1.1 hr
Overview
In the central and northern sections of vast Forest Park, numerous fire lanes and old road tracks run from east to west down the slope of the Tualatin Hills. Before the Wildwood Trail was built through here, these were the principal avenues of access. This loop uses a Firelane 7 on the way down the slope and Springville Road on the way back, both routes making use of ridge lines where you won't see a lot of other visitors. Springville Road is an old wagon road that Tualatin Valley farmers used to haul their produce up and over the hills to the Willamette River. In between Firelane 7 and Springville, you'll hike along the more popular Wildwood Trail, following contours in and out of gullies in secondary forest. Look for forest wildflowers in spring and early summer and mushrooms in the fall. Walk down Springville Road through a green gate. In about 30 yards, Firelane 7 peels off to the right. The firelanes and roads in Forest Park are also used by mountain bikers, so keep alert on this section of the hike. Big-leaf maple, red alder, sword fern, salal, western red-cedar, Oregon grape, Douglas-fir, grand fir and a few hemlock saplings make up the woodland here. When you come to the Hardesty Trail-Firelane 7 Junction, keep right. The trail rises briefly and passes the junction with the Trillium Trail, which offers a shortcut to the Wildwood Trail. To complete this loop, however, stay on Firelane 7 in an avenue of alders and maples and then descend again. Then keep right at the junction with the Ridge Trail, after which the wide firelane levels and rises under an arching canopy of red alder. Stay right at the junction with Firelane 7A, also called the Oil Line Road (part of Firelane 7). There are more evergreens on this section, and warning signs declare a petroleum pipeline. Arriving at the Wildwood Trail-Firelane 7 Junction, keep left. Alders, maples, cascara saplings and old stumps make up the woodland. The forest becomes young hemlocks under Douglas-firs and maples. Sword fern, holly, and Oregon grape make up
Trail Stats
0.0 km
341 m
0 m
0 m
—
Photos
400px-Firelane7SpringvilleMap
400px-Firelane7SpringvilleMap
160px-Firelane7Springville1
160px-Firelane7Springville1
250px-Firelane7Springville4
250px-Firelane7Springville4
250px-Alder_alley%2C_Firelane_7%2C_Forest_Park
250px-Alder_alley%2C_Firelane_7%2C_Forest_Park
400px-Trillium_and_cedar%2C_Firelane_7%2C_Forest_Park
400px-Trillium_and_cedar%2C_Firelane_7%2C_Forest_Park