Iron Mountain - Lake Oswego

Lake Oswego is a posh place today, but it has an interesting and varied history. As you walk along the side of Iron Mountain, among the tall trees, it's hard to imagine that in the late 19th century this forested hillside was the clear-cut site of a large iron mine and railway that led down to an iron smelter along the Willamette River. It's a testament to the restorative powers of mother nature. This 4.5 mile walk also will take you through some of the upper-end Lake Oswego neighborhoods that replaced the industrial uses, and also swings by Oswego Lake. The walk has some significant up and down topography.

The walk consists of two loops with a common center route along the Iron Mountain trail. This first map shows the whole route.

Here is a close-up map of the east half of the walk.

And here is a close-up map of the west half of the walk.

The walk begins at Christ Church Episcopal Parish, Lake Oswego's episcopal church. The building was originally constructed in 1950, with a major addition on the south side of the building in 2001. It is the second largest Episcopal congregation in Oregon, behind only Trinity Cathedral. The upper parking lot is a designated Trimet park and ride facility, and is never full except on Sunday mornings. It's a good place to park if you are arriving by auto.

The church is located at the corner of Tenth Avenue and Chandler Road. Cross Tenth, going eastward, and then proceed right on the sidewalk along Tenth. across from the church. Next to the sidewalk is this elaborate landscaped "green streets" storm drainage facility, built by Lake Oswego a few years ago. Many of these landscaped drainage depressions are popping up around the Portland metro area, as communities work to prevent untreated storm water runoff from polluting lakes and rivers.

Continuing on Tenth Avenue, after two blocks you will reach a triangular intersection with a center landscaped area. Turn left, onto Berwick Road. If you take this walk during 2014, you will see this political sign in several front yards along the route. It refers to a local controversy about redevelopment of the Wizer's market site in downtown Lake Oswego on "A" Avenue. Without getting into the merits of the actual argument, perhaps all can agree that the angry "highrise" on the sign looks more like an angry domino.

Continue down the hill on Berwick as it winds to the right. While this street, and most of the streets on this walk, have no sidewalks, the roads are lightly traveled with slow-moving vehicles, and an alert pedestrian should have no trouble staying safe. At the bottom of the hill you will get to this railroad crossing. Continue over the crossing and stay on the road that eventually turns to the right, which is Northshore Road.

Along Northshore you will get glimpses of Oswego Lake. I say "glimpses," because the lake itself is a private water body, open only to adjacent property owners and other nearby property owners that have a legal right to access the water body. The property status of the lake is currently being litigated by local residents claiming that the lake is actually a public water body, but the case will most likely take several more years to be resolved through the Oregon court system. For most of this stretch of roadway views of the lake are blocked by mansions such as this one.

Eventually you will get to a break in the mansions, and the lake will be visible on the left through the chain link fence guarding the Forest Hills lake easement. This is an authorized access point, one of several around the lake, for property owners without direct access, but with access rights deeded to the properties they own in the vicinity. These easement areas vary in size from small mini-parks such as this one to others with just a small dock and three or four boat slips. What's most interesting about this easement is what's next door to the right - a huge mansion built in 2007 on the site of an old private boat club. The tale involves placing fill into the lake, illegal cutting of trees, and lots of local controversy. Unfortunately you, as a member of the unwashed public, can't get a good look at what this monstrous mansion looks like, because it reveals itself in its full glory only from the inside of the Forest Hills lake easement or from the vantage point of a boat on the water.

Continue on Northshore Road until you get to Mulligan Lane, then take a right Once again you will cross the railroad tracks. These tracks now belong to the Union Pacific railroad, but were originally part of the Southern Pacific Railroad system (purchased by Union Pacific in the 1990's). Branching out from the old Southern Pacific west coast mainline in Milwaukie, this route crosses the Willamette on a bridge also in Lake Oswego and then continues west to serve local lines in Washington and Yamhill Counties. Several freight trains a day use the tracks. A proposal to put new high speed passenger routes on these tracks sparked some local consternation a few years ago, but the high speed rail planners are apparently now looking elsewhere.

Traverse the entire short length of Mulligan Lane to Iron Mountain Road, carefully cross the street to the "pathway" (really just a striped lane on the roadway) and then quickly turn right up Fairway Drive. On your left are large mansions. On your right is the Oswego Lake Country Club. This private and exclusive club, whose main feature is a full 18-hole golf course, was first established in 1924. First you will pass the back side of the main clubhouse, and then you will be along part of the golf course. While the beautiful manicured grounds might be inviting for a walking detour, I would recommend against it - first, you would be trespassing on private property, and second you might get injured by a flying golf ball.

Continue on Fairway Drive to the end of the street, where you will see a very large mansion directly ahead. But to the right is the trailhead for the Iron Mountain trail.

Start up the trail. The first portion of the trail also serves as a driveway for this cottage. It appears to be some sort of caretaker cottage for the park. Pass it and continue up the trail. The route you are following was a railway in the late 19th century, surrounded by a clear-cut hillside. It's quite a contrast from today's scenery.

The trail continues up a gentle slope, through the trees providing ample shade. When you reach a trail junction continue straight ahead rather than turning left and heading down the hill. Remember this spot - you will be returning to this location from the other direction later in the walk.

Continuing up the Iron Mountain trail, you will eventually reach a resting spot and interpretive display on the site of the Prosser Iron Mine. The railway ended at this location, and the now almost pristine hillside you are on was the site of a warren of mine shafts and associated activity. The mine shafts themselves have been sealed up and are inaccessible. Continuing beyond the mine site, you will come to another stopping point with benches. It is meant to be a scenic overlook, but all the trees on the hillside pretty much block out any views of Oswego Lake. This deck was originally built by a group of boy scouts as part of an eagle scout project, but was later modified by the City of Lake Oswego. Continuing on the trail, you will soon reach its end, on Glen Eagles Road. At the roadway, turn left.

You are now in Lake Oswego's Uplands neighborhood, characterized originally by mid-sized houses on large lots, but the more recently some of those houses have been the subject of extensive house enlargements and "tear-downs" in favor of new luxury dwellings. The neighborhood is now a sometimes uncomfortable mixture of the modest and the extravagant in terms of single-family residential development. You will see this contrast as you walk down Glen Eagles. At Wembley Park Road turn left, and stay on the left side of the street, which has a walking path.

Wembley Park tees into Twin Fir Road - turn left here. You will be only a short distance on this roadway, but it has a curve and not much of a shoulder, so be careful. At Edgemont Road turn left. This is a quiet dead-end street continuing the juxtaposition between older modest homes and newer more substantial dwellings.

At the end of Edgemont a trail leaves the roadway on the right - this is the route you will take. The trail is fairly steep and narrow with a few switchbacks as it heads down a hill, so watch your step. You are now back in the Iron Mountain open space area, with tall trees shading the pathway.

Eventually you will cross a drainageway on a wooden bridge. On the other side the trail forks - it doesn't matter which way you take, because after a few hundred feet the trails meet up again.

As you continue on the trail, to your right down the hill and through the trees you will see the Lake Oswego Hunt Club, a large equestrian facility with stables, pastures, and riding rings. The horses occasionally are ridden onto the trails of the Iron Mountain open space area, so keep your eye on the trail for the occasional horsepie. The Lake Oswego Hunt Club has been a civic institution since the 1920's, and is the only such facility remaining in the area. Since the club owns the property, and interest in equestrian activities remains high, this facility will be staying here for the foreseeable future, not to succumb to urban development as other similar facilities in the Portland area have.

Continuing on the trail, you will come to another nice bench allowing a rest while traversing back up the hill. Eventually you will reach the trail fork we talked about earlier, and you will continue on the portion of the trail you already traversed back to Fairway Road, past the caretaker's cottage. Continue down Fairway Road with the golf course now to your left and the mansions to your right.

At Iron Mountain Road turn left and stay on the left side of the street, where the pathway is located. After a few hundred feet, when you reach the entrance driveway to the Oswego Lake Country Club on your left, carefully cross Iron Mountain and proceed to the right on Pine Valley Road. Stay on Pine Valley as it winds to the left, past intersections with Westward Ho Road and Troon Road. Eventually the road loops back to Iron Mountain Road.

Once again, carefully cross Iron Mountain to the pathway on the left side of the road (actually just a striped bit of pavement) and head to the right. You will eventually reach a three-way intersection where Iron Mountain actually goes to the left and the road going straight ahead changes to Chandler. Stay right and take Chandler back to your starting point at Christ Church.

Cannon Beach

Cannon Beach  is a scenic outpost on the Northern Oregon Coast, an artsy tourist destination in comparison to the more traditional beachside attractions of the larger city of Seaside to the north. This 2.3 mile walk will take you through the northern part of town, and of course half the walk will be on the beautiful beach itself. And part of the other half, which takes you through the streets of town, will walk along an ocean-side lane. The walk is entirely on flat terrain.

The walk begins at the corner of Hemlock Street and Sunset Avenue. Street parking is a bit easier to find in Cannon Beach on a busy day here than in the most northern part of the town. There is a public parking lot next to the city hall three short blocks north of here. There is also a public restroom on the seaward side of Hemlock Street. At Hemlock and Sunset, look for this pedestrian pathway that leads to Pacific Street, right next to the entrance to the Hallmark Resort with its corny mariner statue out front.

When reaching Pacific Street, turn right. Go one block until you see this beach access point on the left. Take it, and you will arrive at Cannon Beach's beach.

The next part of this walk consists of about a mile's journey north on the beach. To your south, on the left, is Cannon Beach's most famous landmark, Haystack Rock. At low low tide the area between the rock and the sand is accessible for excellent tidepool viewing (make sure you have decent shoes or sandals for scampering on the rocks). Also to the south, toward land, is Haystack Hill, rising above the Hallmark resort. Haystack Hill is a state park, donated by Portland magnate John Yeon, but undeveloped except for a hiking trail to the top (no views though, because of the trees).

Turn right and go north along the beach. On a summer's day you will see lots of other beachgoers (at least a lot by Oregon standards). Dip your feet in the water if you want, but it will be COLD! And be careful if getting into any ocean depth beyond your feet - the Pacific has been known for "sneaker waves" and other dangers to beachgoers.

Eventually, you will reach the mouth of Ecola Creek. It's possible to make a crossing on your feet at low tide (and low creek flow), but the walk stays on this side of the creek. Proceed up along the creek until you see this beach access point to your right. Follow the access trail up the mild slope.

At the top of the slope is this small park area, known as Whale Park, with a playful whale sculpture and a covered rest spot. Enjoy the view of the beach and Ecola Creek, and perhaps some horse riders on the beach beyond the creek. The whale sculpture is here because this is believed to be the spot where members of the Lewis and Clark expedition watched Native Americans butcher a whale carcass in 1804.

After the leaving the small park area, continue right on Hemlock Street, which is Cannon Beach's seaside commercial street. One of the first buildings you will see on the right is the Natatorium, constructed in 1924, and originally housing a heated salt water pool and bathhouse.

Continuing along Hemlock, to the right on the next block is Bruce's Candy Kitchen, at this location since 1944. It is very popular for its home-made confections. Hemlock Street contains many other eateries and tourist destinations to browse through, including many art galleries.

After a couple more blocks, also on the right, is the Coaster Theater, host to live theater events year-round. However the building housing the theater originally was occupied by the Wave Roller Rink, constructed in 1945.

Continue two blocks on Hemlock, and the street begins to curve toward the ocean and go up a short rise in terrain. On the left at Hemlock and Washington is the Cannon Beach Community Church. The church's pretty building with its bell tower were built in 1931. For over 80 years the church was affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA, but in 2012 switched its allegiance to the Evangelical Covenant Church. The switch was made by a number of Presbyterian congregations in response to a more "progressive" national church stance on issues such as homosexuality.

At Washington Street turn right and go one block to Ocean Avenue, then turn left. This street is a "frontage road" to the beach, with homes on the left. It switches from pavement, to dirt, and eventually in one short stretch to this narrow pedestrian pathway. Enjoy the stunning views of Haystack Rock, and think enviously of the property owners with homes along this stretch of the roadway/pathway. And also note that the sand area beyond the road is undeveloped and not closed off to the public - this is the result of Oregon's landmark beach access law from the 1960's, and this Oregon Supreme Court decision that resurrected the ancient common law of custom to justify the  preservation of Oregon's dry sand beach areas from enclosure by private property owners.

After six blocks of walking along Ocean Avenue in its various permutations, turn left on Van Buren Street. Walk two long blocks along this street, crossing Hemlock Street. This pretty little house is typical of the eclectic mix of homes along the "presidential" streets in Cannon Beach.

At Spruce Street, turn right. Go two blocks to Gower Avenue, which has a center divider, and turn right. After a short distance you will see a sign for a pedestrian pathway to the left - take this route and walk along the pedestrian path through the woods for a block. Spruce Avenue then starts up again - cross Dawes Avenue and continue one block to Sunset Avenue.

At the corner of Spruce and Dawes to the right is this funky and charming A-frame dwelling. Cannon Beach has quite a mixture of beach houses.

At the corner of Sunset and Dawes to the left is the Cannon Beach History Center and Museum. Admission is free, but donations are accepted. The museum also runs a nice little gift shop. At Sunset Avenue, turn right and go one block back to Spruce Street, where the walk started.



Tanner Creek - West Linn

West Linn's city motto is "A City of Trees, Hills, and Rivers." This walk will take you past plenty of trees and hills, although the "river" in this case is the pretty puny Tanner Creek (the Willamette and Tualatin, which both border the city, will have to await another walk). What should impress most about this walk is how the city has created a system of paths and trails amidst new suburban development that keep a bit of nature nearby. The walk is 2.7 miles long, and, like the rest of West Linn, has no flat terrain (although the ups and downs aren't too strenuous).

The walk begins in Tanner Creek Park, at a small parking lot near the intersection of Parker Road and Wild Rose Drive. If the lot is full or closed you can park along Wild Rose to the north of Parker Road. Take the trail that leaves the park behind the restroom building. You will be walking along the riparian corridor of Tanner Creek.

Continue straight on the trail until it rejoins Parker Road. At the curve of Parker Road you will see the trail continue on the other side - cross the street here, watching for traffic. After crossing Parker the trail continues to the northwest, between townhomes on the left and a riparian area on the right. If you look closely into the riparian area you will see some ponds among the trees. You are walking on the former roadbed of Parker Road, before it was rerouted in the late 1990's. Instead of losing the right of way, the city showed some foresight and maintained it as a trail.

You will see several of these signs along your route. These are storm drainage detention areas, where runoff from the urban development around West Linn is detained, instead of flowing into a storm drain with all of its pollutants and then eventually to the Willamette. Small flows (the most polluted) seep into the ground, and larger flows slow down and dump some of their sediments before leaving the pond and discharging to Tanner Creek.

Continue on the pathway to the intersection of Salamo Road and Rosemont Road. At the intersection, cross the street and continue right on the pathway alongside Rosemont Road. You will pass by Oppenlander Field, which hosts youth sports activities. At the intersection of Rosemont and Wild Rose Drive, cross the street again and go right. But before you cross, you will see on your left a stakehouse of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, aka the Mormon Church. Constructed several years ago, this building was the subject of significant local controversy, as many neighbors vociferously opposed its location here. But with some design and traffic modifications (including construction of the pathway you have been walking on along Rosemont), the building was finally approved by the city. Among the other requirements was the preservation of the grove of trees along Rosemont to the right of the church, which add considerably to the site's design aesthetics.

Once you cross Rosemont, proceed downhill on Wild Rose Drive to Ridge Lane, where you will turn left. Walk down Ridge Lane, until you reach what appears to be the end of the road, but not really. Ridge Lane continues as a graveled rural cartpath. These kind of jarring roadway changes are not unusual in suburban communities that still have patches of rural development.

Walk down and then up the almost unimproved Ridge Lane, and you will eventually reach civilization again, the form of asphalt. But only for a few hundred feet. The roadway then ends again, and this time turns into a grassy area impassable by vehicles. But this is still Ridge Lane, in the form of an unimproved right of way, so continue straight ahead through the grassy area until you get to Ireland Lane. On your left right before the road ends is a narrow driveway that currently serves as the main access for these homes to Rosemont Road (unless they want to brave the graveled cartpath you earlier traversed. Good access to these houses awaits improvements to either end of Ridge Lane

At Ireland Lane, you reach asphalt again, in the form of a subdivision that is less than ten years old. Turn right on Ireland, and at its end turn right again onto Gardiner. Go a few hundred feet, and then turn to the left down this steep little street with four houses on it. At the end of the street is a pedestrian pathway.

Follow the pedestrian pathway, and you will soon cross this bridge, in the midst of another forested enclave left nestled among the large suburban homes. The pathway will empty upon another small street with six homes on it that leads down to Parker Road.

At Parker Road, cross the street, watching for traffic, and then turn left. Soon on your right you will see a pedestrian pathway between two backyards - take it. At the other end of the pathway turn left, and you are on Winkel Way. This unusual name for a street commemorates Harold Winkel (1918-2004), a longtime civic figure, graduate of West Linn High School in 1935, and city councilor in the 1950's and 1960's. A recent police report from the West Linn newspaper exemplifies the public safety concerns along this street.

Continue on Winkel Way as it makes a 90 degree turn to the right. After a few houses, you will see another pedestrian pathway on the left, consisting of a set of stairs. Take the stairs, and at the top is Sunset Avenue. Turn right.

You are now on the edge of West Linn's Sunset neighborhood. Unlike the other neighborhoods along this walk, Sunset was subdivided in the early 20th century and developed slowly over the years with a wide variety of houses. It is a vestige of the "old" West Linn, which was a Willamette River mill town, as opposed to the high-income suburb it has since been transformed into. And this view shows that, despite more recent suburban development, West Linn retains a tranquil rural atmosphere in many places within the city.

As Sunset Avenue turns left, stay with the street, and then turn right onto Reed Street. This little dead end lane has both old, rural residences and new fancy homes. At the end of the street, you will see another trail connection down the hill. Follow the trail.

This trail is steep downhill, so walk carefully. At the bottom you will be at the end of Landis Street. Cross the street and stay on the trail as it continues downhill back to Tanner Creek. Follow the trail as it turns right and continues between homes uphill on the right and the forested Tanner Creek area on the left. The trail ends at Stonegate Lane, and you will cross this pretty stone bridge to the left.

Where Stonegate Lane meets Beacon Hill Drive, turn right. After a short distance turn right again on Beacon Hill Court. After passing Sabo Lane you will see another trail going off to the left. Follow this trail, once again along Tanner Creek.

This trail is forested on both sides, with the backs of houses on either side barely visible. Eventually you will get to this pedestrian bridge over Tanner Creek, to the right. Cross the bridge, and on the other side the trail turns left and  briefly traverses an access way for several houses before continuing along the creek. Follow the trail.

Eventually you will see a large retaining wall on your right. Above you is the West Linn Skate Park, well-used by young local daredevils. When you reach Wild Rose Drive, turn right and then enter the skate park grounds to enjoy watching the performers. The skate park has been the object of some local controversy because some of the neighbors perceive youngsters having fun as a threat to their suburban peace and tranquility. On the other hand, some have suggested that young people in a town like West Linn can get bored pretty quickly, and these kinds of available recreational activities alleviate that boredom.

You are now back at the start of this walk, across the street from the Tanner Creek Park parking lot.