One of my favorite things to do when the weather starts to get chilly and the fall colors start to pop, is hike. There are so many trails to explore near PDX, and there are some GREAT urban hikes as well. On Friday Brent and I did one of my favorite Portland urban hikes – the Wildwood trail to Pittock Mansion.
It was the perfect day for a hike and with the rainy season looming, I wanted to take advantage of what will probably be our last sunny day of the fall. We parked in NW Portland near Macleay Park and caught the trail that runs along Balch Creek. The stone house is the marker to merge onto the Wildwood trail (basically just stay straight past the stone house) and follow the Wildwood Trail all the way to Pittock mansion. It’s about a 5 mile round-trip hike and it’s pretty easy. There’s a stretch of switch backs as you near Pittock mansion that can get a little intense, but it’s only a half a mile or so and well worth the effort.
The first part of the hike is a half-mile walk along Blach Creek to the stone house and it’s just plain beautiful. The creek bed was slathered with falling orange and yellow leaves and the contrast they make to the lush green and earthy brown surroundings was breathtaking. We stopped on the first bridge to peer into a clear pool of creek water near a rock wall. There are usually a few trout meandering there in the mouth of an eroded cave. Brent spotted a big-daddy trout (maybe 15 inches) hanging out with some smaller buddies and we watched them for a while.
Maybe it was the walk in the forest next to the running water, or watching the lazy trout floating in a crystal clear pool, or maybe it was knowing that I was going to see my best friend Brandi that evening, but I was reminded of a high-school fishing escapade. My best buds in high school were a rowdy group of girls and we loved to have fun. We were also lucky enough to come of age in Eastern Oregon, a place full of fun outdoor activities. Now, that said – I’m not exactly “outdoorsy,” not in the way my besties are. These girls grew up in the woods with their logger dads and hunting families. My family camped when we were growing up, but like in designated campgrounds. My dad didn’t pack his pistol and a shot-gun when we headed out for a family camping expedition. I’ve often been mocked for my lack of wilderness knowledge. I have trouble identifying the difference between a coyote and a wolf. It makes me the butt of lots of jokes.
So, I’m the least “outdoorsy” of my high school besties AND…I’m the clumsiest. Once on an afternoon fishing trip, we were wading up the shallow waters of the Grand Ronde river. If memory serves me correctly, it was Jaimie and Brandi and me. It was a hot sunny day and our plan was to catch some rays AND some fish (we were way better at getting a tan than catching fish). In hindsight, I’m sure the picture of three teenaged girls in bathing suites, hair piled high in ponytails on top of our heads carrying fishing poles and gingerly choosing our steps while we tried to keep balance on the slippery rocks was pretty hilarious. Jaimie was convinced that there would be a good fishing hole just up around the river bend. The current was strong and the rocks were slick. Brandi was just issuing a warning not to fall as I felt the rock that my stepping foot lodged against shift to the right. That was all it took. Both feet slipped right out from under me and the cold water swallowed me up as the current took hold. It was a split second of helplessness. And then I felt a sharp tug on the back of my head and I yelped. My best friend Brandi with her cat-like reflexes had seen me fall and lunged forward to grab for my ponytail. She caught me in the nick of time and I was pulled to the safety of the big rocks on the river bank by my hair. We sat for a moment catching our breaths and then looked at each other and burst into laughter. As per the norm, we caught more sun than fish that day and I will always be grateful for a long ponytail and the best friend who saved me.
Trudging up creek beds and hiking through forests are not new experiences for me, but an urban hike is different. It’s so cool to feel like you’re deep in the forest and lost to the world and have civilization right around the corner. On our Friday hike we took the Wildwood trail up the hill to Pittock mansion. Forest Park gives the illusion that you’re off the grid. We were deep in the middle of a giant rainforest where the trees are so thick and high that they block out the sunlight and the ferns are pre-historically giant and suddenly I heard a siren. It caught me totally by surprise and I jumped. I was jolted out of the illusion and reminded that I was still smack dab in the middle of the city. The sensation of walking out of thick forest into the parking lot at a mansion is just…surreal.The views from Pittock mansion are the best in the city. If you want that iconic Portland city-scape spot, Pittock mansion is the place to get it. Seeing it in the Fall is extra special because the vibrant color of the changing leaves gives the city a patch-work quilt look. If you’re looking for a fun hike and you don’t want to have to drive to find it, hike Wildwood trail. The stretch between Balch creek and Pittock Mansion is gorgeous any time of year.
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