Northwest Trail Alliance

Beginner Class: Corners, Climbing, Descents - 8/10
2024-08-10 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Class offered in partnership with Portland Parks & Recreation. Registration required through ActiveNet. Click on the button below.

register here

Rider Experience: From beginners to off-road riders with at least 1 year of cycling experience.

Beginners are riders with some experience but want to be more confident and have more fun riding a bike off road on dirt, grass, and varied terrain. They can shift gears and brake but want to do so with more confidence. They want to learn how to corner, climb, and descend gentle slopes. They are interested in rolling over smaller features. They can ride 2 miles or more on a trail or bike path. This class is for: a beginning rider who may not have taken a cycling class before and wants to improve bike handling skills to handle some more technical features over the course of a progressive four-class series.

During this class: They’ll learn to corner, climb, and descend. We will also discuss riding in a group and trail etiquette, basic bike fit information, decisions on whether to ride a feature or not, and safe bailout techniques when things get tricky.

Meet: At the west Fred Meyer parking lot, we will ride into the park together. This lot is behind the Fred Meyer, close to NE 99th Ave. and the Gateway MAX station.

Bike: A mountain bike, either a hardtail or full suspension in good working condition with platform pedals, knobby tires, two hand brakes (front and rear), and a seat that can move up and down. Single speeds are OK but a bike with gears will be more fun on the climbs. No worn out tires or kickstands.

Required gear: A properly fitting helmet in good condition and is less than 5 years old. Water bottle and snacks. Clothing appropriate for the weather. Tools for moving the seat up and down if necessary. Pack to carry layers, snacks, tools and water.

Recommended gear: Full-fingered gloves. Knee and elbow protection. Eye protection. Tools and supplies to change a flat tire (with assistance!).

Beginner Class: Slow Moving Skills, Ratcheting, & Balance - 8/17
2024-08-17 09:00 - 12:00
Class offered in partnership with Portland Parks & Recreation. Registration required through ActiveNet. Click on the button below.

register here

Rider Experience: From beginners to off-road riders with at least 1 year of cycling experience.

Beginners are riders with some experience but want to be more confident and have more fun riding a bike off road on dirt, grass and varied terrain. They can shift gears and brake but want to do so with more confidence. They want to learn how to corner, climb, and descend gentle slopes. They are interested in rolling over smaller features. They can ride 2 miles or more on a trail or bike path. This class is for: a beginning rider who may not have taken a cycling class before and wants to improve bike handling skills to handle some more technical features over the course of a progressive four-class series.

During this class: They’ll learn slow-riding skills to have fun riding more technical trails with features up to 2” high on uphill terrain, and up to 8” high on downhill terrain. We will also discuss riding in a group and trail etiquette, basic bike fit information, decisions on whether to ride a feature or not, and safe bailout techniques when things get tricky.

Meet: At the west Fred Meyer parking lot, we will ride into the park together. This lot is behind the Fred Meyer, close to NE 99th Ave and the Gateway MAX station.

Bike: A mountain bike, either a hardtail or full suspension in good working condition with platform pedals, knobby tires, two hand brakes (front and rear), and a seat that can move up and down. Single speeds are OK but a bike with gears will be more fun on the climbs. No worn out tires or kickstands.

Required gear: A properly fitting helmet in good condition and is less than 5 years old. Water bottle and snacks. Clothing appropriate for the weather. Tools for moving the seat up and down if necessary. Pack to carry layers, snacks, tools and water.

Recommended gear: Full-fingered gloves. Knee and elbow protection. Eye protection. Tools and supplies to change a flat tire (with assistance!).

Gateway Green Celebration + Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day - 10/5
2024-10-05 10:00 - 14:00
Where: Gateway Green Bike Park, north of Gateway Transit Center (along the 1-205 bike/pedestrian path).

A combined event to celebrate: The completion of the entry plaza, expanded trails, and the annual Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day withbike stations, loaner bikes, refreshments, and more! This incredible event is made possible by Portland Parks & Recreation and TriMet.

Access Info: This is a car-free park.

For more programming and access information, please visit: portland.gov/parks/gateway-green

Gateway Green Fall Clean-up Day - 11/10
2024-11-10 10:00 - 13:00
Let’s come together for a fun day of cleaning up Gateway Green this fall!

register here

With leaves falling and wetter days ahead, Gateway Green is in need of fall cleaning. Join Northwest Trail Alliance for raking and leaf-blowing the trails!

NWTA will provide snacks, tools, and guidance.

Please bring gloves, water, and appropriate clothing

This will be a family-friendly event for kids of all ages.

Youth under 18 require adult supervision.

As official stewards of Gateway Green, NWTA partners with Portland Parks & Recreation to take care of the trails year-round. Our work helps keep Gateway Green tidy, safe, and well-maintained for bikers and users of all kinds.

Meet at Gateway Green Park near the storage containers on the north end.

All participants: please be sure to complete the volunteer waiver before the event.

Women's Beginner Ride at Gateway Green - 6/18
2025-06-18 17:30 - 19:30
Trail Sisters hears you and we are answering your call for a beginner group ride! Join us at Gateway Green for a chill, guided ride.

register here

This will be a chill, guided ride around the trails at Gateway Green. Ride at your own pace, get comfy on your bike, learn from others, and maybe come away with a riding buddy or two!

Meet at the north end of the park near the entrances of Ted’s Traverse and Meadow Loop. Your ride leaders will meet you there, go over bike safety, talk about route options, and show you around the park!

Note this is not a clinic, just an opportunity to come together and ride with other women who are just getting into mountain biking.

Please bring:

A mountain bike in good working order (tires pumped, sealant checked, bolts tight, chain clean and lubed, brakes and shifters working)

Snacks and water

A multi-tool, hand pump, and extra tube are also good to have!

If you reigster but find that you are not able to make it, please cancel your Eventbrite registration so our ride leaders have a good idea of how many folks to expect.

Once registered, please sign the waiver HERE.

Contact carriej@nw-trail.org with any questions.

Trail Sisters x TSI Trail Building Training Series at Gateway Green - 12/14
2025-12-14 09:30 - 14:00
Join us for the second installment of the NW Trail Sisters’ Trail Building Training Series at Gateway Green!

register here

Join us at Gateway Green for the second installment of the NW Trail Sisters Training Series where we will be learning all about maintaining jump lines with hand tools!

This outdoor education series is made possible through a generous grant from Travel Oregon.

What are we doing?: The day will involve learning about maintaining dirt jump lines, including hands-on practice.

What is this “training series?”: The series is a set of dig days dedicated to building skills and confidence. We have three dig days scheduled at multiple locations where Trail Sisters crew leads alongside Local Stewardship Teams will cover the technical aspects of trail building and sustainable maintenance in a fun and supportive environment.

We welcome all women and non-binary folks interested in trail building to join us! No prior digging experience is necessary.

Waiver: Once registered, please sign the waiver HERE.

What to bring:

Warm clothing and extra layers.

Rain jacket (and rain pants if you have them and the weather calls for it): It’s November in the PNW, odds are high it’ll rain, but that doesn’t stop us from digging!

Gloves (waterproof are best): It wouldn’t hurt to bring an extra pair, too. Cold hands suck! We have extras if needed.

Sturdy shoes

Helmet or hard hat (required)

Eye protection

Water

Snacks and lunch

Bike and bike gear for post-dig rips

Any necessary tools will be provided. You are not required to bring any of your own.

More specific details about the event will be emailed to those who signed up closer to the date.

These events are very popular and sell out quickly. If you are unable to attend for any reason, please cancel your registration with AT LEAST 24 hours notice so others on the waitlist have an opportunity to come.

Join NWTA and become one of nearly 6,000 mountain bikers stewarding trails together in NW Oregon and SW Washington. If the cost of membership creates a financial hardship, please reach out to us, we can help with that barrier.

Questions? Send them over to Carrie at carriej@nw-trail.org

TSI Advanced Trail School: Shaping & Maintaining Jumps - 4/5
2026-04-05 09:00 - 14:00
Join TSI at Gateway Green for an Advanced Trail School where we will be learning how to shape and maintain jumps.

register here

Join NWTA’s Trail Sustainability Institute (TSI) for Advanced Trail School: Shaping & Maintaining Jumps, where we will be learning all about maintaining jump lines with hand tools!.

What are we doing?: The day will involve learning the in’s and outs of maintaining dirt jump lines, including hands-on practice. Learn from our very own Mark Rainha, professional trail builder and lead steward at Gateway Green.

What to bring:

Warm clothing and extra layers.

Rain jacket (and rain pants if you have them and the weather calls for it): It’s April in the PNW, odds are high it’ll rain, but that doesn’t stop us from digging!

Gloves (waterproof are best): It wouldn’t hurt to bring an extra pair, too.

Sturdy shoes

Helmet or hard hat (required)

Eye protection

Water

Snacks and lunch

Bike and bike gear for post-dig rips

Any necessary tools will be provided. You are not required to bring any of your own.

We will be meeting at the top of the progressive jump line.

Questions? Shoot them to Nancy Stone at nancys@nw-trail.org
