Trail Running in Portland: A First Forest Park Route
How do you start trail running in Portland's Forest Park? Choose one access point and build a modest route around the Wildwood Trail or Leif Erikson Drive. Forest Park has more than 80 miles of trails, but that is a reason to map a small loop carefully, not to improvise at every crossing.
Understand the two main lines
Portland Parks & Recreation describes Wildwood as a 30-mile natural-surface pedestrian trail running through Forest Park. Blue diamond markers show distance from its southern end in quarter-mile increments. Leif Erikson Drive runs roughly parallel; white bollards mark distance from its Thurman trailhead. Other trails and firelanes connect the two, which makes useful loops possible if you identify each connecting turn on the city's map.
If you are new to uneven ground, Leif Erikson's wider route can be a calmer starting point. If you want a more trail-specific session, pick a manageable Wildwood out-and-back or a mapped connector loop. The goal is to learn the surface and junction pattern, not to complete the full length of Wildwood in one visit.
Plan around weather and closures
The city warns that wind, rain and high water can leave downed trees, landslides or flooding. Open its trail closures and delays page before heading out, especially after storms. If a connector is closed, don't invent a shortcut through vegetation; use a different open section. All trails allow people on foot, but bike and horse access varies by trail, so read the signs where routes intersect.
| What you need | Practical choice | Key check |
|---|---|---|
| Predictable first outing | Leif Erikson Drive out-and-back | Start point and bollard distance |
| Natural-surface practice | Short Wildwood out-and-back | Blue markers and return time |
| A loop with variety | One mapped connector between the two | Open status and exact junctions |
A Forest Park checklist
- Download the city trail map and mark parking or transit, the start, turns and exit.
- Check current closures and the forecast.
- Carry water and a layer for the duration; a wooded trail can still be cold, wet or slippery.
- Keep dogs leashed and slow when passing other visitors.
- Turn around while you still have time to return comfortably.
Local-source note: Portland Parks & Recreation is the authority on current access and rules. Trail conditions may differ from the day this guide was written.
Image: Balch Creek from Wildwood Trail by Slinkyo, released under CC0 1.0.