Banks-Vernonia Trail, Oregon
For this week’s walk, I’m out of the swamp and into the forest. While visiting with my son in Portland Oregon, I got a big break from the hot humid weather and an opportunity to travel high above sea level.
The Banks-Vernonia trail is located approximately 26 miles west of Portland and follows a 21-mile path of a century old railway bed used by the lumber industry. The tracks have been dismantled but old bridges still remain. The access point we logged on was in Buxton. I get very squeamish when I read about bears and cougars, I feel much more vulnerable to these fast-moving creatures than the swamp animals I’ve grown used to in Coastal Carolina and Georgia.
Uphill from here
I can’t get enough of the “greenery”, wildflowers and cold water streams. The path has an easy walking surface but be prepared for steep hills.
This trail is a quiet sanctuary in the foothills of the Coast Mountains. It is open year round and definitely a nature lovers trail.
One last tip, facilities are limited
Excellent place for relaxing walks.