Without a doubt, Forest Park’s Wildwood Trail is the preeminent hiking path in the city of Portland. It is the most well-known trail in the most well-known park in town. If you hike in Portland, you’ve been on this trail—and more than likely run into several fellow outdoor lovers in the process.
But remember, the Wildwood Trail stretches the length of Forest Park, the largest forested municipal park in the country. That’s just over 30 miles of potential hiking that can be done on the Wildwood alone. So have you been to the end? Not where the trail “begins” in Washington Park but where it ends, off US 30 in Linnton.
Distance: 3.4 miles out and back
Difficulty: Easy
Trail surface: Hard-packed dirt; duffy, rocky
Hiking time: 1.5 to 3 hours
County: Multnomah
Land status: City park
Seasons: All
Trail contact: City of Portland, Parks & Recreation, (503) 823-6007; portlandoregon.gov/parks/
Maps: Oregon Road & Recreation Atlas: Page 106 B2
Finding the trailhead: From downtown Portland, take I-405 North to US 30. Take US 30 to St. Helens for just over 8 miles and make a left onto Newberry Road. At 1.5 miles, look for a small pullout at the trailhead, on the left. GPS: N45° 36.314' / W122° 49.456'
The Hike
There are a few good reasons to visit this area of the park. For starters it’s far less crowded. Also, and perhaps even more important, this section of the Wildwood features only native flora. There are no invasive species (e.g., English ivy) to be found along this segment of the trail. Combine these factors and you also get the happy by-product of more wildlife. An easy 3.4-mile out-and-back hike from the end of the Wildwood Trail is a great introduction to Forest Park’s wilder side.
From the trailhead the Wildwood Trail immediately descends to a bridged creek crossing, ascending again on the other side. The entire length of the Wildwood follows a pattern of easy, rolling elevation gains and losses paired with winding canyon explorations. Along the way the trail passes through shady stands of western red cedar engulfed by carpets of oxalis, stately groves of Douglas fir and hemlock, and expanses of gnarled, moss-covered maples. You’ll encounter all of the aforementioned on this hike. This area is also a hotbed for trilliums in spring.
Continuing, the trail crosses several bridges dripping with mosses and lichens in the wet season. After ducking in and out of a few canyons, things open up a bit and the path bends easily through the forest. A brief climb reaches an opening under a set of power lines before ducking back into a canyon and arriving at Fire Lane 15, the turnaround point for this hike. If you’re in the mood for more, continue as long as you like before returning the way you came.
Miles and Directions
0.0 Start at the trailhead and proceed onto the signed Wildwood Trail.
1.5 Continue hiking beneath a set of power lines.
1.7 Arrive at a junction with Fire Lane 15. Head back the way you came.
3.4 Arrive back at the trailhead.
Local Information
Post-hike food and drink: Head into the St. Johns neighborhood and visit the Leisure Public House, 8002 N Lombard St., or the Taqueria in the back of Tienda Santa Cruz, 8630 N Lombard St.