Jenne Butte Hike

Overview

Right off the Springwater Corridor, and a neglected sister to Powell Butte, Jenne Butte is one of the Portland area's multitude of Boring volcanoes. This lava field was active for 2 1/2 million years and became extinct about 300,000 years ago. Trails around the two summit cones of the butte are unofficial, but it is possible to make a loop by doing a short bushwhack across steep-sided gullies. This is native forest, mostly deciduous red alder and big-leaf maple. There are no substantial views, but if you spend enough time on the butte, you should scare up the resident black-tailed deer herd. There is a nicely benched trail in addition to use trails and deer trails in various stages of utility, but this is a good family hike for kids who like to get dirty and explore a little. Jenne Butte is named after Lemuel Jenne, who built a homestead at the base of the butte along Johnson Creek in 1853. Walk west on the paved Springwater Corridor with Paesano’s Cedarville Park to the left (No Trespassing). Johnson Creek flows to the left. Near Linneman Station is a sign explaining its role on the electric rail line which once ran all the way to Estacada. Pass under the Highland Drive road bridge. Sixty yards after crossing a bridge over Johnson Creek, go left down into a gully and then up into the woods of Jenne Butte. Hike up to the left at a junction. Traverse up in Douglas-fir, hemlock, big-leaf maple, and alder woods with a sword fern carpet. The trail switchbacks up four times. At a junction, turn left and make a traverse in alder/maple woods. The trail passes into a cedar grove and heads up to the right. There are homes to the left. Pass through a blackberry thicket, and cross over the forested east summit of the butte. At a junction, go left and down through an elderberry thicket. At another junction, go right and down to a wider trail, where you go left. Drop and cross a gully to keep right at the next junction. Rise past another junction to the summit of the west butte, with its tall white water tower. Signs s

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