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Geographic region: Willamette Valley
Municipality/town: West Linn, Lake Oswego, Portland
Route configuration: out-and-back with loops
Distance: 16.5 miles
Min/max elevation: 30’/321’
Total ascent: 1,382’
Max grade: 7.3% up/7.0% down
Surface: ~8 miles paved road, ~6.5 miles dirt trail, ~2 miles paved path
Bikes allowed: bikes not allowed in Tryon Creek State Natural Area, otherwise road, gravel, or mountain bike recommended
Obstacles: some stairs in Tryon Creek State Natural Area and Mary S Young Park
Best months: any, but dirt trails can get muddy in rainy months
Permits: none required
Traffic: mostly light; South State St is busy but has sidewalks and bike lanes; Tryon Creek State Natural Area has light to moderate foot traffic
Feels safe to go alone (my personal comfort level): yes
Driving distance from downtown Portland: 11 miles
[Click on buttons above to get route links on Gaia GPS or Ride with GPS]
To get to the start: Locate Mary S Young Park at 19900 Willamette Dr, West Linn, OR 97068. Park in the far parking lot. No permit required.
Note: Google Maps does not name trails correctly (particularly Maple Ridge and Middle Creek Trail)
Head northeast on Riverside Loop Tr – go 0.3 mi
@0.3 mi: straight on Mapleton Dr – go 0.1 mi
@0.4 mi: slight R on Nixon Ave – go 0.5 mi
@0.9 mi: L on Elmran Dr – go 0.5 mi
@1.4 mi: R on Trillium Dr – go 400’
@1.4+ mi: R on Old River Dr – go 1.3 mi
@2.7 mi: slight R on Old River Rd path – go 0.5 mi (into George Rogers Park)
@3.2 mi: R on Furnace St – go 0.2 mi
@3.4 mi: L on Leonard St – go 0.2 mi
@3.6 mi: R on S State St – go 0.6 mi
@4.2 mi: cross S State St and take Terwilliger Tr (on the left side of SW Terwilliger Blvd) – go 0.7 mi
@4.9 mi: L on Iron Mountain Tr – go 0.4 mi
@5.3 mi: R on South Creek Tr – go 0.3 mi
@5.6 mi: R on Red Fox Tr – go 0.1 mi
@5.7 mi: R on Old Main Tr – go 0.4 mi
@6.0 mi: go past the front of the Nature Center
Then R at the Jackson Shelter/Maple Ridge Tr sign
Then follow the trail at the sign for Maple Ridge Tr and High Bridge
@6.1 mi: R on N Horse Lp (at Maple Ridge Tr/N Horse Lp sign) – go 1.4 mi
@6.2 mi: L @T to stay on N Horse Lp (R heads to equestrian parking)
@6.8 mi: L to stay on N Horse Lp (no sign here)
@6.8+ mi: L to stay on N Horse Lp (no sign here)
@7.4 mi: stay R at Y to stay on N Horse Lp
@7.5 mi: continue straight at 4-way intersection to cross High Bridge
@7.6 mi: after crossing High Bridge, straight on North Creek Tr – go 80’
@7.7 mi: R on West Horse Loop – go 430’
@7.8 mi: R to stay on West Horse Loop – go 0.4 mi
@8.2 mi: R on Cedar Tr – go 0.7 mi
@8.9 mi: L on Red Fox Tr – go 0.1 mi
@9.0 mi: R on South Creek Tr – go 0.3 mi
@9.3 mi: L on Iron Mountain Tr – go 0.4 mi
@9.7 mi: R on Terwilliger Tr – go 0.7 mi
@10.4 mi: R on State St – go 0.6 mi
@11.0 mi: L on Leonard St – go 0.2 mi
@11.2 mi: R on Furnace St – go 0.3 mi
@11.5 mi: L on Old River Rd Tr (through George Rogers Park) – go 0.3 mi
@11.8 mi: continue straight on Old River Dr – go 1.3 mi
@13.1 mi: slight L on Trillium Dr – go 0.1 mi
@13.2 mi: L on Elmran Dr – go 0.5 mi
@13.7 mi: R on Nixon Ave – go 0.5 mi
@14.2 mi: continue on Mapleton Dr – go 0.1 mi
@14.3 mi: L on Beaver Tr (at sewer pump station) – go 0.1 mi
(stay R at intersection with Cedar Island Tr)
@14.4 mi: L on Riverside Loop Tr – go 0.4 mi
@14.8 mi: L to stay on Riverside Loop Tr – go 100’
@14.8 mi: R on Turkey Creek Tr – go 0.2 mi
@15.0 mi: R on Heron Creek Loop Tr – go 1.5 mi
End @16.5 mi
Connecting two parks, Mary S Young Park and Tryon Creek State Natural Area, this route is bookended with beautiful woodsy trails. Bikes are not allowed in Tryon Creek State Natural Area, but it can be modified by using the paved trails that border it. The route starts in Mary S Young Park, with a very short trail through the park before heading north toward Old River Road. You’ll first go through residential neighborhoods before connecting with Old River Road. This road borders the Willamette River and seems to have much more foot and bike traffic than cars.
At 2.7 miles, you will continue north on a path that will take you through George Rogers Park, famous for its large iron furnace built in 1867. After passing by the furnace, you will head through the heart of Lake Oswego, making your way toward Tryon Creek State Natural Area via the paved Terwilliger Trail. At 4.9 miles, if you are on foot, you will turn left on Iron Mountain Trail as you enter Tryon Creek State Natural Area. Bikes are not allowed here on any other of the nonpaved trails throughout the park, but bikers can continue along the paved Terwilliger Trail.
From Iron Mountain Trail, you will head to South Creek Trail and then complete a loop inside the park. The park trails are single track dirt paths with some stairs, footbridges, and roots to navigate over. They wind through deeply wooded areas with beautiful coniferous and deciduous trees. It’s a very popular place for dog walkers, but I enjoy seeing all the friendly mutts.
Once out of the park, you will head back through Lake Oswego to Mary S Young Park. Here you will wind through paths in the park near the Willamette River before heading west on Turkey Creek Trail. This short trail is very steep with stairs, but then you will be in flatter territory again for a 1.6 mile-wooded loop on the dirt and bark chip Heron Creek Loop Trail.
Geographic region: Willamette Valley
Municipality/town: West Linn, Lake Oswego, Portland
Route configuration: out-and-back with loops
Distance: 21.1 miles
Min/max elevation: 30’/365’
Total ascent: 1,645’
Max grade: 7.3% up/6.2% down
Surface: ~12.5 miles paved road, ~6.5 miles dirt trail, ~2 miles paved path
Bikes allowed: bikes not allowed in Tryon Creek State Natural Area, otherwise road, gravel, or mountain bike recommended
Obstacles: some stairs in Tryon Creek State Natural Area and Mary S Young Park
Best months: any, but dirt trails can get muddy in rainy months
Permits: none required
Traffic: light to moderate; McVey Ave and South State St are busy but they have sidewalks and bike lanes; Tryon Creek State Natural Area has light to moderate foot traffic
Feels safe to go alone (my personal comfort level): yes
Driving distance from downtown Portland: 11 miles
[Click on buttons above to get route links on Gaia GPS or Ride with GPS]
To get to the start: Locate Mary S Young Park at 19900 Willamette Dr, West Linn, OR 97068. Park in the far parking lot. No permit required.
Note: Google Maps does not name trails correctly (particularly Maple Ridge and Middle Creek Trail)
Head northeast on Riverside Loop Tr – go 0.3 mi
@0.3 mi: straight on Mapleton Dr – go 0.1 mi
@0.4 mi: slight R on Nixon Ave – go 0.5 mi
@0.9 mi: L on Elmran Dr – go 0.5 mi
@1.4 mi: R on Trillium Dr – go 400’
@1.4+ mi: R on Old River Dr – go 1.3 mi
@2.7 mi: slight R on Old River Rd path – go 0.5 mi (into George Rogers Park)
@3.2 mi: continue straight on Green St – go 0.2 mi
@3.4 mi: continue straight on McVey Ave – go 0.7 mi
@4.1 mi: R on S Shore Dr – go 2.4 mi
@6.5 mi: R on Lakeview Blvd – go 0.8 mi
@7.3 mi: R on Iron Mountain Blvd – go 1.7 mi
@9.0 mi: cross Country Club Rd and then continue on Iron Mountain Blvd – go 0.2 mi
@9.2 mi: R on Andrews St – go 150’
@9.2+ mi: L on Iron Mountain Tr – go 0.7 mi
@9.9 mi: L on South Creek Tr – go 0.3 mi
@10.2 mi: R on Red Fox Tr – go 0.1 mi
@10.3 mi: R on Old Main Tr – go 0.4 mi
@10.6 mi: go past the front of the Nature Center
Then R at the Jackson Shelter/Maple Ridge Tr sign
Then follow the trail at the sign for Maple Ridge Tr and High Bridge
@10.7 mi: R on N Horse Lp (at Maple Ridge Tr/N Horse Lp sign) – go 1.4 mi
@10.8 mi: L @T to stay on N Horse Lp (R heads to equestrian parking)
@11.0 mi: R @y to stay on N Horse Lp
@11.4 mi: L to stay on N Horse Lp (no sign here)
@11.4+ mi: L to stay on N Horse Lp (no sign here)
@12.0 mi: stay R at Y to stay on N Horse Lp
@12.1 mi: continue straight at 4-way intersection to cross High Bridge
@12.1+ mi: after crossing High Bridge, straight on North Creek Tr – go 80’
@12.1+ mi: R on West Horse Loop – go 430’
@12.2 mi: R to stay on West Horse Loop – go 0.5 mi
@12.7 mi: R on Cedar Tr – go 0.7 mi
@13.4 mi: L on Red Fox Tr – go 0.1 mi
@13.5 mi: R on South Creek Tr – go 0.3 mi
@13.8 mi: L on Iron Mountain Tr – go 0.4 mi
@14.2 mi: R on Terwilliger Tr – go 0.7 mi
@14.9 mi: R on State St – go 0.6 mi
@15.5 mi: L on Leonard St – go 0.2 mi
@15.7 mi: R on Furnace St – go 0.2 mi
@15.9 mi: L on Old River Rd Tr (through George Rogers Park) – go 0.5 mi
@16.4 mi: continue straight on Old River Dr – go 1.3 mi
@17.7 mi: slight L on Trillium Dr – go 0.1 mi
@17.8 mi: L on Elmran Dr – go 0.5 mi
@18.3 mi: R on Nixon Ave – go 0.4 mi
@18.7 mi: continue on Mapleton Dr – go 0.1 mi
@18.8 mi: L on Beaver Tr (at sewer pump station) – go 0.1 mi
(stay R at intersection with Cedar Island Tr)
@18.9 mi: L on Riverside Loop Tr – go 0.4 mi
@19.3 mi: L to stay on Riverside Loop Tr – go 100’
@19.3+ mi: R on Turkey Creek Tr – go 0.2 mi
@19.5 mi: R on Heron Creek Loop Tr – go 1.6 mi
End @21.1 mi
This route includes all of the roads and paths in route 59, with the addition of a loop around Oswego Lake and the southern section of Iron Mountain Trail. It starts in Mary S Young Park, with the peaceful trails there waiting for you at the end of the course. You will make a brief pass through the park, pass through some residential neighborhoods, and then connect to Old River Road. This scenic road parallels the Willamette River and appears to be used more by pedestrians and bikers than by motorized traffic.
From Old River Road, you will join Old River Road path for a half-mile, which will take you to the south edge of George Rogers Park. From here, you head toward McVey Avenue, a busier road but with enough shoulder and sidewalk to feel safe. At just past four miles, you will veer right on South Shore Boulevard which follows the Oswego Lake’s edge a bit more closely. You’ll start to get better views of the lake closer to the six-mile mark. It’s a pretty lake with elaborate homes of varied architecture surrounding it. It’s an exclusive community, but I enjoy seeing all the different kinds of homes there.
You will wrap around the northwest corner of the lake on Lakeview Boulevard, and soon you will join Iron Mountain Boulevard. This section is surprisingly unpopulated and thick with trees. It eventually gets more populated again more beautiful homes but still with plenty of trees. After crossing Country Club Road, you will go through a bit more residential neighborhoods before joining Iron Mountain Trail, part of Tryon Creek State Natural Area. Bikes are not allowed on nonpaved trails within this natural area, but if you are on a bike you can head east toward State Street and then north on the paved Terwilliger Path that borders the park.
From the Iron Mountain Trailhead, you will head north toward the heart of the park. You will take a left on South Creek Trail, and then after a third of a mile, you make a 3.9-mile loop around the park on a collection of trails. The single-track trails all through Tryon Creek State Natural area wind through beautiful coniferous and deciduous forest, with creeks to cross via footbridges. There are some stairs and roots to contend with, but nothing treacherous.
Once you finish the loop, you will rejoin South Creek Trail and head south, and then finish the remaining piece of Iron Mountain Trail to where it connects with Terwilliger Trail. This trail will take you down to State Street, the main street through Lake Oswego. By 15.4 miles, you will turn east and head to George Rogers Park. You will pass by the iconic large iron furnace built in 1867, and then continue southward to exit the park via Old River Road Trail. After you cross a footbridge, you will rejoin Old River Road where you had come from and head back to Mary S Young Park. Once in the park, you will make a small loop paralleling the Willamette River, and then do a butt-buster of a climb on Turkey Creek Trail. But it smooths out soon as you head into the final 1.6-mile loop on Heron Creek Loop Trail, a dirt and bark chip trail through pretty and peaceful woods.
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