend exploring Stevenson and the rest of the Gorge:

• A two-hour rental will give you time to ride to Stevenson, check out the waterfront and do some quick window-shopping.
• A half-day rental will give you time to stop for lunch and spend an hour or two shopping in town or relaxing on the waterfront.
• A full-day rental will give you time to do more exploring in town, as well as the flexibility to add on a ride to Viento State Park or the Eagle Creek trailhead.

See our Ride Guide for more details and follow these directions from our rental location.

The Columbia River Gorge is full of top-notch mountain biking terrain — and not just for experienced riders.

The easyCLIMB trail in Cascade Locks offers more than two miles of “smooth, flowy singletrack with short descents and very little climbing,” along with incredible views of the Gorge and access to the popular swimming hole at Government Cove.

This trail is perfect for first-time mountain bikers and other beginners who want the fun and thrill of trail riding without too much of the hard work.

Why we love it

Build your skills on a course for beginners. You don’t need expensive gear or years of experience to get started on the easyCLIMB trail — and if you decide mountain biking isn’t your thing, you can simply ride to the beach at Government Cove and enjoy some R&R instead.

Go as hard (or as easy) as you want. The trail has enough sharp turns and descents to keep things exciting, especially for thrill-seekers willing to go hard on the pedaling. But beginners can take it as slow as they like, and there are plenty of scenic spots along the trail to pull aside and take a breather.

What you can see and do

easyCLIMB trail. The trail is a destination of its own, with elevated views of the Gorge and frequent bald eagle sightings during the winter months. The best viewpoints are on the northeast side of the trail system, less than 100 yards from the main parking area.

Government Cove. This Columbia River inlet is a popular place to kayak, paddleboard, and soak up the sun during the summer months, and you’ll go right past the access point as you ride along the southeast side of the trail system. (Check out Otter & Osprey if you’re interested in water sports rentals at Government Cove.)

What type of rental you’ll need

E-bikes are not permitted on the easyCLIMB trail, but we plan to begin offering recreation bike rentals in summer 2023 — and you can sign up here for updates.

Punchbowl Falls is one of the state’s most awe-inspiring waterfalls — and the journey to get there is just as memorable as the destination.

From our rental location in Cascade Locks, you’ll ride five mostly car-free miles along the Historic Columbia River Highway to the Eagle Creek trailhead, then hike 2.1 miles up a dramatic slot canyon to reach Punchbowl Falls.

Note: The Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail is currently closed between Cascade Locks and the Eagle Creek Trailhead, making this route inaccessible by bike. We will update this post as soon as the trail reopens.

Why we love it

Leave the car traffic behind. You’ll be on a shared roadway for the first mile of the ride, and then it’s all bike lanes and bike paths the rest of the way, including nearly three miles along the car-free Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail.

Swim at the base of Punchbowl Falls. The best waterfalls are the ones you can see and feel, and Punchbowl Falls checks both boxes. The iconic upper falls are visible from the main trail, and you can take a short detour to get your feet wet at Lower Punchbowl Falls.

Experience a fire-adapted forest. The Eagle Creek canyon is now six years into its recovery from the 2017 Eagle Creek fire, and there are signs everywhere of nature working its restorative magic. That said, the trail and cliff faces are still unstable in places, so look out for rock slides and use caution when hiking, especially on the narrower sections of trail.

What you can see and do

Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail: Bonneville Segment. This car-free section of the state trail opened in 2013, helping connect Cascade Locks to John B. Yeon State Park and the west side of the Gorge. The full historic highway state trail, once complete, will stretch more than 70 miles from Troutdale to The Dalles.

Eagle Creek Trail. This popular trail reopened to hikers in 2021 after a nearly four year closure due to the Eagle Creek fire and related landslides. You can hike as far as Wahtum Lake (13.1 miles), but most day hikers turn around at Punchbowl Falls for a four-mile roundtrip journey.

Metlako Falls. The first major waterfall you’ll see on the hike is Metlako Falls, which peeks through the trees shortly before you reach Punchbowl Falls. It’s a good milestone to let you know you’re getting close!

Punchbowl Falls. A landslide has made it more difficult (though not impossible) to reach the basin of the upper falls, but you can still get a great view from above and then climb down to Lower Punchbowl Falls to put your feet in the water.

What type of rental you’ll need

The short, mostly flat ride to the Eagle Creek trailhead will be perfect for our recreation bikes, which we plan to begin renting in summer 2023 once the state trail reopens west of Cascade Locks.