Past Month
+ 123
Wildwood Trail Point-to-Point
Hiking Trail
Hard
28.86 mi
2,858 ft
"The longest soft-surface hiking trail" within an urban boundary in the USA.
"The longest soft-surface hiking trail" within an urban boundary in the USA is found right here in Portland, Oregon. ([Source]( Designated as a National Recreation Trail, the Wildwood Trail winds through the expansive Forest Park for an astonishing 30 miles.
At over 5,100 acres, Forest Park itself is one of the largest urban forest reserves in the country. ([Source]( The park "is a sanctuary of ancient moss-laden trees, winding along the side of ridges with ferns and wooden bridges over small washes that host beautiful streams in the spring," according to Mischa Egolf on [](
This incredible natural resource of protected green space and developed trails combine to create world-class hiking opportunities within minutes of downtown Portland! For an epic day of hiking right in the city of Portland, try completing a point-to-point thru-hike of the entire Wildwood Trail.
"The Wildwood is an easy trail for its length, with many ups and downs but also sticking to a level contour for long stretches," writes []( "The largest single elevation gain, if you are doing the trail from north to south, is the 640 feet between the Stone House on Balch Creek and Pittock Mansion, the high point of the hike," they continue. Even still, the route as mapped gains (and loses) about a vertical mile of elevation.
The trail tread itself is mostly-smooth and well-trod, thanks to the popularity of the trails with local hikers. Bridges cross most of the streams, and technical obstacles are few and far between. However, during the wet season, some sections can get very muddy, causing additional difficulty.
If you do tackle the entire Wildwood Trail in one go, approach it with caution and a healthy respect. Even so close to the city, traversing 30 miles of singletrack trails deep in the forest is a challenging endeavor! Written by Greg Heil
"The longest soft-surface hiking trail" within an urban boundary in the USA is found right here in Portland, Oregon. ([Source]( Designated as a National Recreation Trail, the Wildwood Trail winds through the expansive Forest Park for an astonishing 30 miles.
At over 5,100 acres, Forest Park itself is one of the largest urban forest reserves in the country. ([Source]( The park "is a sanctuary of ancient moss-laden trees, winding along the side of ridges with ferns and wooden bridges over small washes that host beautiful streams in the spring," according to Mischa Egolf on [](
This incredible natural resource of protected green space and developed trails combine to create world-class hiking opportunities within minutes of downtown Portland! For an epic day of hiking right in the city of Portland, try completing a point-to-point thru-hike of the entire Wildwood Trail.
"The Wildwood is an easy trail for its length, with many ups and downs but also sticking to a level contour for long stretches," writes []( "The largest single elevation gain, if you are doing the trail from north to south, is the 640 feet between the Stone House on Balch Creek and Pittock Mansion, the high point of the hike," they continue. Even still, the route as mapped gains (and loses) about a vertical mile of elevation.
The trail tread itself is mostly-smooth and well-trod, thanks to the popularity of the trails with local hikers. Bridges cross most of the streams, and technical obstacles are few and far between. However, during the wet season, some sections can get very muddy, causing additional difficulty.
If you do tackle the entire Wildwood Trail in one go, approach it with caution and a healthy respect. Even so close to the city, traversing 30 miles of singletrack trails deep in the forest is a challenging endeavor! Written by Greg Heil
Created By
Strava Routes
Route and Elevation
Segments
| Name | Distance | Elev. Diff. | Avg. Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burnside to Pittock Mansion Gate | 0.56 mi | 308 ft | 10.2% |
| Northwest Cornell Road Climb | 0.21 mi | 135 ft | 12.1% |
| Nw Hermit Ave Climb | 0.61 mi | 233 ft | 7.0% |
| Storming the Castle | 0.10 mi | 46 ft | 7.0% |
| Wildwood Trail Climb | 0.52 mi | 144 ft | 5.2% |
| Wildwood Trail Climb | 0.34 mi | 148 ft | 8.1% |
| Wildwood - Chestnut to Firelane 2 | 0.62 mi | 59 ft | 0.7% |
| Wildwood - Firelane 2 to Firelane 3 | 0.87 mi | 92 ft | 0.2% |
| Nw Leif Erikson Dr Climb | 0.33 mi | 148 ft | 8.4% |
| Firelane 12 Climb | 0.60 mi | 266 ft | 8.3% |