Thursday, April 28, 2011

Upper Deer Trail in Forest Heights

{My Sister S and Nephew B on the trail}
One of the highlights of my trip was hiking in Audubon Sanctuary, an amazing forest preserve within the Portland city boundaries with stands of old growth Douglas Fir, Hemlock and Western Red Cedar. Portland, Oregon is a city in love with trails and green spaces.

{roads and cul-de-sacs in white, the trails are the dotted black lines}
You expect great hiking in a forest preserve, but in my sister's neighborhood there are great trails just out the front door. She lives in the Forest Heights, a 601 acre area developed in 1989, where one third of the space is dedicated to public green space and parks. The six miles of  trails in the development mostly follow the low creek beds that flow in the valleys of the steep hillsides.

{to the pond of the old Jones Lumber mill}
The area, like most of Portland, was logged of it's old growth timber in the mid-1800's. The old "Mill Pond" for the past logging operations is down this path right behind my sister's house.
{Portland home construction- crazy!}
Most of the homes, since they are built into hillsides, are tidy one or two stories from the street. But in the back the basements are often built stories down, and may are built on high piers. This is a view of the back of one of them from the trail.
{fern land}
My favorite trail in the neighborhood is the upper part of the "Deer Trail". Steps away from the houses, it's just another world. The banks are extremely steep and the trees are romantically cloaked in green moss.
{beauty}
The most restful sound- a creek joyfully spilling down the slope.


 How beautiful are these yellow woodland violets?



{Spring!}


Or this trillium?

{upper Deer Trail}
This trail was amazingly serene, with just glimpses of all the houses crowding the tops of the hills on both sides of the steep ravine.

And once the trees leaf out, you will not see any homes from the trail at all, and it will be even more magical.  I'm glad to be home, but I'm already planning my next trip to Portland! 

Loretta

11 comments:

  1. Looks like a wonderful place to hike, don't you just love it? There is nothing like being out in the great outdoors to take all your stress away. Might be why I'm never stressed!

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  2. We went to Portland 2 Octobers ago for a marathon. We got to see the city and the nature side in a very different way, and we LOVED it there.

    Definitely have to plan to go there again to look at more hiking places. Inhale & exhale a stress free time.

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  3. Gorgeous... and those tree's- Beautiful! So glad you had a great trip! -Ann

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  4. What a beautiful trail and that house!! WOW!! I love going for walks in the woods and just soaking in all the nature. I would love to get to Portland someday.
    Have a wonderful weekend. :)

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  5. Michelle- Yes, can you believe that house looks like a normal two story house from the street?

    Loretta

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  6. Beauitful! How nice to have a hike so close to home! So different from my lifestyle, where out my door is the freeway.. :(

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  7. gorgeous photos. I have got to get outside!
    Hooper

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  8. Hooper- Today was a good day to get out, for sure. But I wish Portland were next door...

    Loretta

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  9. What a great place for outdoor adventure!

    xoxo
    Karena
    Art by Karena

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  10. Wow...nothing more gorgeous than Mother Nature! Glad you had a wonderful hike with family Loretta. xx Danielle

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  11. Gorgeous! It is so nice to spend time in the outdoors. It looks like you had a wonderful time.
    Happy Wednesday!
    Xo,
    E + J

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