Hiking the Ridge Trail in Forest Park

Portland, Oregon

4.2/5

based on 5 reviews

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Distance

2.75 miles

Route Type

Loop

Description

Added by Dan Moe

Distance: 2.75 miles. Hiking in the city. Picturesque view of St. John's bridge.

This is a great option for a quick hike when you don't have time to get out of the city but need to satisfy your craving to get outside and escape the noise of bustling Portland. Follow Firelane 7 from the Springville Trailhead up towards Leif Erickson Drive and the Ridge Trail. There are signs and maps throughout the park that provide you with plenty of information to create a loop for yourself. Just be sure to get on the Ridge Trail and follow it down towards the river and Hwy 30 for one of the best views of the St. John's Bridge framed between two maples. Bring your boots - this one can get muddy!

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Features

Hiking

Dog Friendly

Easy Parking

Family Friendly

Food Nearby

Forest

Scenic

Hiking the Ridge Trail in Forest Park Reviews

Clayton Lukens

Hiking the Ridge Trail in Forest Park

07/01/20

Great city hike!! There’s not enough city hikes in Portland so this is one of my favs. It overlooks St. John’s Bridge which is my girlfriends favorite bridge so we like to picnic up here.

4.0

Sarah Hicks

Hiking the Ridge Trail in Forest Park

05/24/17

Good way to start off the summer. Great view of St. John's bridge! Fairly easy but it's downhill all the way to the viewpoint and uphill all the way back! A little muddy at some parts.

4.0

Explorer

Madison Sankovitz

Explorer

Hiking the Ridge Trail in Forest Park

06/29/16

I like to run down this trail and hike back up the ridge to my car...it's great for a 1 or 2 hour workout!

5.0

Jessie Christian

Hiking the Ridge Trail in Forest Park

06/09/16

Description as short trail near the city, caught our eye. We headed to 10901 NW Old Springville Rd, late afternoon. There was plenty of parking, with five cars already there. Some nice hikers told us three trails converge back at this spot, so we could take Hardesty, Springville, or Wildwood, to find our way back. We started on Firelane 7, headed to Hardesty. Hardesty was downhill the whole way, but an excellent trail. From there we went slightly SE on Leif Erickson, to catch up with Ridge trail. Leif Erickson is a wide bike path, a nice break from the downhill and ridge. Ridge trail is narrow, with switchbacks, but is worth the trip to the outlook spot to catch a photo of St. Johns Bridge. From the lookout spot back to our car (following the same route), it took us 1 hour and 15 minutes.

4.0

Richard Yuchia Chang

Hiking the Ridge Trail in Forest Park

03/13/16

Short but scenic. Good for short exercise not far from the urban area with very nice view. Parking would be a headache though.

4.0

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Explore Cathedral Park

Located right underneath the St Johns Bridge, Cathedral Park is hard to miss. It was given its name due to the Gothic looking arches that sit above the park.This is one of my personal favorite places to photograph especially if you enjoy photographing bridges. This park can be crowded or have events so just be aware of others when you are there.

Photograph the St. John's Bridge

To begin, park on North Pittsburg Ave and walk down to the river. Then, turn left and walk down the short less than a quarter mile until you see a spot where the beach is bigger than in other areas. This is an extremely good place to take photographs of the bridge, especially at night. Feel free to go further down the shore, or even go the other way. Return to your car the same way that you came.

Run the Maple Trail Loop

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Run the Saltzman Road Trail

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Leif Erikson Drive to Saltzman Road

Leif Erikson Drive is a wide dirt road running through the heart of Forest Park that is closed to motorized vehicles…making it a magnet for those looking to add some relatively easy and scenic distance to their workouts. The road itself is nicely graded and well maintained. It has relatively good drainage, so it’s a good go-to destination if you’re looking for a more scenic run during wet weat...

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Hiking the Ridge Trail in Forest Park

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Hiking the Ridge Trail in Forest Park Reviews

Leave No Trace

Nearby

Explore Cathedral Park

Photograph the St. John's Bridge

Run the Maple Trail Loop

Run the Saltzman Road Trail

Leif Erikson Drive to Saltzman Road

A Quick Escape to Sauvie Island

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