Short Hikes Near Portland

Looking for Hikes Near Portland?

Portland is home to some of the best hikes in the State of Oregon. You can find some great hiking a short drive from the city of Portland as well as within the city limits.

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Best Hikes in the Portland Metro Area:

Best Hikes in the Portland Metro Area:

1. Beaver Falls

Length: 0.6-mile

Difficulty: Moderate (mud/rocks)

Route Type: There-and-back

Dog Friendly: Yes

Distance from Portland: 57 miles ( ~ 1 hour 14 minutes)

A short and sweet trail with a beautiful waterfall. A great hike for new hikers looking to get out of the city or those looking for a casual stroll.

Note: Bring hiking boots. It’s a bit muddy so you probably don’t want to hike hear in sneakers/tennis shoes.

2. Hoyt Arboretum

Length: 1.3 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Route Type: Loop Trail

Dog Friendly: Yes

Distance from Portland: 3 miles

There’s 12 miles of trails here but many you can loop from the Overlook, Wildwood, Hawthorn, Maple, Wildwood, and Holly Trails for an easy hike. This 1.3-mile route takes about two hours to do.

Note: Hoyt Arboretum is open from 5 am to 10 pm daily. You should also bring a map of all the trails so you don’t get lost.

Hoyt Arboretum Map Download

3. Iron Mountain Trail

Length: 2.1 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Route Type: There-and-back

Dog Friendly: Yes

Distance from Portland: 7 miles ( 16 minutes)

A short trail near Lake Oswego, Oregon in Iron Mountain City Park. It takes about an hour to finish. This trail also has restrooms, picnic tables, & a play area for kids nearby.

Notes: Park hours are from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

4. Tryon Creek State Natural Area

Length: 0.3-5.7 miles

Difficulty: Easy-Moderate

Route Type: Loop Trails

Dog Friendly: Yes

Distance from Portland: 6 miles ( 15 minutes)

The Tryon Creek State Natural Area features 8 miles of hiking trails in 670 acres of lush forest.

Trillium Trail: 0.3
Inner loop: 2 miles
Outer loop: 5.7 miles

Tryon Creek Map Download

5. Mount Talbert Nature Park Loop Trail

Length: 2.9 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Route Type: Loop Trail

Dog Friendly: No

Distance from Portland: 6 miles ( 15 minutes)

Mount Talbert is an extinct lava dome located right off I-205 in Happy Valley it’s not the most impressive mountain view but the trail is well-maintained and a great hike for getting out of the city.

Mount Talbert Nature Park Map Download

6. Clackamas River Trail

Length: 8.2 miles (16 miles total)

Difficulty: Moderate

Route Type: Point-to-point/There-and-back

Dog Friendly: Yes

Distance from Portland: 43.8 miles ( 59 minutes)

Start: Fish Creek trailhead
End: Indian Henry trailhead

This hike is a great shuttle trial. You can park one car at the end and start at the other (8.2 miles) or you can do the whole thing as a there-and-back (16 miles). This trail is known for two features:

Notes: If you only have one car, you can also park at Indian Henry trailhead and just go to Pup Creek Falls (8.7 miles.)

7. Saddle Mountain Trail

Length: 4.5 miles

Difficulty: Hard

Route Type: There-and-back

Dog Friendly: Yes

Distance from Portland: 73 miles

When you get to the peak you’ll experience one of the best views in Oregon. You can see all the way to the Pacific Ocean in the west, the Columbia River and Astoria to the north, and the Tillamook State Forest on the surrounding sides.

Status: Currently open

8. Marquam Trail

Length: 3.1 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

Route Type: There-and-back

Dog Friendly: Yes

Distance from Portland: 2.3 miles

Marquam Trail to Council Crest: This hike is an easy trail near Portland, Oregon. Council Crest has a great view of downtown Portland. If it’s clear, you can see Mount Hood, Adams, Ranier, and St. Helens.

Notes: The trail is open year-round and there’s an off-leash area by the viewpoint.

9. Springwater on the Willamette

Length: 3 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Route Type: There-and-back

Dog Friendly: Yes

Distance from Portland: 3.6 miles

Start: Sellwood Park
End: Turn back when the river curves leftward. [MAP]

Springwater on the Willamette is a path that runs parallel to the Willamette River. It’s a portion of the 21-mile Springwater Corridor in Southeast Portland and extends out to Boring, Oregon.

10. Soapstone Lake Trail

Length: 2.7 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Route Type: Loop

Dog Friendly: Yes

Distance from Portland: 70 miles ( 1 hour 20 minutes)

Soapstone Lake Trail is an easy trail near Seaside, Oregon that takes about an hour to finish. It’s a leisurely hike around the lake and it’s a popular place for bird watching, hiking & fishing.

Notes: The trail is open all year and no fee or reservation is needed to park.

11. Powell Butte Loop Trail

Length: 6.2 miles

Difficulty: Moderate (951 ft gain)

Route Type: Loop

Dog Friendly: Yes

Distance from Portland: 13 miles ( 23 minutes)

Powell Butte Loop Trail is part of Powell Butte Nature Park. It’s mostly forest but also has wildflowers, fields, and Cascade views. If you want something more light in this nature park check-out:

Orchard and Cedar Grove Loop Trail: It’s an easy 3.6-mile loop trail that’s also dog friendly.

12. Camassia Preserve Loop Trail

Length: 1.4 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Route Type: Loop

Dog Friendly: No

Distance from Portland: 13.4 miles ( 23 minutes)

Camassia Preserve Loop Trail is a short hike near West Linn, Oregon. It’s super easy and the elevation gain is less than 190 ft. It features great views of Mt. Hood, wildflowers, and various types of birds. Unfortunately, this one is not dog friendly.

Notes: The trail is also open all year.

13. Mount Tabor Blue Loop Trail (Portland’s urban volcano)

Length: 3.3 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

Route Type: Loop

Dog Friendly: Yes

Distance from Portland: 6.7 miles ( 14 minutes )

Mount Tabor City Park features a few hikes that are both very close to Portland and have a great payoff. The Mount Tabor Blue Loop Trail (aka the Green and Blue Trail Loop) gives you views of the city, Mt Hood and Mt St. Helens. You can also take the easier Mount Tabor Loop Trail which is only 1.9 miles. This takes you past the 3 city reservoirs.

14. Northern Gales Creek Trail

Length: 5.8-miles

Difficulty: Hard

Route Type: There-and-back

Dog Friendly: Yes

Distance from Portland: 42 miles ( 52 minutes )

This is not a walk in the park and takes about 3 hours to finish. It’s a there-and-back trail near Timber, Oregon that features dense forest and a fair bit of elevation (1,466 ft gain). Northern Gales Creek Trail is pretty unknown and/or less trafficked. It’s not likely you will see a ton of people here.

Notes: Parking is near the trailhead.

15. Mary S. Young Park – Riverside Loop Trail (Willamette Riverside Trail)

Length: 0.9-mile

Difficulty: Easy

Route Type: Loop

Dog Friendly: Yes

Distance from Portland: 11.1 miles ( 21 minutes )

In contrast to the option above, this is a walk in the park near West Linn, Oregon. Mary S. Young Park is a nice and easy stroll. It has 128-acres and offers river views of the Willamette, as well as birds and plenty of space for dogs to play.

Notes: The park has an off-leash area for the doggos.

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