Peaceful, short, and easy hike overlooking the Tualatin Valley.
This is a fantastic spot if you’re short on time and want a beautiful and easy nature walk. The network of trails covers a diverse landscape including upland prairie (rare in the Willamette Valley) and culminates in an awesome view 800 feet above the Tualatin Valley!
Pale green lichen grows on nearly every tree and rare wildflowers pop up throughout the terrain. Several rather steampunk “listening trumpets” are scattered throughout the park to aid in listening to faraway birdsong.
The entire path is a nice packed gravel and you can choose from several loops. (Yes, loops! My favorite kind of hike, ensuring maximum excitement and newness.)
If you choose the Cooper Mountain Loop, be sure to check out the Overlook Trail. You’ll get an extended and gorgeous look across the valley to the Chehalem Mountains, lookin’ all romantic and provincial with farms lifted high into the sky.
Also along the Cooper Mountain Loop is Quarry Pond, a great spot to sit down and contemplate the flora and fauna. In late April, the water was bristling with baby tadpoles, soon to be Northern red-legged frogs!
Blue butterflies accompanied us the whole route, clusters of violet Oregon Iris bloomed everywhere, and we saw a grazing blacktail deer with the absolute biggest ears I’ve ever seen. (We named her Donkey.)
This is a definite must-see park for nature and animal lovers!
Distance from Portland: 30 minutes / 17 miles
Length: 3.5 miles of trails
Difficulty: Easy
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