The idea for this book originated in the 1990s. In 1992 Keith Hay, founder of the American Greenways Program, proposed a bold initiative called the Pacific Greenway project. It sought to establish three separate routes that would connect Forest Park with the Coast Range, thus protecting a major wildlife corridor while also providing a trail system through some of northwest Oregon’s thickest forests in a part of the state that has received little recognition.
Imagine hiking trails from Portland to the Coast Range: it may some day be possible. This dream inspired this book of twenty wilderness hikes, each starting where the vision begins, closest to Portland. Certainly the more remote additions to our hiking repertoire are on the horizon as a growing population of hikers, runners, bikers, and equestrians continue to seek new venues for explorations in the northwest quadrant of Oregon.
Most modern cities are now surrounded by a wide belt of privately held, semi-developed lands that offer little opportunity for recreational access or enjoyment. Portland is unique in this respect. The northwest quadrant of the city is dominated by Forest Park, which is the basis for ten of the twenty trails in this volume. At 5000 acres it ranks as the largest natural urban forest reserve in the United States, stretching across 8 miles of wooded hillsides in the Tualatin Mountains. This sylvan peninsula extending into Portland offers tremendous hiking experiences, especially in the remoter areas described in this book. Concealed beyond it lie larger and more majestic woods that extend in a continuous forested carpet along the lower Columbia River all the way to the Pacific. Some of the most beautiful of these forests, with their labyrinthine networks of logging roads, are a mere thirty-minute drive from downtown Portland.
Basic guidance to the more accessible and popular trails of Forest Park, such as the Wildwood Trail and Leif Erikson Drive, is easy to come by. But there are dozens of other lesser-known urban trails that are literally off the beaten track and eminently worth seeking out for their quiet, undisturbed ambiance and for the rugged beauty of their natural settings. In addition to introducing these lesser-known trails inside Forest Park, this guide invites you into some rarely described prime Oregon hiking country that is nearly as close to Portland. The northern portion of the Tualatin Mountains, essentially a spur of the Coast Range that divides the Tualatin Valley from the Columbia River, is a treasure trove of close-in, accessible hikes of remarkable beauty and surprising remoteness, and is full of local cultural history. After more than four years of intensive exploration, research, Global Positioning System (GPS) mapping, and interviews with local residents, I am pleased to include nine hikes in the northern Tualatin Mountains.
Each chapter in this book begins with the essential information about each hike, including the trailhead location, distance covered by the hike, estimated duration, elevation changes, hiking conditions, and driving directions from the intersection of West Burnside and Interstate 405 in downtown Portland. As this book is primarily intended for urban hikers who want to experience relatively secluded forests near the city, I’ve also included information on how to access some of the closer trails using TriMet, Portland’s regional bus service. For current bus schedules and routes, contact TriMet at 503-238-RIDE or visit www.trimet.org.
A detailed map of each hike follows the route through a series of waypoints that correspond to descriptions of points of special interest. These waypoints appear as 
, 
, 
, and so forth. The first waypoint on each hike is the trailhead and parking location. Please use consideration when parking your vehicle. Gated roads should never be blocked, nor should you drive into any gated areas even if they are open. Keep in mind that a forester may be working inside the gated area. If he or she were to unknowingly lock you in, it would be a very unfortunate situation, especially since many of these areas do not have good cell phone reception.
Many of the remoter trails on these hikes are part of larger logging road networks that cover a much vaster area and are lots of fun to explore. Most of these other trails or logging roads are indicated in abbreviated form on each map to allow you to confirm your position along the way.
In estimating the duration of each hike, I’ve assumed a rate of travel of 2.5 miles per hour, a rather leisurely pace. A brisk walker could exceed 3 miles per hour, but such a pace would be too hurried to enjoy the environs.
Information on elevation changes should help you gauge how much climbing and descending is entailed for each hike, and the contour lines on the maps provide further details about local topography.
In my descriptions of hiking conditions I’ve tried to indicate the nature of the surface terrain, from gravel logging road to footpath to rugged track, paying particular attention to changing conditions due to inclement weather. Most of these trails and logging roads are easy to follow even if they are overgrown and not maintained, but a few of the more remote trails (Fire Lane 12 Loop, Beaver Ponds Loop, Double Cross Loop, and Runaway Ridge Loop) include rudimentary tracks (either a game trail following a clearly discernable geographic contour, or a disused logging road) that provide a rough but strategic link in completing the loop.
A note about walking on logging roads versus trails: Logging roads run the gamut from green carpets of moss to rough-hewn roads surfaced with sharp, angular rocks. Many of the newly surfaced roads can be tough on the ankles, and you will want to wear hiking boots or other shoes with ankle support. But logging roads also have the benefit of being mostly dry (though occasionally muddy) even in wet weather, and in sunny weather they afford hikers exposure to sunlight and stunning vistas.
Accessibility to some of the less-frequented logging roads (especially undocumented side trails) may be an issue in some areas, especially at lower elevations where brambles are rampant. In general, however, the main element contributing to logging road congestion beyond Forest Park is alder tree proliferation, which is more of a nuisance than a real obstruction even with alders more than a decade old.
Where bushwhacking is required, such as on the Fire Lane 12 Loop and Double Cross Loop, I recommend bringing rose pruners, which are small and can cut brambles far better than any machete or hatchet. I do not recommend whacking away at brambles or alders with a hatchet; such an undertaking would be not only unnecessary but also dangerous and damaging to the forest. In private forests I would carry a hatchet only when fire rules require it; otherwise I strongly advise against carrying any implement that might be seen as posing a danger to the trees. During my own excursions I have used pruners on the Ennis Creek Hike, Double Cross Loop, and Jones Creek Hike. Otherwise I have generally found it easy enough to sidestep the brambles.
Each chapter describes some of the many plants and animals you are likely to see along these hikes. I also provide some of the fascinating history of each wilderness area, including accounts of local Indians and early settlers and descriptions of the rough-hewn communities they built. Where possible I have also included geological information.
Along the way I describe a sampling of the many mushrooms and plants often found along these hikes. Please note, however, that when it comes to identification you will need to consult other texts, as I am no expert. Although I grew up eating woodland mushrooms, I don’t recommend doing so without a reliable reference in hand. Unfortunately it is very easy to confuse poisonous mushrooms and plants for edible ones, and the mistake can lead to serious illness or even death. Never under any circumstance eat any mushroom or plant unless you are very certain of its identity and edibility. Ian R. Hall and his coauthors provide the following sage advice at the beginning of Edible and Poisonous Mushrooms of the World (2003): “Even for a mushroom known to be edible, one should eat only a small amount the first time. Moreover, when eating wild mushrooms or new cultivated mushrooms, always place some uncooked ones aside in the refrigerator in case there has been a mistake or there is an allergic reaction to the mushroom.” For more on identifying mushrooms in particular, consult references such as Mushrooms of Northwest North America (Schalkwijk-Barendsen 1994) or National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms (Lincoff 1981).
All but four of the hikes in this book are loops, meaning that the trail circles back along another route but returns you to the same starting point, presumably where you’ve parked your car. Where it was impossible to provide a looped route, the one-way trail has been designated simply as a hike. In the case of the Cable Trail to Rocky Point Road Hike, which is designed to be walked in one direction only, I’ve recommended parking a second car at the trail terminus.
While the names of established trails, public roads, and recognized streams are accurate, I have taken liberties with the naming of some of these hikes and the minor geographic features associated with them. The Cable Trail received its moniker from the presence of choker cables on the trail. Reference to the “elbow” curve on Skyline Boulevard, and the associated Elbow Ridge View Hike, derive from my personal description of this sharp bend in the road. My dog’s occasional intractability gave rise to the name Runaway Ridge, and the Double Cross Loop is so named because it crosses two streams.
The first eleven hikes in this book take you through established parks in Southwest and Northwest Portland, while the last nine hikes wend their way through the more isolated slopes of the Tualatin Mountains.
Two hikes in the Tualatin Mountains, the Ennis Creek Hike and the Burlington Creek Loop, are located on property purchased by Metro. These areas have not yet officially been added to the roster of Metro parks, but since access is not explicitly prohibited, I have included them. We should maintain a light impact, however: Metro has limitations that prevent immediate development and is not promoting widespread use of these lands.
The remaining hikes in the Tualatin Mountains are located on private forestry land where limited recreational access is allowed, including daytime pedestrian use. On such land trees are grown, harvested, and replanted, resulting in a patchwork of bare logged ground, replanted slopes dotted with protectively encased seedlings, thick young forests, and stands of carefully thinned maturing trees. These large tracts of varying density constitute some the richest habitat for animals and provide rewarding walking for the dedicated hiker. These limited-access areas are clearly denoted by blue or orange gates usually accompanied by posted usage guidelines and a phone number for the land manager of the timber company. Please note that during the fire season (August through September) there may be limited or more extensive closures. In the case of a limited closure, hikers are allowed to enter but are asked to carry a shovel and a gallon of water. If conditions are more severe you may encounter a complete closure, which is usually posted at the entrance to the property. Check the Oregon Department of Forestry Web site for exact information about local closures: http://egov.oregon.gov/ODF/FIRE/precautionlevel.shtml. It is also a good idea to have a backup plan in case your favorite trail is closed. From time to time a timber company will close an area to all access when there is active logging, since logging is an inherently dangerous business.
Please don’t litter, and observe the posted rules so that we may all continue to benefit from this privilege. Incidents of vandalism (a federal offense) have been especially unfortunate, both because of the very real danger they pose to loggers and because they can lead to the permanent closure of these beautiful privately managed forests for all of us. Of all the land I surveyed for this book, from the end of Forest Park all the way to the Nehalem River, managed timberland held the greatest concentration and variety of wildlife. Plentiful riparian areas separating different stages of forest maturity, improved habitat in thinned timber stands, and the preservation of local watersheds have all contributed to a marked increase in wildlife. By contrast, development of isolated private residences has clearly contributed to habitat degradation, the spread of invasive species, and a marked reduction in wildlife.
Ten million acres of Oregon’s forests are privately owned and managed. Our hope of developing publicly accessible walking routes from Portland to the Oregon coast certainly depends in part on our ability to build effective relations with our state’s private timber harvesters. As more recreational users gain exposure to Oregon’s public and private forests, it should become clear that we all benefit from the healthy management of these forests.
Of course, always observe appropriate caution when it comes to fire and avoid any unnecessary disturbance of the flora and fauna, especially where restrictions are clearly posted about protecting local wildlife habitat.
A recreationaluse notice
Cell phone reception is frequently unavailable in these remote areas, and access to these slopes is difficult by emergency vehicle or even on foot. It is a good practice to leave detailed information about your intended route and provide a finite check-in time, so that timely and focused search efforts can be initiated if necessary. Keep in mind, too, that diverging from your documented route will further complicate any search efforts.
Two final notes of caution and advice: First, the biggest danger in these woods is hypothermia, which initially manifests itself by impairing your judgment. Northwest woods are damp and cold. As a consequence they rob energy from your body, and the ensuing disorientation can leave you utterly lost in these complex networks of logging roads. Studies have shown that 99 percent of missing people who are found alive are discovered within the first fifty-one hours, with chances of survival diminishing rapidly after that. Don’t fool yourself: this can happen as easily thirty minutes from home as it can on Mount Hood. Dress properly and stay dry. Should you get lost in any of these forests, don’t adhere to the old Boy Scout adage about following water to civilization. That’s the worst thing you could do here! Logging roads run along the tops of the hills, not along the bottom. The bottoms of our ravines are densely overgrown, wet, cold, and steep, leading only to more bodies of water. Climb to the ridgeline, where you will find the old logging roads. From there, keep looking for bigger, more recently used roads until you find the gate.
Having now warned against getting lost, I have to admit that this guidebook is at least partially the result of my passion for “losing” myself in the depths of our forests. I know that it’s loopy and pointless, and even my dog doubts my sanity at times, but I can’t stop mucking around in the woods. I usually arrive home many hours later, wet to the bone, with twigs sticking out of my
The bottoms of Oregon’s ravines are cool and wet even in the heat of August but can be deadly for a disoriented hiker during the colder seasons.
hair, my hat transformed into a soil-sample collector, and bramble scratches over every exposed inch of my body. Yet all week long I dream about wandering down long-abandoned logging roads. I recall the mists and fog sweeping up the valleys during my most recent visit and can’t seem to stop wondering what was around that last bend in the road.
With this book I hope to bring you one step closer to sharing the thrill of spotting a coyote up ahead or being awestruck by the grace of a solitary “baldie” sweeping the sky above you. Perhaps one day we’ll even meet somewhere very deep in the woods.
The shaggy parasol (Macrolepiota rachodes) is among the many mushrooms found in Oregon forests. Never consume any mushroom unless you are certain of its identity and edibility.
