Three off-the-beaten-track trails near Portland
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Mount Hood from the top of Table Rock in Clackamas County. Photo: Emily Harris/Axios
The Columbia River Gorge is certainly gorgeous, and Mount Hood is fantastic, but as we're heading into summer, popular trails can get really crowded. Here are three beautiful hiking spots elsewhere to explore.
1. Forest Park's Maple Trail
Deep in Forest Park's quiet center, Maple Trail's mix of evergreen and deciduous trees makes it one of the prettiest in the park — especially the section that heads down from Leif Erikson Drive near Firelane 3.
- I ran in Forest Park for years before discovering this trail!
Where: Crosses twice over Leif Erikson (closed to cars) and intersects the Wildwood Trail close to the 13-mile mark.
- Easiest car access is off NW Saltzman Road; hike a half-mile on Saltzman from the parking area.
How long: 3.59 miles one way; you can create different loops.
2. Moulton Falls Regional Park
The water is the beauty here, though you can climb through lush forest too. The East Fork of the Lewis River widens and slows near the trailhead before rushing through a jumbled rock canyon.
Where: Out of Battle Ground, Washington, along NE Lucia Falls Road.
How long: From a 2.5-mile barrier-free path to a 14-mile round trip up Bells Mountain.
3. Table Rock Wilderness
Start up an overgrown road, then turn into the woods, where the trail starts to climb. Skirt below an imposing wall of basalt columns. The reward is a stunning view of Mount Hood and the spine of the Cascades.
- Clear-cuts in the foreground contrast with the snowy peaks.
Pro tip: Snow can linger into July on some parts of the trail.
Where: On BLM land out of Molalla.
How long: 7.3 miles round-trip.