With the summer sun out, it’s time to ride! For this post of our favorite bike routes, we’ve decided to describe a couple different ways to get to Phil’s Trailhead from various parts of town. Why drive your bike to the trailhead when you can begin the biking fun right from your house?
Option 1: Here is a mostly gravel route to Phil’s Trailhead from Shevlin Commons.
Shevlin Commons to Western Larch Trail
Continue down Western Larch until you reach a logging road and turn left
Continue down the logging road until you reach Skyliners, turn left. Go downhill on Skyliners (you can also cross the street here and be on a connection trail that will bring you to MTB and Ben’s) and make your first right onto the road that leads to Phil’s Trailhead.
Option 2: Ponderosa Park to Phil’s Trailhead
Start from Ponderosa Park by heading west on SE Wilson Ave. You can use the on street bike lane which should be getting more duracurb delineators on it all the way through Second Street. Or you can use the wide multi-use path separated by landscaping from the road. Crossing 3rd street should also be easier than it once was using the new protected intersection.
Cross through the Old Mill to get onto the River Trail. Please note, there are lots of people walking through the Old Mill and while it is okay to ride your bike on the streets through the Old Mill, you might need to walk your bike on the paths where there are a lot of people until you get onto the River Trail.
Continue on the River Trail through Miller’s Landing Park and up Riverfront Street until you make a left on the path from NW Gilchrist Ave to cross the bridge at Columbia Park. Make a right on Columbia and a left on Cumberland Ave. Continue across 14th Street where there is a painted crosswalk and make a right on 16th Street. Make a quick jog over on Elgin Ave to 17th Street where you can cross Galveston onto the West Bend Trail which parallels Skyliners.
The West Bend Trail crosses to the other side of the street at Mt Washington. Continue along it until you make a left onto the trail next to Forest Road 4604 which leads right to Phil’s Trailhead!
