Chehalem Ridge Hike
Where: Chehalem Ridge Nature Park, Washington County, Oregon
Distance: 3.6 to 4.2 miles
Type: Loop
Elevation gain: 400 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Map:
For a map of the entire park, click here.
Overview:
Chehalem Ridge Nature Park is owned and operated by Metro, the tri-county regional government agency of the Oregon portion of the Portland metropolitan area. It is Metro’s newest park, opened in 2021. The park has about ten miles of trails. All are open to hikers, most to mountain bikers, and many to horseback riders. Much of the park’s 1250 acres were once a tree farm, and this hike passes through several of those areas, but also traverses several areas of older, more mature and more natural forest. Under protection from Metro, the tree farm areas will eventually transition back into a more natural, wildlife friendly habitat through forest thinning, removal of non-native vegetation and planting of native trees and shrubs.
Getting there:
Chehalem Ridge Nature Park is located south of Forest Grove and west of Beaverton. There are a variety of ways to get there depending on your starting point. Enter the address of the park, 38263 SW Dixon Mill Rd, Gaston, OR 97119, into your navigation system or Google Maps to get the best route from your location. There is no public transportation to the park.
Trailhead:
The trailhead for this hike, and other hikes in the park, is located at the park entrance off Dixon Mill Road. There are restrooms and water available at the trailhead. This hike begins just behind the west picnic shelter.
The hike:
Start the hike by taking the Woodland Trail, which meanders through an old tree farm. The trees here are all the same size and age, with little understory growth. The trail ascends gradually to a high point, then descends to its end at Timber Road, 1.4 miles from the trailhead.
Turn left on Timber Road, which crosses Christensen Creek (the low point of this hike) and follow it up the hill. In about three tenths of a mile, you’ll come to the start of the Chehalem Ridge Trail on your right. This is the high point of the hike. Hike up the Chehalem Ridge Trail for about a tenth of a mile, then turn right onto the Witches Butter Trail. This part of the hike passes through another area that was part of a tree farm until recently. There is an overlook on the Witches Butter Trail that gives a nice view east and north across the Tualatin Valley. On a clear day, Mount St. Helens and Mount Hood are visible from there.
In another half mile, turn left onto the Ayeekwa Trail, which runs through an older, more natural forest with a more diverse flora and an understory more typical of the temperate rain forest environment common to the area before European colonization. In about seven tenths of a mile, the Ayeekwa Trail returns to Timber Road at Christensen Creek.
Turn left on Timber Road and re-cross Christensen Creek. Here you have the option of retracing your steps on the Woodland Trail back to the trailhead or following Timber Road up the hill. The Woodland Trail is more scenic, but longer (making for a 4.2 mile hike). If you elect to take Timber Road, look for the Ammefu Trail on your left about a quarter mile from Christensen Creek. This is a short detour through an older forest. There is a bench with a nice view where you can rest. One of the “Three Elders” sculptures done by Adam McIsaac, Bobby Mercier, and Nakoa Mercier is located near the bench.
Where the Ammefu Trail rejoins Timber Road, you can either follow the road back to the trailhead (where you’ll find another of the “Three Elders” sculptures) or cross the road and rejoin the Woodland Trail and take it back to the trailhead.
Timber Road is a shared use trail open to hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders (but not motor vehicles), as is Chehalem Ridge Trail. The Woodland Trail and Witches Butter Trail are open to hikers and mountain bikers, but not horseback riders. The Ayeekwa and Ammefu Trails are hiker only.
Other area attractions and activities:
Chehalem Ridge Nature Park is in a rural area with no other close by hiking or biking opportunities, but the west metro area, not far from Chehalem Ridge, has an abundance. Some of my favorite hikes in the area include Tualatin Hills Nature Park, Cooper Mountain Nature Park, and, closer to downtown Portland, Hoyt Arboretum in Washington Park. And, if you’re like me, you might want to quench your thirst with a cold beer after your hike. There are many pubs in the west metro area to do just that. Two of the closest are McMenamin’s Grand Lodge in Forest Grove and Mazama Brewing in Hillsboro.
Conclusion:
While Chehalem Ridge Nature Park is not pristine wilderness, it is a worthwhile outing for hikers looking for a new and uncrowded destination in the Portland metropolitan area. It’s also large enough to offer multiple potential hikes, from short loops near the park entrance to out and back hikes exceeding ten miles in length.
Posted July 27, 2023 by Alan K. Lee
All photos © Alan K. Lee