Forest Park
Lower Macleay Trailhead to Pittock Mansion
Hike Details:
Mileage: 4.8 miles out and back w/ 915 ft. elevation gain
Approximate hike time: 2 hours w/ an average pace of 2.4 mph
Difficulty: Easy
Trail usage: High on weekends, medium on weekdays
General location: In the heart of northwest Portland - Forest Park
Suggested seasons: Spring, summer, fall, winter
(Best time to go is in October when the trees are changing color. Late spring is really nice too because all of the flowers are blooming up at the Pittock Mansion gardens).
Permits required: N/A
Pit toilet at trailhead: Flushable toilet at the Macleay TH as well as up at Pittock Mansion
Trail allows: Dogs on leash
Approximate hike time: 2 hours w/ an average pace of 2.4 mph
Difficulty: Easy
Trail usage: High on weekends, medium on weekdays
General location: In the heart of northwest Portland - Forest Park
Suggested seasons: Spring, summer, fall, winter
(Best time to go is in October when the trees are changing color. Late spring is really nice too because all of the flowers are blooming up at the Pittock Mansion gardens).
Permits required: N/A
Pit toilet at trailhead: Flushable toilet at the Macleay TH as well as up at Pittock Mansion
Trail allows: Dogs on leash
(Lower Macleay trailhead)
Description:
Forest Park is a very large area with a network of roughly 80 miles of trail located in the heart of northwest Portland! There are countless trailheads, routes and loops one can hike. The hike described starts out at the end of Northwest Upshur at Lower Macleay Trailhead, a large field where you will find a bathroom and some benches.
(Balch Creek)
You will start out on Lower Macleay Trail. The trail takes you through a beautiful forest along Balch Creek for 0.7 miles until you reach what is known by Portland residents as the Witch's Castle. This structure was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930's and was then used as a ranger station for Portland Parks and Recreation as well as a restroom for hikers. In 1962 the stone structure was badly damaged by a heavy storm and has been abandoned ever since. High school students found it a good place to have parties and nicknamed it The Witch's Castle.
(Witch's Castle)
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From the Witch's Castle you will continue on the Lower Macleay Trail for another 0.3 miles and then turn left at a sign for the Wildwood Trail. Here the trail takes you through a forest with even taller trees, and the trail becomes quite steep. After two switchbacks, you will cross NW Cornell Rd. Here you will see Upper Macleay Trailhead and there is another trail split. The Upper Macleay Trail and the Wildwood Trail come together again in about half a mile, which means you can go up one way and come down the other. Take the Wildwood Trail to the left and continue on for 0.6 miles, ignoring two other trail junctions and follow signs for Pittock Mansion.
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(Pittock Mansion)
(picture by Justyna Goworowska)
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After another 0.4 miles and 4 more switchbacks, you will arrive at Pittock Mansion. Pittock Mansion is a French Renaissance-style château and was originally built in 1914 as a private home for London-born publisher Henry Pittock and his wife, Georgiana Burton Pittock. It is a 46-room estate built of Tenino Sandstone and it sits on 46 acres that is now owned by the city's Bureau of Parks and Recreation and open daily for tours. The view from the Pittock Mansion garden is absolutely spectacular and on a clear day you can see the entire city of Portland as well as Mt. Hood standing prominently in the distance to the east.
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(downtown Portland in October)
You can circle around the Mansion, taking in all of the views, the garden and the beauty of the mansion. On the way back down at the first junction you can take the Upper Macleay Trail instead of the Wildwood Trail to change up the hike a bit.
Overall, this trail is quite lovely and the perfect way to escape the hustle and bustle of the big city. Once you enter the trails, you cannot hear any traffic and you really do feel like you are in the wilderness. The tread of the trails is great and they are all very well maintained. They are perfect trails for trail running. The mileage and elevation gain doesn't normally warrant the hike to be categorized as 'moderate', and the only reason it is, is because the trail gains all of the elevation in such a short mileage span. You gain 915 feet of elevation in about 1.2 miles, making it a pretty steep hike.
Overall, this trail is quite lovely and the perfect way to escape the hustle and bustle of the big city. Once you enter the trails, you cannot hear any traffic and you really do feel like you are in the wilderness. The tread of the trails is great and they are all very well maintained. They are perfect trails for trail running. The mileage and elevation gain doesn't normally warrant the hike to be categorized as 'moderate', and the only reason it is, is because the trail gains all of the elevation in such a short mileage span. You gain 915 feet of elevation in about 1.2 miles, making it a pretty steep hike.
(Mt. Hood picture by Justyna Goworowska)
Directions:
From downtown Portland
- Get onto W Burnside St to NW 23rd Pl. then turn right onto NW 23rd Pl. and immediately turn left onto NW Westover Rd. and continue on for 0.3 miles. Make a slight right onto NW 25th Ave. then turn left onto NW Lovejoy St. Turn right onto NW Cornell Rd. and drive down this street for 0.9 miles to the road's end where you will see a sign for the trailhead. (Total of 3.9 miles)
- Drive I-5 north toward Portland for 31.5 miles then use the right 2 lanes to take exit 292A to merge onto OR-217 N toward Tigard/Sunset Hwy/Oregon Coast for a total of 7.5 miles. Use the right lane to take the Barnes Rd exit. Keep right at the fork, follow signs for Barnes Rd E and merge onto SW Barnes Rd. Merge onto SW Barnes Rd. for 1.4 miles then turn left onto SW Miller Rd. for 1.1 miles. Turn right onto NW Cornell Rd. and drive 2.6 miles to the road's end where you will see a sign for the trailhead. (Total of 49.5 miles)
- A total of 113 miles via Salem.
- A total of 179 miles via Salem.
- A total of 276 miles via Salem.
*All pictures unless otherwise marked are taken by Franziska Weinheimer
*Disclaimer: the trail descriptions, mileage, GPS tracks and difficulty ratings depicted on this website are never 100% accurate. Always hike at your own risk, using your own knowledge, equipment and common sense. Franziska Weinheimer/Hike Oregon are not responsible if you or anyone in your party gets injured or lost while attempting one of these or any other hikes.