A Quiet Loop Trail in Portland's Forest Park

Portland's famous Forest Park has many trails ranging from busy and popular to secluded and rarely used. This four-mile loop from the Newton Road trail to the Wildwood Trail to the BPA Road accesses one of the more obscure corners of the park so it is both quiet and peaceful. Yes, there are some steep stretches and some muddy patches on this trail , but it also follows my favorite creek in the park, meanders through one of the most amazing wildflower displays in the Portland area, and provides the best viewpoints that I've found in Forest Park. I usually access this loop from Hwy 30 on the west side of Linnton but it could also be accessed from Germantown Road, from the Newton Road parking lot off Skyline Road, or from the BPA parking area on Skyline (though those options add to the overall mileage of the hike). Unfortunately, parking on the narrow shoulder of Hwy 30 is tricky and the trailhead is not conspicuous unless there are cars already at the trailhead. For parking I usually drive past the trailhead then do a U-turn at the next road (Harborton Drive) and double back to the parking area because this is much safer.