Family Friendly Hikes Around Portland Oregon

Posted on: July 30, 2007

Photograph by Sarah Harmon of Hood Photography

Right outside your door are scores of great family-friendly hikes. Put on your walking shoes, round up your family, and enjoy some of the best outdoor adventures Oregon has to offer.

Tryon Creek
2.0 to 8.0 mile hike / 1 to 4 hours
Located in SW Portland’s Tryon Creek State Park

Directions:
From Portland, drive south on 1-5 to EXIT 297/Terwilliger Blvd. Keep right at the fork in the ramp, and turn right onto SW Barbur Blvd, then take a slight right onto SW Terwillerger Blvd. Drive 2.3 miles to the park entrance and the large parking lot.

Powell Butte
3.0 mile hike / 1.5 hours
Located between Portland and Gresham south of US 26

Directions:
From Portland, drive on 1-205 south to EXIT 19. Follow SE Powell Blvd three miles south and turn right onto SW 162nd Avenue to the park entrance and the parking area. The trail starts on the west side of the parking area.

Champoeg State Park Loop
3.0 mile hike / 1.5 hours
Located east of Newberg on the south banks of the Willamette River.

Directions:
From Portland, drive south on I-5 for 20 miles to EXIT 278 for Donald/Aurora. Turn right (west) and drive about six miles to the park entrance. Park in the Riverside Day Use Area.

Wildwood National Recreational Trail
.5 to 30.2 miles / 5 hours to 1 day
In Portland Washington and Forest Parks

There are many points of access to Wildwood Trail. To get to the southern trailhead from downtown Portland, drive west on US 26 to EXIT 72/Canyon Road. Turn right to enter the Oregon Zoo entrance and the large parking lot. The trail starts to the right of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. To reach the northern trailhead, drive on US 30 or Skyline Blvd to Germantown Rd and the parking lot on the right.

Lewis and Clark Nature Trail
4.0 miles / 2.0 hours
In Lewis & Clark State Park on the west side of the Columbia River Gorge

Directions: From Portland, drive east on I-84 for 20 miles to EXIT 18 and follow signs less than .1 mile to Lewis & Clark State Park and the parking lot. The trail starts on the SW side of the parking lot.

Latourell Falls
2.1 miles / 1 hour
Located east of Crown Point in the Columbia River Gorge

Directions: From Portland, drive about 25 miles east on I-84 lo Bridal Veil Fall/ EXIT 28. Continue down the historic Columbia River Scenic Hwy for 2.5 miles to the trailhead and parking area on the right.

For more information on these and other local hikes you can sign up for a free 14 day trial subscription at www.trails.com.

Written by Terri Lejeune, Office Manager for portlandrealestate.com.