NW ~ Willow Creek

Date last visited: March 18, 2005
Agency: Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation District
Path Surface: Paved and boardwalk
Elevation gain/loss: minor
Distance: 2.5 miles
Ratings: Setting+++ Calorie-burning ++
Directions: Hwy 26 to the Cornell Rd exit. South on NW 158th .6 mile, right on NW Schendel Ave, which loops around Fred Meyer. Start at 45 31.178N, 122.50.617W

The floral and faunal awakenings of spring surround your walk through several united parks.

Start across the street from the Fred Meyer parking lot (near the garden section), where a wide paved path takes you through the Hunter's Run Apartments. After .1 mile, you come to a T intersection, with the private Jenne Lake directly in front of you. Don't pause here, a much better view of the lake is ahead. Turn left, then veer right next to the RV storage area into Waterhouse Powerlines Park. Continue in a generally northerly direction under the power lines on the path through football-field sized grassy areas-- a great place for kids to burn any excess energy.

At the northwest corner of the Waterhouse Soccer Field, .7 mile, turn left and enter the Willow Creek area, a paved and boardwalk path through a very pretty suburban forest/wetlands area. At 1.2 miles, the path ends at NW 173rd (also a potential starting point). Apollo Ridge Park is directly across the street, but no improved path yet extends through that park.

Return the way you came, but when you reach the soccer field again, continue at its north edge and reenter the woods until you emerge, after 1.8 miles, at the east of the park. Turn right on Waterhouse Ave. and enjoy homes in the area of one of the early "Street of Dreams" home shows. At NW Blueridge Dr. cross the road to another paved path that takes you through the Waterhouse Rose Garden and Waterhouse Park. At the next junction, veer right, pass the picnic area and reach the bridge over Jenne Lake, where you have great view of the waterfowl, who don't seem to mind the 'burbs at all.

After crossing the bridge, continue on to the wide path to your left (near the fountains in the lake) and go back through the apartment complex to your starting point.

Our fowl and fauna list for the day included rabbits, squirrels, red-shafted flickers, chickadees, bushtits, towhees, song sparrows, scrub jays, starlings, a single robin, house sparrows, a ruby crowned kinglet, two white-breasted nuthatch, house finches, a pine siskin, a red-wing blackbird, gold crown sparrows, a fox sparrow, a Bewick's wren, a crow and, on Jenne Lake, American wigeons, Canada geese, mallards and bufflehead.

Exploring Portland

Walking organizations and other activities for exploring the greater Portand, Oregon community, click here.

SW/SE ~ Downtown Bridges Loop

Date last visited: March 4, 2005
Path Surface: Paved and Metal Grid
Elevation gain/loss: 40 feet
Distance: 3 miles
Ratings: Setting+++ (noise detracts from an otherwise higher rating) Calorie-burning ++
Directions: Downtown, from the Max Light Rail, Yamhill District Stop (eastbound) or Third & Morrison (westbound)

Wildlife, river views, art, parks, a museum and memorials--the essence of downtown in three miles!

The best way to begin your sightseeing is a ride on Max (plenty of "wildlife" on a typical day). From the stops identified above, walk east to Waterfront Park. At Yamhill, the sidewalk crosses the sometimes grassy, sometimes dusty width of the park to the seawall at river's edge. Turn right and walk south, veering right at the Salmon Street Springs to walk in front of McCalls Restaurant, then up the pedestrian ramp onto the Hawthorne Bridge. No promises, but on our walk we saw one of Portland's resident peregrines while we were crossing the bridge. At the east end of the bridge, continue forward until you can turn left, which will drop you down to the "Vera Katz Eastbank Esplanade." Turn north, but pause to look over the stone representation of the Willamette River, next to the PFD building. A dock here takes you right down to the Willamette, but if you have kids with you, you'll get the same close encounter later on with the added benefit of railings.

Continuing north, look for gulls, geese, pigeons, blue herons and double crested cormorants. Get in touch with your right brain as you pass works of art. You might also enjoy reading the brief history lessons posted along the way. At the sign for SE Ash, veer left to drop down to river level. Didn't think you could walk on water?

At the Steel Bridge, cross back over the Willamette, where ships and tall masted boats can cause a brief delay in your journey. At the west end of the bridge, back in Waterfront Park, walk south to enjoy the Japanese Memorial, the Oregon Maritime Museum and Battleship Oregon Memorial Park. Passing the Four Points Hotel to the west across Front, turn right (west) at the green ship's cleat #35 to return to Yamhill and back to the train. With the extra credit for walking to and from the train, you've just done three miles. Map.

Calorie Expenditure

Instead of just a calorie rating, I considered suggesting how many calories each walk would burn. The problem is that calories burned will vary with each individual. If you are interested in a personal estimation of calories burned (depending on activity, weight and time), click here.

NW~Virginia Lake

Multnomah Channel
Date last visited: February 15, 2005
Agency: Oregon Parks and Recreation
Path Surface: Dirt, Gravel
Elevation gain/loss: minimal
Distance: 2 miles
Ratings: Setting +++ Calorie-burning ++
Directions: Hwy 30 to Sauvie Island Bridge. North on Sauvie Island Rd. three miles. Parking lot on the left at sign: "Wapato Access Greenway." GPS 45° 39.615N 122° 50.318W

We have always called this walk "Virginia Lake" although, presently, Virginia Pond or Virginia Wetlands would be more accurate. Nevertheless, this walk is a worthwhile two miles, no matter the hydrous content.

From the parking lot, start out on the well-worn and wide path. Shortly, you will arrive at a picnic shelter. From habit, we go left here, although it doesn't matter much, the main trail loops back to this point.

Fifty feet from the shelter is a spur to the right that goes to an immense, grayed viewing platform, overlooking.....no lake. The last several times we have been here, the view is simply an expanse of brown, hissing grass. Someday, in a wetter year, the lake will return along with the waterfowl.

Retrace your steps and continue on the main path, passing by an utterly useless blind on the right. At just over a half a mile, turn left on another spur for a view of the Multnomah Channel from Hadley's Landing. Share the dock with fishermen and gulls or bring a picnic to enjoy next to the river.

Returning to the main trail, turn left to walk beside the river. You know it's there but the vegetation prevents all but an occasional glimpse. Complete the circuit back to the picnic shelter, then turn left back to your car.

A few groups of birds livened up this late winter walk. Both the gold crown and ruby crown kinglets, chickadees, junco, robins, song sparrows and a red-breasted sapsucker made an appearance. Off in the distance, we spotted a bald eagle, which later flew closer to check out the fishing at Hadley's Landing. Also spotted in the neighborhood were a downy woodpecker, a Bewick's wren and a red tail hawk.