The Wildwood Trail is a 30.2-mile natural surface pedestrian trail within Portland's extensive trail network. Designated not only as a National Recreation Trail but also part of Metro's Regional Trail Network, Wildwood Trail provides unparalleled recreation and transportation opportunities within Portland city limits.
The trail follows the gentle contours of the Tualatin Mountains, punctuated by the steep climb to the historic Pittock Mansion (1,000 ft elevation!) and a descent into Balch Creek Canyon, to run along one of Forest Park's only fish-bearing streams. The trail meanders in and out of drainages offering views steeped in dense fog or dappled sunlight, depending on the season. In spring, the hillsides are alight with trilliums, ocean spray, and fringe cup. Hundreds of species of native plants and wildlife find refuge in Forest Park.
The Wildwood Trail was dreamed up in the early 1980s by a group of visionary and hardworking volunteers and Portland Parks & Recreation staff. Through close collaboration between Portland Parks & Recreation and the Friends of Forest Park (now Forest Park Conservancy), property acquisitions, and hard work, it was completed in 1999, just following Forest Park's 50th anniversary.
The Wildwood Trail begins at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington Park, easily accessible from downtown. After winding for 3 miles through the native forest and ornamental collections of Hoyt Arboretum, the trail crosses West Burnside Street on the Barbara Walker Crossing, constructed in 2019, and enters Forest Park.
From there, the Wildwood Trail climbs steeply to Pittock Mansion, which features breathtaking views of the city and is open to public visitation. It then descends into Balch Creek Canyon, which hosts resident cutthroat trout and coastal giant salamanders. Passing by the Stone House, a decommissioned public restroom constructed in the 1930s and popular visitor destination, the trail climbs out of the canyon and northwards toward its terminus at NW Newberry Rd.
Wildwood Trail is marked every quarter-mile by blue diamond-shaped blazes and mile markers showing the distance from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial trailhead. Wildwood Trail is a pedestrian-only trail, open to walkers, hikers, runners, and dogs on-leash. The Wildwood Trail is managed by Portland Parks & Recreation. Maintenance work is done through a close partnership between Portland Parks & Recreation and Forest Park Conservancy staff and volunteers.
