Find the top rated hiking trails in Forest Grove, whether you're looking for an easy short hiking trail or a long hiking trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a hiking trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
Southern half of the trail is covered with homeless camps . They pitch their tents right on the edges and their stuff fills the path such that you have to dodge it. The path also has numerous road crossings and it’s a craps game if a car will stop for a bike in Portland.
This trail can be very loud in the industrial area, especially when a train goes by. Once you pass that area, the views are gorgeous, lots of wildlife to see, and it's very peaceful. However, this trail is longer than 1.3 miles -- it's more like 3.5 miles from Steamboat Landing to the end just past Steigerwald Wildlife Refuge.
Near the West end the map shows the trail as veering North on the Columbia Forest Road. You can go this way, but the CZ Trail actually crosses the Scappoose-Vernonia Hwy about 16.7 miles from Scappoose. Google Maps shows it continuing on Pebble Creek Mnln (whatever Mnln means). Strava identifies the road as Crown Zellerbach Trail. Signage identifies Pebble Creek Mnln as the CZ Trail. Pebble Creek Mnln turns in to E Knott Street in Vernonia.
The trail is very lovely. Smooth packed gravel for the most part. Wet and a bit muddy in places when I road it on New Years Eve. If riding in winter use wide tires. I had 2.25" and was glad for it.
I have lived in the Tualatin / Tigard area for 40 years and have walked and biked portions of this trail but never knew it linked so easily for 10+ miles. Yesterday I rode it with two of my favorite people From Tualatin Community Park to Garden Home. Had a great visit and coffee at the Starbucks at the end of the trail. And the rode back. Wonderful Trip!
lovely loop for daytime running or walking. wouldn't recommend for evening or early morning due to some unlit areas under bridges and in alcoves.
Four of us rode this trail on a beautiful Sunday in August. We drove 415 S. Ivon Street to park and started the ride from. Where we parked, there were two tents pitched by outdoor living people. We got on the trail and immediately appreciated the good quality of the trail, the nice width, the number of people using the trail and how courteous trail users were. We had a good lunch at "Cartlandia" where we found a huge assortment of food carts. Perfect for cyclists who want to have lunch on the bike path. Past Cartlandia, near SE 101, we encountered several circumstance of people living outdoors by the trail. The first group was under a viaduct and the next group further on. There were obvious signs of camps, along the way. It was unfortunate but we continued along the path which has an abundance of blackberry bushes in all directions and other lush vegetation. It was delightful! We stopped at Gresham Park, rode into town for a snack and then rode back to where we started--32 miles round trip. We recommend it to bikers looking for an urban ride, away from cars. It's a wonderful bike path and flat the entire way. We saw people of all ages, great fun.
My wife and I rode this trail for the first time July 20 and 21, 2017 (a Thursday and Friday). Our plan was to ride Banks to Vernonia, stay overnight in Vernonia, and return the next day. On Thursday we drove from the Olympic Peninsula in Washington to Banks, arriving around noon. We were shocked to find that the State allows no overnight parking in the trail head parking lot. Besides that, the parking lot which holds about 30 vehicles (about half for compact cars) was full and there was only one compact space left which we could not use b/c we drive a minivan. We discovered a bicycle shop "Banks Bicycle Shop" 503-596-2433 adjacent to the trail head where we received some suggestions of where we could park from the very helpful staff which solved our problem. We have heard that the shop will actually come out on the trail to provide assistance. We also visited the Sheriffs office where we were told by the office staff that they thought we could park on the street for 48 hours without a problem. Our bikes are hybrids and we ride with a handlebar bag, trunk bag, and for an overnight ride, panniers. We noticed most of the bikes on the trail were road bikes with no gear at all, so their experience may be different than ours. The trail is black top all the way and scenery abounds. Yes, the trail has a number of root bumps, but most are well marked with paint stripes. Also, the beginning and ending of the bridges have significant bumps, but you just have to be aware of this. The first 4 or 5 miles are flat, or perhaps a very slight grade. However, the next 7 miles is a steady, unrelenting 5% grade and by the time we got to about the 12 mile point, we were very disappointed. About that time we met another biker who told us we were nearly at the top and we would soon begin the descent. Just before arriving in Vernonia there was a slight upgrade, but nothing much. We arrived at our B&B, "The Carpenter's House" and spent a very comfortable night. The next day we looked forward to "payback time". We rode the gentle incline to "Hilltop" and then had a magnificent ride back to Banks. Had we known the extent of the upgrade on the first day, it would have been easier because we would have known it would not extend all the way to Vernonia, but most of the reviews speak only of switchbacks and steep incline, which are very short and insignificant for us in comparison to the unrelenting upgrade for 7 miles. The bottom line is, it is a beautiful trail and a beautiful area and the answer to the question of whether we would do it again is "Yes!" because we would now be forearmed with knowledge of the trail layout.
I rode this trail for the first time last evening. I was surprised by the popularity of Frenchman's Bar Trail - not for the trail but the beaches, which makes parking crowded. There were just a few riders on the trail. There is parking at Vancouver Lake Park, near the middle of the trail, which appears to used manly for the beach, and at the northern termination again used for the beach. I found one small parking spot just before entering the park that had only one car. The trail is completely flat which makes it great for hiking and biking. The middle section goes along a slough and the rest through fields.
I ride this trail often because its only 2 miles from my home in north Vancouver. The 3 mile trail is smooth asphalt with some minor hills and a scenic bridge. The soccer and baseball fields adjacent to the trail make for some extra fun while you walk or ride along the trail. There is a wildlife refuge along the north shore of Salmon Creek that gives an opportunity to take in the various wild creatures that abound in the area. You can also take in a swim in Klineline Pond after your hike. The creek is prone to flooding in the wetter springs and early summer.
I've been walking the logging road for over 30 years. I've had many walks with my cats and dogs.
Over the last 10 years there's been some good and bad changes to the road.
The city of Canby bought the road then paved it. That was a good thing.
Now that it's paved the police can travel on it much faster now without braking the car there driving.
But worse than that is the bike riders. Yes bike riders!
They feel as if they own the road. I'm not talking about the mom and dad with kids bike riders. I'm talking about the ones that have the tight pants and Ricky rocket helmets.
They feel as if it's there road. They travel at speeds sometimes making them nothing but a blur. At those times
I've seen them yell at the moms and dad walkers with kids, "hey keep your kids under control ". To keep them out of the way. To this one. they actually hit and tried to run someone over. That reason was, " you were walking on the wrong side of the road". I didn't know there was a wrong side of the road because it started as a WALKING TRAIL not bike trail.
But other than the rude bike riders you will sometimes meet
You can meet some of the nicest people.
Nice dog people as well.
Great ride, lots of flowers and great smells Boring to down town Portland.
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