Starting March 20, 2026 · One hike per week · Finishing late November
Pace: ~22 min/mi · Hike time includes elevation · Drive from SW Portland
Spring blooms
Best in summer
Best in fall
Any season
🥾 = Easy · 🥾🥾 = Moderate · 🥾🥾🥾 = Hard
Green = hike time ·
Amber = total out
Trails Completed
1 of 37
Tryon Creek done — you're off the mark 🌿
✓ Before the plan
Already done
✓
done
Tryon Creek State Natural Area
SW Portland · #4·↔ 8mi total·↑ 590ft·🥾🥾🥾Moderate
🌸 Trillium Apr–May👦 Great for Pearce
🌿Hiked
Hike
~2h★
Drive
15 min
Total out
~2h30
🌸 Spring · Weeks 1–7
Late March – May
The plan: Bloom season — short window, unmissable. Week 1 is already set (cherry blossoms this weekend). Camassia, Crystal Springs rhodies, Tryon Creek and Trillium Loops are all pinned to while they're actually blooming. Efforts stay low while you find your weekly rhythm.
1
wk
Tom McCall Waterfront Park
Portland East · #18·↔ 4.4mi·↑ 210ft·🥾🥾🥾Easy
🌸 Cherry blossoms👦 Great for Pearce
🌿Hiked
Hike
~2h
Drive
10 min
Total out
~2h20
2
wk
Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden
Portland East · #22·↔ 2mi·↑ 30ft·🥾🥾🥾Easy
🌸 Apr–May rhodies💰 Admission fee👦 Great for Pearce
🌿Hiked
Hike
~50min
Drive
15 min
Total out
~1h20
3
wk
Lone Fir Cemetery
Portland East · #19·↔ 1.3mi·↑ 80ft·🥾🥾🥾Easy
🌸 Spring cherry trees👦 Great for Pearce
🌿Hiked
Hike
~40min
Drive
15 min
Total out
~1h10
4
wk
Smith and Bybee Wetlands
North Portland · #8·↔ 1.7mi·↑ 50ft·🥾🥾🥾Easy
🌸 Spring migration🚫 No dogs👦 Great for Pearce
🌿Hiked
Hike
~45min
Drive
20 min
Total out
~1h25
5
wk
Camassia Natural Area
Lake Oswego · #29·↔ 1.1mi·↑ 110ft·🥾🥾🥾Easy
🌸 Late Apr–May peak🚫 No dogs🅿️ 4–5 cars only👦 Great for Pearce
🌿Hiked
Hike
~35min
Drive
25 min
Total out
~1h25
6
wk
Cooper Mountain Nature Park
Beaverton · #31·↔ 3.8mi·↑ 390ft·🥾🥾🥾Moderate
🌸 Apr–Jun wildflowers🚫 No dogs
🌿Hiked
Hike
~2h05
Drive
30 min
Total out
~3h05
7
wk
Trillium Loops (Forest Park)
Forest Park · #12·↔ 4.6mi·↑ 730ft·🥾🥾🥾Moderate
🌸 Trillium Apr–May🚫 No dogs
🌿Hiked
Hike
~3h
Drive
45 min
Total out
~4h30
🌿 Early Summer · Weeks 8–16
June – mid-July
The plan: Portland's best weather. Effort builds steadily — flat walks into first real hills. Hike times range from under an hour to about 2.5h on trail. A mix of wetlands, city parks, and your first Forest Park loops.
8
wk
Orenco Woods Nature Park
Beaverton · #30·↔ 1.5mi·↑ 110ft·🥾🥾🥾Easy
Any season👦 Great for Pearce
🌿Hiked
Hike
~45min
Drive
35 min
Total out
~1h55
9
wk
Kelley Point Park
North Portland · #7·↔ 2.2mi·↑ 70ft·🥾🥾🥾Easy
Any season👦 Great for Pearce
🌿Hiked
Hike
~55min
Drive
20 min
Total out
~1h55
10
wk
Laurelhurst Park
Portland East · #20·↔ 2.2mi·↑ 130ft·🥾🥾🥾Easy
Any season👦 Great for Pearce
🌿Hiked
Hike
~1h05
Drive
15 min
Total out
~1h35
11
wk
Springbrook Park
Lake Oswego · #26·↔ 2.1mi·↑ 130ft·🥾🥾🥾Easy
Any season👦 Great for Pearce
🌿Hiked
Hike
~1h
Drive
25 min
Total out
~1h50
12
wk
Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge
Portland East · #23·↔ 2.8mi·↑ 120ft·🥾🥾🥾Easy
Any season👦 Great for Pearce
🌿Hiked
Hike
~1h15
Drive
15 min
Total out
~1h45
13
wk
Tualatin Hills Nature Park
Beaverton · #3·↔ 5mi·↑ 90ft·🥾🥾🥾Easy
Any season🚫 No dogs👦 Great for Pearce
🌿Hiked
Hike
~2h
Drive
30 min
Total out
~3h
14
wk
Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge
Beaverton · #32·↔ 4.5mi·↑ 70ft·🥾🥾🥾Easy
Any season🚫 No dogs⚠️ Closed Mondays👦 Great for Pearce
🌿Hiked
Hike
~1h45
Drive
35 min
Total out
~2h55
15
wk
Portland Audubon Sanctuary
NW Portland · #1·↔ 4.5mi·↑ 340ft·🥾🥾🥾Moderate
Any season🚫 No dogs
🌿Hiked
Hike
~2h15
Drive
20 min
Total out
~2h55
🌿 Eight weeks in — comfortable on real hills. Forest Park is up next.
16
wk
Dogwood Loops (Forest Park)
Forest Park · #10·↔ 3.3mi·↑ 310–610ft·🥾🥾🥾Moderate
Any season
🌿Hiked
Hike
~2h
Drive
30 min
Total out
~3h
☀️ Peak Summer · Weeks 17–26
Mid-July – September
The plan: River hikes and open skies feel great in the heat. Sauvie Island needs a day permit — buy at Cracker Barrel Grocery on the island. Sandy River Delta is safest late summer. Effort ramps into moderate climbs and longer days.
17
wk
Oak Island Nature Trail
North Portland · #6·↔ 2.7mi·↑ 50ft·🥾🥾🥾Easy
☀️ Sauvie Island summer🎫 Day permit req · Cracker Barrel Grocery👦 Great for Pearce
🌿Hiked
Hike
~1h05
Drive
30 min
Total out
~2h05
18
wk
Warrior Rock Lighthouse
North Portland · #5·↔ 6mi·↑ 20ft·🥾🥾🥾Easy
☀️ Summer beach access🎫 Day permit req · Cracker Barrel Grocery👦 Great for Pearce
🌿Hiked
Hike
~2h15
Drive
40 min
Total out
~3h35
19
wk
Blue Lake Regional Park
Troutdale · #33·↔ 3mi·↑ 0ft·🥾🥾🥾Easy
☀️ Summer swimming💰 Vehicle entry fee🐕 Dogs ok, not in lake👦 Great for Pearce
🌿Hiked
Hike
~1h05
Drive
30 min
Total out
~2h05
20
wk
Springwater Corridor & Tideman Johnson Park
40-Mile Loop · #36·↔ 3mi·↑ 200ft·🥾🥾🥾Moderate
Any season👦 Great for Pearce
🌿Hiked
Hike
~1h25
Drive
20 min
Total out
~2h05
21
wk
Lower MacLeay Park: Balch Creek
Portland West · #14·↔ 2.2mi·↑ 360ft·🥾🥾🥾Moderate
Any season
🌿Hiked
Hike
~1h25
Drive
20 min
Total out
~2h05
22
wk
Marquam Nature Park: South Loop
Portland West · #17·↔ 1.7mi·↑ 430ft·🥾🥾🥾Moderate
Any season⚠️ Very steep for its length
🌿Hiked
Hike
~1h20
Drive
15 min
Total out
~1h50
23
wk
Upper MacLeay Park: Pittock Hill
Portland West · #15·↔ 2.7mi·↑ 500ft·🥾🥾🥾Moderate
Any season💰 Mansion admission (optional)
🌿Hiked
Hike
~1h50
Drive
20 min
Total out
~2h30
☀️ Halfway through — real climbs feeling comfortable. Big river days ahead.
24
wk
Sandy River Delta
Troutdale · #34·↔ 9.3mi·↑ 120ft·🥾🥾🥾Easy
☀️ Safer late summer👦 Great for Pearce
🌿Hiked
Hike
~3h40
Drive
35 min
Total out
~4h50
25
wk
Mary S. Young State Recreation Area
Lake Oswego · #28·↔ 5.7mi·↑ 290ft·🥾🥾🥾Moderate
Any season👦 Great for Pearce
🌿Hiked
Hike
~2h35
Drive
25 min
Total out
~3h25
26
wk
Cooks Butte Park
Lake Oswego · #27·↔ 2.5mi·↑ 400ft·🥾🥾🥾Moderate
Any season⚠️ Steep volcanic butte
🌿Hiked
Hike
~1h35
Drive
25 min
Total out
~2h25
🍂 Fall · Weeks 27–36
October – late November
The plan: Peak fitness, crisp air, best views of the year. These are full-morning hikes — pack a snack. Maple Loops pinned to mid-October for color. Powell Butte and Oxbow on cold clear days when the Cascades are out. Wildwood is the finale.
27
wk
Waterline Loops (Forest Park)
Forest Park · #13·↔ 5.1mi·↑ 850ft·🥾🥾🥾Hard
🍂 Fall forest
🌿Hiked
Hike
~3h20
Drive
40 min
Total out
~4h40
28
wk
Marquam: North Loop & Council Crest
Portland West · #16·↔ 3.8mi·↑ 860ft·🥾🥾🥾Moderate
🍂 Clear fall panorama👁️ 4 mountains on clear days
🌿Hiked
Hike
~2h50
Drive
15 min
Total out
~3h20
29
wk
Mount Talbert Nature Park
Portland East · #25·↔ 3.9mi·↑ 600ft·🥾🥾🥾Moderate
🍂 Fall forest loop🚫 No dogs⚠️ Poison oak
🌿Hiked
Hike
~2h25
Drive
25 min
Total out
~3h15
🍂 30 hikes done. The last six are the best in the book.
30
wk
Maple Loops (Forest Park)
Forest Park · #11·↔ 8.5mi·↑ 940–1130ft·🥾🥾🥾Moderate
🍂 Peak Oct color⏰ Save for mid-October
🌿Hiked
Hike
~4h50
Drive
35 min
Total out
~6h
31
wk
Hoyt Arboretum
Washington Park · #2·↔ 12mi·↑ 380ft·🥾🥾🥾Moderate
🍂 Best in fall👦 Great for Pearce
🌿Hiked
Hike
~5h
Drive
20 min
Total out
~5h40
32
wk
Columbia River Trail
40-Mile Loop · #37·↔ 11mi·↑ 90ft·🥾🥾🥾Easy
🍂 Fall river views👦 Great for Pearce
🌿Hiked
Hike
~4h10
Drive
25 min
Total out
~5h
33
wk
Mount Tabor Park
Portland East · #21·↔ 12.5mi·↑ 340ft·🥾🥾🥾Easy–Challenging
🍂 Fall on the volcano
🌿Hiked
Hike
~5h10
Drive
15 min
Total out
~5h40
34
wk
Oxbow Regional Park
Troutdale · #35·↔ 12mi·↑ 510ft·🥾🥾🥾Moderate
🍂 Old growth in fall🚫 No dogs
🌿Hiked
Hike
~5h15
Drive
35 min
Total out
~6h25
35
wk
Powell Butte Nature Park
Portland East · #24·↔ 13.2mi·↑ 580ft·🥾🥾🥾Moderate
🍂 360° Cascade views🚫 No dogs👁️ Best on a cold clear day
🌿Hiked
Hike
~5h50
Drive
20 min
Total out
~6h30
🌲 One left. Pick a perfect day. Make it an event.
36
wk
Wildwood Trail & Leif Erikson Drive
Forest Park · #9·↔ 41mi total·↑ 3200ft·🥾🥾🥾Hard
🍂 The grand finale★ Do your best 8–10mi section
🌿Hiked
Hike
~5h★
Drive
25 min
Total out
~5h50
★ Wildwood & Tryon Creek: Both have more trail than one visit. Tryon time = 3.5mi Triple Bridge Loop. Wildwood time = 10mi Germantown Road section. Pack lunch on both.
⏱ How times are calculated: 22 min/mile + 10 min per 100ft gain. Drive from SW Portland. "Total out" = both drives + hike. Add 30–60 min for a proper stop on bigger days.