26 min
Overview
This loop in Beaverton connects three parks with street walking in between. The walk begins at Sexton Mountain Park, once an old quarry, then the site of an underground reservoir, and now housing a park and solar panel array. From the park, you'll hike up to the top of Sexton Mountain to get views from the surrounding hills to the Cascades and Mount Hood. Finally, do more street walking to loop over to Hyland Woods Natural Area, a 30-acre remnant block of mixed woodland that is laced with trails and serves as a quiet haven in a quiet neighborhood. The trees here are up to 80 years old and form a dense canopy over a varied natural understory. A nature play area allows kids to go off-trail and get messy in the natural environment. From the parking area on the south side of Sexton Mountain Drive, take a paved road that leads up past a gate. The path curves around with a lawn expanse with playground and picnic tables to the left. Keep straight at a four-way junction, There's a blue-roofed maintenance building on the left and then a fenced field of SunEdison solar panels. Take the wide paved path leading right, and make a left on 148th Terrace. Keep on this street for one block as it curves to the right to meet Citrine Loop. Stay straight here, and walk around a bend, go a block, and around another bend, you'll notice two trails, one after the other, marked for Matrix Hill Woods. If it's a good day for views, take the second trail, which leads up to the summit of Sexton Mountain, an outcropping of the Columbia River Basalts (Grande Ronde member). There are two viewing areas with benches, and summit is partially shaded by Douglas-fir, red oak, and madrone. Looking straight south, you'll see the forested ridge of Bull Mountain, split by a powerline corridor, in the foreground, with Parrett Mountain behind. There are also views to the east, with Mount Sylvania most prominent and Mount Hood on the skyline. To the northeast are Cooks Butte and on the Cascade crest, you may be able to make out the distinctive shapes of T
Trail Stats
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129 m
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Photos
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