Description: Vernonia - A place to work, live, and play
The Vernonia-Banks Trail has been a State Park and local gem for over a decade, and the number of running and cycling events using it has steadily grown. With the Crown-Zellerbach Trail, joining Scappoose to Vernonia, nearing completion, Vernonia has become part of a natural loop from Portland, joining the Columbia River to the Willamette Valley.
The new trails exclude cars, making them a preferred choice for runners and cyclists from across the Pacific Northwest wishing to explore inner Columbia County. The 2017 season is kick-started on June 17 th with an active day in both road and off-road cycling in the Columbia Century Challenge . Our county’s own locally organized, non-competitive, fully supported century (100+ miles) bicycle ride features routes that explore both forest and county roads.
These dedicated cyclists are also able to visit many towns within the county, see some of the attractions of each city, and meet local volunteers at the various aid stations. The inaugural Columbia Century Challenge, which was hosted in St. Helens in 2016, was voted the #2 Best Bike Ride in Oregon on ORBike.com .