Wildwood Trail

What a Beautiful trail!!! Exactly what I was looking to experience while visiting Oregon. The trail was challenging at times and we seemed to hit it at a time that they were just covering all of the rest benches with linseed oil so we didn’t get to sit and rest like we wanted to do. (We aren’t regular hikers). We enjoyed the beauty and peaceful surroundings immensely and I can’t wait to hike it again.

Gorgeous! Green and lush even in the summer. You’ll come across ancient redwood trees, plus, the majority of it is shady so you won’t be burnt to a crisp.
But I wish the trail was a little better marked. The double arrow signs can be a little confusing. Not a strenuous hike so it’s perfect if you want extra exercise getting between the Japanese garden and Pittock mansion.

Very beautiful trail. It’s very easy to walk miles and not even notice it. Last week I went for a hike and it started raining, and I though, Oh no!!! But with all of the tree cover, I didn’t even get wet! Love this place and come here once a week.

An easy trail to hike at the Hoyt Arboretum… perhaps not as easy to stay on that specific trail at some points since multiple trails occasionally intersect & the guide post arrows aren’t always helpful. That said, it’s a beautiful place and no matter what trail you end up on you’ll enjoy it. There are a few maps posted so if you happen to end up on another trail you should be able to make your way back.

Who turns a one hour trail run into an unprepared 4 hour jog and hike? This girl! *face palm* That being said, I experienced a quite a bit of the trail. Wildwood will get you deep into the outer perimeter while the trails that branch off will lead you deeper into the center.
I really like this trail because of the above and because it’s well kept. The path is wide and the signs are sturdy and visible. I saw the most beautiful and large butterfly float on this trail and it made me feel like I was in a dream… More like I was getting delirious and exhausted from my accidental 4 hour hike.
Most of the trail is flat and easy. Getting up to Pittock will have an incline. When I first started hiking, I found it mildly difficult but I would still consider it an easy hike. I see families with young/​pre-​teen children do it all the time. In fact, I jogged past elementary school aged campers on my way to Pittock.
From the entrance on Lower Macleay Park (NW 29^th and NW Upshur), it takes about 1 hour to hike up, making it a less than 2 hour round trip (not including time spent at Pittock Mansion).
The trail also passes through Audubon Society of Portland (great for bird watching) where there are some really nice short trails around there. You can also visit their owl and turkey vulture!

Living in Los Angeles, we don’t get lots of trails like this. Our trails are dry and dusty. We have a few plants here and there, but for the most part it’s all dirt.
The Wild Wood Trail was spectacular. It was lush and green, and we were completely engulfed in forest and nature. It’s absolutely breath-​taking. The trees provided so much shade so the sun wasn’t scorching down on us, and the air was moist and crisp all at the same time. The trail, for the most part, was pretty flat with very little incline. It’s a pretty moderate hike, just extremely long (the entire trail is a 30 mile hike to complete) so be sure to bring some power bars and lots of water. The trails were easy to follow and there were lots of markers along the way to guide you and keep you on track.
Overall, it’s a FANTASTIC AND BEAUTIFUL HIKE. You can see all the native plants and trees of Portland, and some animals and critters. We saw a coyote just a few feet away, hawks in the distance, a mole rat, and the usual squirrels and slugs. There are lots of runners on the trail as well so there is always people nearby. We weren’t able to finish all 30 miles, but we got 11.5 down! Pretty good I must say! HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

Deep into woods we went!
* YES — Sometimes at an incline, sometimes totally flat trail.
* YES — Saw tons of runners on the trail — awesome!
* YES — Hiked from Hoyt Arboretum visitors center to Pittock Mansion.
Easy, beautiful, quiet, lush trail~

Great easy hike, well traveled and well marked. On a clear day, great views of the mountains @ Viewpoint and Pittock Mansion. The 7 miles loop from Zoo to Pittock Mansion, was convenient for parking and restroom use. We’ll definitely do it again.

This was one of those «unintentional adventures» that sometimes happens when you try to do something else and it doesn’t quite happen that way?
I was trying to get to the Japanese Garden via TriMet (public transportation), but found out once I got to the train stop that the buses that run straight to the garden don’t run on the weekends and one doesn’t run during the winter months. A lady at the Zoo (which is what the stop is really for) says «oh, if you don’t mind a walk just take the Wildwood Trail to the garden, its about a mile to a mile and a half.»
Well! Its fortunate that I love running and walking because the Trail to the garden is closer to 3 – 4 miles. And its a BEAUTIFUL 3 – 4 miles. Actually the Wildwood Trail is a 30 mile trail with hundreds of access points and side trails to the most amazing forestry areas I’ve ever seen. Here I was also treated to one of the most beautiful views of Portland that took my breath away. And the serenity of the forest made me feel like I was far far away, peaceful and relaxing.
The Wildwood Trail is the perfect place for some quiet time to yourself, a picnic or maybe spend time with a friend. Bring your walking shoes/​hiking boots because its a good chance your shoes are going to get muddy.

A fall hike through Forest Park was just what our Sunday afternoon ordered. Off of Germantown road, we jumped onto the Wildwood between Norman Drive and the Leif Erickson trail. The tree canopy was spectacular, the trail wasn’t groomed necessarily, but hiked enough that you can’t really lose your way. It was fairly flat, so it made for an extremely easy five or six miles. We made our return loop on the Leif Erickson, and there were many bicycles and runners taking advantage of the nice wide trail. Five minutes after starting in, we couldn’t even hear the road below and the mist through the openings and the old growth all around really made you feel like you were a long ways away from home. But you’re not, it’s ten minutes from downtown, how killer is that?!
Highly recommended. Lots of useful signage without being distracting, dog friendly, and just lovely.

I ran about 12 miles of this trail when visiting Portland recently. I had heard great things about it, and I was not disappointed!
I started at the Lower Macleay Trailhead and followed the path to where it intersects with Wildwood. The trail is well marked and maintained — beautiful singletrack through the woods of Forest Park. Highly recommended if you are into hiking or trail running.

Portland’s West Hills hold the City’s largest parks and they are there for walkers like you on a myriad of mapped trails. Free!
A favorite is the Wildwood Trail.
I love to start with coffee at St Honore. Walk up NW Thurman to find the trailhead on the left, just past the gate.
Along the way, you can find an old WPA stone building, no roof and decrepit. It’s gothic vampire material and the site of many midnight rituals surely. It is known as the witch’s castle.
The trail also passes the Audubon Society and the Pittock Mansion.
I usually loop back by foot to NW Portland at the Japanese Gardens. Don’t miss the opportunity to look down from the trail onto the gardens. You can continue if you like to the Portland Zoo where the MAX train brings you to downtown Portland. Or you can continue on, the Wildwood Trail is 30 miles!
Bring water. Though in the City, there are few to no legit restroom spots. We are in the Portland wilderness!