Big Trail Projects Planned for 2016

Forest Park ConservancyUncategorized

As the year comes to a close, with a flurry of storm related trail repair work, we are looking ahead to 2016! We have big plans to make your trail experience even better! Here’s just a sample of the projects we will work on in the coming year.

Ditch Trail section of the Wildwood Trail
Complete repair work on the Wildwood Trail between miles 7.8 and 8.5. This section is known as Ditch Trail. We have added rock retaining walls, drains, and leveled the trail surface. We have just fine tuning to do before this project is complete and is a big improvement to this heavily used section of the Wildwood Trail. 

Ancient Forest Preserve Trail 
We are expanding the trail in FPC’s Ancient Preserve located north of Forest Park. Thanks to support from REI and the Bill Healy Foundation, we hope to complete the trail by the end of the summer of 2016. We are adding more signage, benches and a longer trail to enjoy this unique old growth forest so close to Portland. If you’re interested in supporting this project, contact Sheryl Sackman. 

Wildwood Trail above Stone House – Phase II
This section of the Wildwood Trail between the Stone House and Holman Lane (mp 5.5 6) is many people’s first introduction to Forest Park. In connects people from local neighborhoods, with popular trail heads to the Stone House, Lower Macleay Park, the Audubon Society, and Pittock Mansion. It is a popular trail for runners, hikers, and families, many accompanied by dogs. The popularity of this trail has caused multiple areas of erosion, exposing sharp rocks, and trail narrowing.

We will add rock retaining walls to eliminate muddy areas and decrease the slope of the trail in certain areas. This project will make hiking on this section of the Wildwood so much better!

Springville Section of the Wildwood Trail
This section of Wildwood Trail (mp 21 ¬ 22.5) is heavily used by hikers and runners, many accompanied by dogs. 6 culverts have washed out, causing the trail to become muddy and dangerous during the wet seasons. To avoid hiking through the mud, people walk high ¬ creating a second trail. In order to eliminate the widening of trail and promote proper drainage, we will need to construct nearly 250 feet of retaining walls, replace 2 culverts, install French drains, and armor the entire trail with gravel. 

By making these improvements, we are able to ensure the trails of Forest Park are safer and more accessible. These improvements also protect streams by reducing run off which is important for the native fish who call Forest Park streams home.Want to help us? Sign up to volunteer or make a donation today. Thank you!