The Adventure Cycling Association Pacific Coast Bicycle Route is divided into two route
segments. The Washington and Oregon section is a stunningly beautiful ride that
features the Oregon coast, one of the true highlights of bicycle touring in the United
States. Riders will see spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean with haystack rocks
standing firm like sentries as they are splashed by the roaring ocean waves. The
California Coast Route is tremendously diverse. The route encounters massive
redwoods, breathtaking coastline vistas, acres and acres of vegetable farms, fruit
orchards, and many urban areas. The route is a total of 1836 miles (2956 km) .
ROUTE
Washington and Oregon
Along the Canada to California Route, riders get to see marine wildlife such as sea lions,
and as they pass, can hear them barking. Riders should the time to watch as, one by one,
the sea lions dive off their rocks in search of their daily meal of fish from the ocean.
During the peak tourist season, there is heavy recreational vehicle traffic along U.S.
Highway 101 along the coast, so cyclists must ride cautiously and defensively. This route
can be ridden from early spring to late fall. Heavy winter rains can cause flooding and
mud slides and may close roads, especially along the coast in the spring. Fog can also
be a problem during any season. Due to changing local conditions, it is difficult to predict
any major wind patterns.
The route begins in Vancouver, British Columbia and heads south through the suburbs of
this large city. Farmlands appear before crossing the border at Blaine into the United
States, and the route continues through more rural country after entering Washington.
After crossing Deception Pass, the route is on Whidbey Island, where there is a large U.S.
Naval Reservation, and the loud noise of test jets flying overhead can be heard. There's a
pleasant ferry ride over to Port Townsend, which is back on the mainland. The route then
winds southward through a series of small towns on the eastern side of the Olympic
Peninsula. In Bremerton, for those interested, there is a ferry that takes you directly to
downtown Seattle, Washington and its attractions. The route then heads into logging
country with forest plantations in various stages of development: recently clear-cut, newly
planted, middle-aged, or ready to be harvested. At Castle Rock, a five-mile side trip leads
to the Mount St. Helens Visitor Center, which tells the tale of the volcano's eruption in
1981.
A short ferry ride crosses the Columbia River into Oregon to begin a magnificent ride
down the coast. The route hugs the shoreline and headlands with mile after mile of
spectacular scenery including lighthouses, craggy coastal pines, and rock formations in
the water . Innumerable parks dot the coast with many hikes down to the water for tide
pool viewing. Small towns are abundant and cater to the tourists who invade the coast
from spring to fall.
California Coast
The curvy, winding roads along the Pacific Coast Route are shared with farm and logging
trucks, cars, and recreational vehicles, so extra caution is needed by cyclists. There are
bike paths in some of the large cities the route goes through, and riders will need all their
defensive urban cycling skills to contend with the heavy traffic. But this is California, land
of sun and fun (especially along the southern portion of the route). Riders can jump into
the Pacific Ocean on a whim or watch a beautiful sunset. This route can be ridden at any
time of the year, but spring and autumn are optimal periods to avoid the increased tourist
traffic in the summer. And riders should be forewarned: heavy winter rains can cause
flooding and mud slides and may close roads, especially along the coast. Heavy fog can
also be a problem during any season. Due to changing local conditions, it is difficult to
predict any major wind patterns, but during summer, strong winds will prevail from north
to south.
Soon after starting this route in Crescent City, riders will be biking through awe-inspiring
redwood country on roads shaded by trees reaching high into the sky. A herd of elk live
near Orick and are usually easy to spot. The redwoods are a big tourist area, and riders
have the opportunity to bike through trees that most people drive their cars through. After
leaving the redwoods, riders will enjoy scenic riding along the Pacific Ocean, where the
route climbs and descends along the coastal headlands.
Biking over the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco is a real treat, and the route stays
on the western edge of the city. Heading southward along the coast, there are numerous
state beaches. At the Año Nuevo State Reserve, during the elephant seal mating season
in January, viewing the seals is not to be missed. North of Monterey, acres of farms begin
to appear in the Salinas Valley, a prime agricultural area known as the "Artichoke Capital
of the World."
After leaving Carmel, the ride south along the Pacific Coast Highway is the most
spectacular portion of the route for many cyclists. This winding, scenic road high above
the Pacific has been seen many times in television shows, commercials, and movies.
Leaving the Santa Lucia Mountains and the coast, it is evident that the route has reached
"southern" California. The route passes many fertile farms and areas with various
degrees of development. Santa Barbara, California is an easy town to cycle through.
When route reaches Malibu, riders will find tremendous congestion and views of
hundreds of trophy homes built into the hillsides or along the beaches. This is the
northern end of the Los Angeles megalopolis.
Beginning in Santa Monica, the route uses some beautiful bike paths that go right through
the middle of the sandy beaches, and then passes through residential and industrial
areas before rejoining the Pacific Coast Highway south of the city. All the way to San
Diego, there is a mix of urban cycling through towns, bike paths, highways, and shore
roads. Through San Diego and its suburbs, the route follows residential streets and bike
paths to the Coronado Pedestrian-Bicycle Ferry, which takes riders to Coronado and a
bike path along Silver Strand State Beach, then to the route's end near the Mexican border.
