Located about 15 minutes from downtown Portland and on Lake Oswego’s border is Tryon Creek State Natural Area, Oregon’s only state park located in a metro area.  Tryon Creek Park has 8 miles of hiking trails, including 3.5 miles of equestrian trails that cross over several streams and creeks that enter Tryon Creek through the park’s center.  One of the eight bridges is the Terry Riley Bridge (currently closed.) Terry Riley is a long suspension bridge the connects two sides of a ravine.

 

Terry Riley Bridge

 


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Tryon Creek Park has 658 acres of cedar and fir trees, vascular plants (including spring trilliums in bloom,) ferns, and plenty of other native and non-native species.  The Friends of Tryon Creek maintains the park.

 

The Friends of Tryon Creek host a Trillium Festival in early April to celebrate the many trilliums in bloom around the park.

 

Most of the trails in Tryon Creek Park are very short, so it can be confusing finding a steady route throughout the park.  It’s best to park at the main parking lot near the nature center.  Just follow signs back to the nature center when the run is about finished.  A decent loop around Tryon Creek park is to park in the equestrian area and turn right at every intersection.  There may be a few out and backs on trails that lead to streets, but the longest one, Iron Mountain Trail, is only .63 miles.  This run with the out and backs would be about 8.5 miles with 1500′ of elevation gain.

 

Red Fox Bridge

 

Of course, crossing the bridges back and forth is also fun, but be expected to encounter many day hikers.

Tryon Creek Park has signs at every intersection,

There are trail maps located at the nature center, or download a map from the website to help for further navigation.