Western Valley: Hops, Crops, and Winery Stops

As the name implies, this easy, relatively flat ride loops through the scenic farmland, hop fields, vineyards, and historic small towns of south Polk County. Wineries, breweries, and wildlife areas along the way make it easy to turn this into an all-day ride.

Start in historic downtown Monmouth, home of Western Oregon University, at Main Street Park which is across the street from Veal Bikes Plus. Picturesque Monmouth was the last dry town in Oregon, in fact the last dry town west of Utah, not voting until 2004 to allow the sale of alcohol. Currently, however, there is no shortage of food or drink with several establishments serving Oregon beer and wines, as well as coffee and food along Main Street. Monmouth’s beer-less tradition is juxtaposed as you ride into Independence, a pioneer town on the banks of the calm, but swift, Willamette River, known for being the focal point of the Oregon’s hops (a key beer ingredient) industry from the late 1800’s to the mid 1900’s. Riverview Park in downtown Independence makes another good starting point for this loop with nearby coffee shops, restaurants, and a biker/boater campground.

The route leaves town heading south on Independence’s Main Street, past the Independence Civic Center and the River Road Bridge, passing a bountiful array of orchards, fields, and hopyards. You can’t miss Redgate Vineyard, notable of course for its red gate, which provides a scenic and tasty stopping point. If so inclined, a mile farther down Buena Vista Road will take you to the intersection with Wigrich Road, where a short one mile detour leads to the Rogue Ales Hopyard and tasting room, a farm that has been growing hops for over 100 years, and offers tours, food, and Rogue beers and spirits.

Continuing south, the route passes through the community of Buena Vista, a small unincorporated township which claims the site of the first commercial hop plantings in Oregon, and was also once proposed as a location for the Oregon State Capitol. For a fun side trip at a cost of only a dollar (a couple more if you want to purchase some water or ice cream from the crew), take the famous Buena Vista Ferry across the river and back - it’s one of only two ferries still operating on the Willamette River. Look for Osprey nests along the bank, or adult birds hunting up and down the river.

Back on the west bank, the route continues south-west out of Buena Vista through rolling hills and crosses the Luckiamute River, a tributary of the Willamette. About a mile south of the Luckiamute, turn west on Suver Road, headed toward Suver Junction, with its flashing lights at Highway 99W. To turn this loop into a wine tasting excursion, continue east across 99w for a couple more miles and drop into Emerson Vineyards and Airlie Winery. To head back to town, cross to the west side of Highway 99W and turn north (you will be counter traffic for about ¼ mile) and split off almost immediately onto scenic Helmick Road, the original and historic 99W.

This low-traffic road runs north, recrossing the Luckiamute River, and passes Sarah Helmick State Park, the first state park on land donated to the State Highway Department for park purposes, and a great day stop for a picnic, with electricity, water, and restrooms. For the last six miles north, you will pass more picturesque seed farms, a horse farm or two, and small plots of Christmas trees. In the summer and fall primarily, be on the lookout for farm equipment being moved from field to field.

As you approach Monmouth, just about two miles south of the city, you will ride past historic Fir Crest Cemetery. With its towering Douglas Fir trees, and over 100-year old granite headstones marking grave sites of Monmouth and other Polk County historical figures and pioneer families, it is a quiet stop to view the surrounding countryside. Perhaps spend a few minutes looking around and admiring the pioneer spirit that brought people to this “Eden at the End of the Oregon Trail”. Note that while the old highway, built in the 1920’s, was laid out to go around this site, the gravel road that cuts through the cemetery for a straight north-south line was built in the 1940’s, to avoid the possible tipping of troop and ammunition laden trucks traveling to and from U.S. Army Camp Adair, some 13 miles to the south, during the Second World War.

In a few minutes of pedaling, you finish your trip north back into Monmouth, and a cold (or hot, depending on the weather) beverage of your choice.

Photos provided by: Pete Strong/Itemizer Observer and many more.