Hidden Secrets of Forest Park
Oh what a treasure we have in Forest Park, the expansive forest that’s directly on the edge of the city, with access points a mere mile from downtown Portland. Forest Park features 70 miles of trail tucked inside 5,100 acres of well protected old growth forest.
Forest Park is the perfect Portland place to recharge and invigorate your senses.
Lief Erickson: The Neighborhood That Never Was
Lief Erickson is a popular double track (meaning wide) trail of compact gravel and dirt that originates in NW Portland’s Lair Hill neighborhood and ends at Germantown Road near St. Johns. The trail curves, rises and falls among old growth trees and lush ferns, providing a delight for all senses, and a popular route for cyclists that are eager to get away from traffic.
But there was a time when there actually was traffic on Lief Erickson. The trail was originally a road that was constructed to lead to a planned development that would have been situated within what is now Forest Park. Around 1914, plans for the development were shot down when it was determined that the unstable land was unfit for building homes.
For many years afterward, the road remained as a scenic driving route, a popular activity in the day when cars were still a novelty. But traveling the unmaintained road wasn’t easy and those who were most successful we usually the ones that brought tools to clear the road as they drove. Later efforts to improve the road were thwarted by landslides.
Eventually, the road was closed to vehicles and now it is widely enjoyed by hikers, runners and cyclists of all stripes - and it is impeccably maintained.
Still image from a video by Jay Horita
Mountain Biking in Forest Park
For the most part, biking isn’t allowed in Forest Park. Though the park is one of the largest urban forest in the US, the park’s stewards have yet to create a program to manage the inclusion of bikes the way many other smaller and larger parks across the nation have.
Cyclists are able to use a few of the trails, but these options just don’t provide the thrill that mountain bikers, in particular, are typically seeking. These trails are either too short, too steep or too boring for what most mt. bikers crave. Other similar parks have found ways to allow safe access for all trail users, which also includes horseback riders, youth groups and runners.
Northwest Trail Alliance, a regional trail steward organization, is working closely with Forest Park to improve access for mt. bikers and here’s the secret: there are some potential new trails in the works.
Forest Park is a beloved treasure and change is slow to happen. The tireless advocates at Northwest Trail Alliance are hopeful that pretty soon Portland will have proper mt. bike options within biking distance of the urban core - a fitting feature for our bike-friendly city. For now, people who want an immersive mt. bike experience drive at least 45 minutes out of the city to hit full access trails.
The Magic of the Wildwood Trail
Wildwood is a 31 mile trail that spans the entirety of Forest Park, from NW Cornell Road all the way to the northernmost end of the park at Newberry Road. To hike the complete trail would take a very full day, from sunup to beyond sundown, so most people tackle it in more digestible segments. There are many access points from other trails that tie in to Wildwood.
Wildwood offers a mix of terrain and forest delights along a narrow winding path. Deep canyons drop off to the side, ferns completely cover the hillsides and broad trees tower overhead. Wildwood is truly the summary of all parts of Forest Park.
In 2011, Colin Meloy, the lead singer of the Portland-based band the Decemberists, and his wife Carson Ellis created the gorgeously illustrated storybook novel Wildwood Chronicles. This magical tale is a three-part series with the rights to the movie optioned by Portland-based stop animation house Laika.
Early Morning Serenity
There are a small number of people who adventure along the paths of Forest Park in the wee hours of the morning. Whether they are trying to get a run in before work or simply want to have the trail to themselves, there’s no doubt that they are treated to some of Forest Park’s finest moments.
There is a calm serenity to Forest Park mornings, with the rising sun bathing the lush forest in a golden hue and the sound of birds waking up for the day.
Dogs love hiking in Forest Park!
A Hidden Vista
One of the most striking views of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers can only be glimpsed by earning your way to the lookout point. To get there, you’ll have to hike for at least a mile.
The spot is nestled along BPA Road, a utility access road and trail that snakes under the power lines through Forest Park. The wide gravel path is easy to hike, but getting there is certainly a challenge. The shortest route is from the east parking along Highway 30 and hiking up an impossibly steep incline along the BPA road. This is the route to take if you want a challenge, but it isn’t the most serene.
For a more relaxed route, begin at the Skyline Blvd Trailhead (two miles, gorgeously woodsy) or BPA Road Trailhead (1 mile, gravel track) and hike miles to the BPA road and turn left.
As the trail takes a sharp turn under the powerlines, a small section of path strays northward, away from the actual trail and up a little rise. Climb this hill, where you’ll find a remote picnic table, a broad open area and an absolutely stunning view.
Once you arrive to the spot, the entire world goes quiet, other than the faint sound of cargo ships and the shipping terminals in the distance. Birds swoop by and the trees rustle gracefully in the wind. Take your time here, and soak it all in.