The best road cycling routes around Garden Home-Whitford

Willamette Park is a 26-acre green space along the river in south Portland, just off Southwest Macadam Avenue. It offers a mix of recreation and river access, with a boat dock and ramp, paved and unpaved paths, picnic areas, and sports facilities including a soccer field and tennis courts. Families and dog owners frequent the playground and off-leash area, while cyclists often pass through on the nearby Willamette Greenway Trail.

Tilikum Crossing, Bridge of the People, is a cable-stayed bridge designed by TriMet for MAX Orange Line trains, buses, streetcars, cyclists, pedestrians, and emergency vehicles. Opened on September 12, 2015, it prohibits private cars and trucks, making it the first major U.S. bridge built for transit and non-motorized traffic only. Named after the Chinook word for "people," it was the first new bridge over the Willamette River in Portland since the Fremont Bridge in 1973. Construction began in 2011.

The Willamette River Greenway is a 5.3-mile out-and-back trail perfect for birding, running, biking, and walking. The Willamette River stretches over 255 miles from Cottage Grove to Portland, where it meets the Columbia River. Along its banks, the Willamette River Greenway provides open spaces, some with boat launches and camping, while others preserve native plants and scenic river views.

Great loop to take from any part of PDX. I cruise from NE take the east bank esplanade to the Springwater on the Willamette path to Oaks Park and the Sellwood bridge. Some near dirt trails off the path along the waterfront. You’ll see the occasional camper off the less travelled path but everyone seems to keep to themselves. Sellwood bridge has some nice views of the Portland skyline you cross the river and you can take the South Waterfront Greenway back to Downtown or the Tilikum Crossing Bridge. It’s a pretty nice and simple convenient way to see different parts of town and be off in your own world if you’re looking for a ride to clear your head at 7AM, 2PM or 3AM it’s always pretty quiet

Marvel at the Sellwood Bridge, a majestic arch spanning the mighty Willamette River. Its latest iteration, completed in 2016, succeeded the 1925 original. The inaugural bridge, Portland's pioneering fixed-span crossing, reigned as Oregon's busiest two-lane bridge, serving as the lone river crossing for miles in every direction.

The stretch of road runs past Gotter Prairie with a reasonably flat gradient. It's perfect for getting the pace up and seeing the countryside and woodland pass by.

Sumerlake City Park here in Tigard has a lake, wetland, and a host of recreational activities you can get involved in, including walking trails. However, for the cyclist, looping around the park along Southwest Winterlake Drive adds a nice scenic leg to your ride.

Hiteon Creek runs through this Natural Area that's tucked in between residential neighborhoods. Summer is probably the best time to visit but the area is open year-round.