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Finding the Cazadero Trail
Cazadero Trail
The Portland region’s iconic Springwater Corridor Trail runs for nearly 22 miles from the Hawthorne Bridge on the east side of the Willamette River, along abandoned railroad rights-of-way as far as the town of Boring. From there a yet-to-be-completed trail system will, someday, allow users to access Mt Hood and the Pacific Crest Trail. The 1.5 mile-long Eastbank Esplanade, continuing north from the Hawthorne Bridge to the Steel Bridge was created after the Springwater and effectively extends the total length to over 23 miles.
We feel that the Springwater Corridor Trail is really comprised of three distinct sections, each of approximately the same length:
1) The section starting downtown, up to mile-marker 7, is noted primarily for high speed cyclists that with menacing-looking attire and speed—riding 20 mph, no-hands, while texting—compromise the feeling that this is intended as a mixed-use pathway. Non-cyclists do not have parity here and many users will feel outright uncomfortable. Also, there is a missing section of trail around the Sellwood neighborhood, requiring users to ride in the street for about 1/4 mile, until the so-called Sellwood Gap project is completed. Still, notable points of interest are the Willamette River itself, OMSI, Tilikum Crossing, Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge [please see the AR trail review for the Bluff Trail] and Tideman Johnson Natural Area.
2) The next 7-mile section is perhaps the least interesting, as it mostly follows busy, industrialized Johnson Creek Boulevard, although notable destinations include the Cartlandia food carts at SE 82nd Street [right on the trail!] and Powell Butte, which hearty souls can climb up at about mile 12. This section is also the one most associated with homeless camps and aggressive behavior and to some degree has tainted the image of the entire Springwater Corridor—unjustly so.
3) The third section begins at the Gresham boundary and extends for nearly 8 miles from the Linneman Station Trailhead, past attractive Main City Park, as far as the newly developed Boring Station Trailhead Park. This section of trail is like a Sunday drive without the car—it passes through handsome woods, fields and orchards; and, thanks to the City of Gresham, has the most frequent and reliable amenities along the way. As indicated on the map to the right, there are four, full-service trail access points, spaced irregularly to allow walks of various lengths.
Because of its distance from downtown Portland, it is sparsely used by cyclists and feels much more comfortable shared by all users. There is very little, or no, evidence of inappropriate use. This is the section recommended by AR.
Springwater Corridor Trail East Segment
Multiple Jurisdictions
Description
Name: Springwater Corridor Trail East [connector to the Cazadero Trail]
Parks agency: Multiple jurisdictions—Portland Parks & Recreation; City of Gresham; Clackamas County [also, Metro and Oregon State Parks]
Location: 4 full-service trailheads from Linneman Station to Boring
Hours: there are no posted hours for the trail—hours may vary
Public transit: MAX Blue Line to Gresham Central TC, 2/3 mile to the north; TriMet bus 9 on N Main Ave, just north of Main City Park
Length: 8 miles one way, maximum potential for this segment; shorter loops can be made depending on means of arrival and/or location of preferred parking lot
How difficult do we consider it: Easy/moderate; since this is a former railroad, there is a gentle, but persistent, climb all the way to Boring
Date of last visit: August 19, 2017—information not updated in 2021
Click map images for larger maps