24 min
Overview
Some surprisingly large Douglas-firs tower above the trails of this 51-acre remnant of native forest on the upland slopes of West Linn. The hike involves two loops, one above and one below Clark Street. In the spring, typical forest floor flowers bloom, and using the second loop described, there is a way to connect from here to the "back door" of the Nature Conservancy's Camassia property, covered in the Camassia Natural Area Loop Hike. A trail heads up from the west end of the parking area through a carpet of ivy. Salal, sword fern, and holly flourish under the Douglas-firs, grand firs, and maples. At a junction, keep left, passing a small spring, The trail heads gently down and, to do a peripheral loop, keep left at trail junctions. Reach a gated paved parking area that is no longer used. At the far end is a little painted board showing the trails and distances. Head up a trail from here and keep left at trail junctions. There are some bigger Douglas-firs here. The trail continues straight down and up out of a gulley to intersect with Clark Street, but after an English laurel/holly copse, go right to make a loop. Rise again now, keeping straight at junctions. The trail traverses and drops to a junction, where you go right. Drop down a steep set of steps and swing to the right past a chain barrier to the parking lot. For the second loop, cross Clark Street and pick up a trail. Quickly come to a junction, where you go left through a carpet of Pacific waterleaf and blooming violet, trillium, toothwort, candy flower, and vanilla leaf in the spring. Pass through a thimbleberry thicket and drop down a slope. Keep right at the next junction, drop into a gully and then rise steeply past a large partially hollow Douglas-fir. Pass two connector trails that lead right up to Clark Street. Then you'll cross another gully and descend gradually to enter a vine maple thicket. Just before a footbridge, pass a trail leading left down to West Linn High School. Continue straight to a junction at a large, colorful signboard ab
Trail Stats
0.0 km
118 m
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Photos
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