Portland Forest Hikes: Twenty Close-In Wilderness Walks

"Portland is woven into a natural setting, and Jim Thayer knows how to find the remote places that are truly nearby."—David Bragdon, Metro Council President

Here are twenty wilderness hikes within twenty miles of downtown Portland, Oregon, less than a half hour's ride from the city. Adventurers at all skill levels will be surprised by the remoteness and remarkable beauty of these easy woodland escapes. This pocket-sized companion includes maps, bus access, basic conditions, flora, fauna, and local history. Choose the shorter walks for kids or rugged routes for the ambitious. Half the trails explore lesser-known wooded hillsides in Forest Park. Others venture farther north into rarely described prime Oregon hiking country in the Tualatin Mountains for the thrill of the wild at the city's back door.