Great day for a hike and Chehalem Ridge didn't disappoint. Plenty of parking, clean restrooms, and…read moresome very nice views. I'll be going back.

Beautiful park with tree covered trails and wide paths…read more We did the woodland trail then continued up Timber Road and onto the Chehalem Ridge trail. Path was mostly flat with slight inclines here and there until you got to Timber Road, this was really the only tougher incline, mostly because it was out in the direct sun. The scenery was beautiful forrest and ferns, with a couple viewpoints out to the hills in the distance. Directional signage on the trials was pretty good, didn't notice any maps aside from the one at the entrance, but at least you could see when trail intersected and which way to go for each. We came on a Friday afternoon, the parking was plentiful and we almost had the trial to ourselves. There are two covered picnic areas at the trailhead, both had a handful of picnic tables and benches. Beware - we were chased off by yellow jackets while trying to enjoy our lunch. We were there on a pretty warm day, so they seemed to be extra active. Restrooms at the trailhead were spacious and clean.

Im not sure how successful folks are with catching fish in this large pond, but sitting by the dock…read moreis very peaceful. The lake is centered around the shopping mall so there are a few restaurant that overlook the lake. There are also ducks that live there.

Came here today with fishing friend who did some actual fishing. Nothing was caught (fish 1 -…read morehumans 0), but it was really OK, and I thoroughly enjoyed sitting in my camping chair and watching the fish jump in the air and the world passing by. A few other people were down on the dock casting for fish, others sat on the various rock formations sort of zoning out, and it was a real pleasure to see the children and parents sharing something they really loved. If the youngsters aren't interested in the fishing, they can come down and feed the ducks - such fun. The water is so clear you can see down to rocks and plants on the bottom and also nearest the dock flashes of the goldfish as they glide along (these goldfish eventually grow into some very large carp). There are evidently some sturgeon as well along with the rainbow trout, and also lots of ducks and other water birds (a few still with babies). Oh yes, lots of dragonflies - flashes of black and fiery orange red - add to the charm. People who fish welcome you right into their society and talk readily about their fishing experiences and how the big one got away and even why. This is a terrific family experience and for those who want to come out alone. The best time is to come early, before 7, and especially after the lake has been re-stocked, if you want to catch some fish. But like I said, it's a wonderful experience whether fish are caught or not. Give it a try. And remember if you don't catch any fish, you can hike back up to the shopping center above and get some breakfast. Not a bad day at all, in fact a damn fine one if you ask me.

On April 8th I noticed that there were some signs that suddenly appeared to not harass/harm the…read morebeaver(s) (and potentially other aquatic mammals) living in the area. There clearly is at least a beaver or Nutria in the area because there's a dam in the stream in the park's boundaries. What isn't clear from the beaver signage is that there are also apparently ground nesting birds in the brush, like Egrets, that might stop tending to their nests if people and/or animals walk through the brush or you might squish their eggs. So really any area in the park that is brush vs. manicured lawn is off limits for people and animals (see my map w/ the red X's for the out of bounds areas). This should be better clearly outlined and explained w/ signage and/or temp fences - that the brush is a protected wildlife area and stay out. I was yelled at by some people in a nearby condo community for walking my dog into the brush recently - as I thought the sign only pertained to the beaver, which I saw no sign of. I contacted the city's Parks and Rec Dept about it, and they did verify that the condo owners are right - people and animals need to stay out of the brush area due to the birds and the aquatic mammals too. Apparently the beaver(s) were being harmed by other park visitors. I certainly wish to respect wildlife & make it a safe place for them to live and raise their young, but these new unclear signs make the park less enjoyable as it wasn't clear what is and isn't allowed in the brush area of the park. The park otherwise is always clean, but there isn't much to it. There's a small sand pit, 2 pieces of children's playground equipment: a see-saw and a roundabout, a small grassy field, a bocce ball court, a ping pong table, and some benches. The park has no parking spots, so this is more designed to be a "neighborhood park" - that locals just walk over to. So if you're ok viewing nature from a distance or just enjoying a walk around a grassy area, this park's a good choice. It's also across the street from a small dog park. Otherwise, I'd seek out a park with more features.

Interesting place. Mostly an elevated boardwalk that runs along the creek and behind a subdivision…read more It's really admirable how the parks departments around this area make such a huge effort to create places to get some exercise, yet keep things as natural as possible. We chose to walk most of the stretch, opting to enter the subdivision at one point to make a bit of a loop of things. The area is quite peaceful, lots of birds to watch. The boardwalk itself was somewhat slippery, and unfortunately we encountered multiple piles of ignored pup poop along the way. Not somewhere I'd go out of my way to frequent, but a nice way to stretch the legs if you're in the area or live nearby.

This is a great place to take a stroll and feel like you're out of the city without having to go…read morevery far. It's an out & back trail through a greenway. It's not a greenway in the traditional sense; instead it is a mostly raised walkway trail through a wetland/swamp area. I have to marvel at the determination of Parks & Rec to make this beautiful area accessible to people! The trail runs behind homes, so you'll see residents hanging out or working in their yards. Makes it feel safe and part of the community. Signs indicate that bikes are allowed, but I can't say I would recommend it. Because most of the trail is raised walkways, there isn't anywhere to go if you encounter people, and the pathway isn't terribly wide. Use caution if you go through on your bike.

What a hidden gem this is! Just a few steps into the trails starting from the middle of a…read moreresidential neighborhood, and you feel like you're in the woods. Access can be from the Waterhouse place apartments, or Hunter run apartments or even from Walker road I guess. You can park in one of these residential neighborhoods. We park somewhere around blueridge drive, then follow the powerlines to the Waterhouse lake. That takes you to a cute little play area. There are picnic tables and benches around there. Very quiet, yet you don't feel unsafe.

I worked in Beaverton and coming from Hillsboro found that the power line trail was by far the best…read moreroute to take. It was quite, traffic free, and usually only occupied by a few runners and dog walkers. The park follows the large and rather unappealing power lines through the west side of Beaverton. I actually this this park is a great use of what otherwise is useless space. It is well kept and it can be fun to spot flocks of birds that like to be perched up on the wires. In fall there were a ton of mushrooms to look for and I think I saw at least 4 different types. The pond is awesome and I had a morning ritual of greeting the ducks that were constantly blocking the path, ending up with me getting squawked at frequently. It can get a bit up and down when you cross the through streets, which can be annoying, but it's nice to be elevated too. This park would be great for picnicking in the summer and is large enough that you should be able to find a spot all to yourself without sitting on top of other people.

This was a much better time of year of course as far as water flow, as compared to our last visit…read morewhen it was a trickle. Its a beautiful (albeit short) walk in from the trail head...but truthfully it's quite a drive back in there just for this falls...especially when you consider how many stunning falls we have in the PNW.

5 star hike, minus one star for noisy conditions…read more Less than 1 hour from Portland, this trailhead is about 17 miles west of Banks. The turn off, Beaver Dam Road, from Hwy 6, is well marked and you get lots of warning. Immediately on the right is a road crew area. There is a trailhead on the other side of that, but you can't park there. If you go straight though, and then make a left at the T, you'll come to a large parking area with potties, info, and another trailhead. You can see it as point of origin on the map I posted, this is where I set out for my 8.2 mile hike. I ended it at the trailhead by the work area. You could also turn right at the T and drive to any number of trailheads, including one that makes getting to University Falls a shorter walk. I prefer the long way. I took to the trail on Jan 3, during a break in the rain. It was very wet. Often there was water running directly down the trail, and it got deep enough to slosh over the toes of my boots. Mud was often 3" deep, or more. Large puddles on the trail you just have to walk through. No going around. Not a big deal since I had my waterproof hiking boots and merino socks. Just wanted you to know your converse high tops aren't going to cut it. It was about 45-48 degrees, and the sun broke thru a couple of times. Not very windy, so my merino base and lite mid were just right. Kept my shell open most of the hike. It was beautiful, truly. The river was kind of raging, all churned up mud and white rapids. The trail was well marked and easy to follow up and down the groves of trees. The two waterfalls were breathtaking, especially University Falls, which was as full as any photo I've seen. The water was definitely higher than usual. I loved every bit of the trail. And now the minus one star. There was constant noise from motorcycles and firearms. I don't want to editorialize about dirt bikes and hand cannons, but it was hard to immerse myself in nature with the omnipresent noise. There was no place on that trail where I couldn't hear it. The dirtbikes are thankfully not on the hiking trail. There is a separate trail system for that, and the tracks do cross sometimes so keep an eye out. For mountain bikes, you'll hear the dirtbikes. I have no idea where the shooters were, but they were close. No comment, not looking to have that discussion. It's just good to know before you get there what it will be like. Enjoy the photos. Here is a link to this location on AllTrails so you can check it out more if you think you'd like to give it a try. If you are in for dirt biking, I think you'll love it. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/oregon/university-falls-trail--4&ved=2ahUKEwiX-K-ikYHuAhWNv54KHb9VAMEQFjAQegQIKRAB&usg=AOvVaw3sWGn85abOsy97LikFomke

Clean, wide paths. Some trails in sun and some in shaded trees! Love that. Signage is helpful along…read morethe way. Easy access and plenty of parking. Wish I lived closer. Great trails!! Nice water views.

We visited here during our recent trip to Portland. We definitely recommend it if you are looking…read morefor some to do with kids and to be outside, which is a must in Portland.

Love this trail for a quick, easy and beautiful walk. Along the trail there's basketball courts, a…read morecreek and lots of things to do. Lots of bikers too! Gets hot from the asphalt but also good for a non muddy trail!

Been biking this pathway for several years, and it's nice to see it coming together over the years…read more The stretch I ride this time -- from Oleson Road at the Garden Home Rec Center to the 217 freeway --- seems mostly finished, with bridges over the creek completed and pavement markings in place near crossings. It's very relaxed, mostly flat tour through some leafy areas and neighborhoods of SW Portland/Beaverton/Tigard, occasionally scenic. The section near Oleson can get pretty crowded on weekends with strolling families and their dogs, but everyone's always polite about it.