Hike # 27: Thanksgiving Scone Walk

Our annual Thanksgiving Day hike around the Hillsdale Neighborhood has always included homemade Scones.  We’re happy to continue the tradition.

Name:  Thanksgiving Scone Walk
Neighborhood: Hillsdale
Distance: 2.21 miles
Rating: Easy
Elevation Change:  149 ft
Start/End Location: Hillsdale Food Carts
Map Links:  Interactive Map  

Summary:
This scenic hike is in the Hillsdale neighborhood where you will enjoy quiet side streets and parts of George Himes Park. It allows walkers to keep a suitable distance from others. Please be courteous and safe while in Himes Park as you will be on a forested trail.  We wish to extend our gratitude for their continued generosity.

For 25+ years Hillsdale has been sharing this tradition of enjoying our community and visiting with friends at the start of Thanksgiving Day festivities. In the mid-1990’s, an ad-hoc group of residents know as the Hillsdale Vision Group initiated the concept with a walk beginning at the same Hillsdale starting point down to the Willamette River and back. That group motivated Portland to create the Hillsdale Town Center Plan which led to the carving out of the Hillsdale neighborhood from the existing surrounding neighborhoods. Don Baack has been the route guru for each of these walks. At the first walk the Bridgers served scones and coffee on the riverfront, and the tradition has continued except when severe weather intervened.  The tradition continues as we thank SWTrails Board Member Glen Bridger and his wife Karen for graciously baking goods for this annual tradition.

Interactive Map Directions:

• Touch the “Interactive Map” link at the top of this page to launch a web-based version of the route map from your mobile browser (i.e. chrome, or safari).
• Touch the locate me button in the top-left corner of your display to activate a ‘blue dot’ showing your current location
• Your blue dot will now follow the highlighted route from your mobile device!
• Note, you may have to grant permission to allow the application to access location services.

Step-by-step Directions:
The trail’s beginning is marked at the Hillsdale Food Carts, but you can jump in at any point along the way as it is a loop and you will end back where you began.

This stroll will begin heading across Capitol Highway along Sunset Boulevard to the public library at the corner of Dewitt, where you will turn right.  At the end of Dewitt, turn left on Cheltenham Street, following the street as it twists and bends, arriving at Terwilliger.  Cross Terwilliger to the walking path, turn right/south following on to Capitol Highway. Cross BOTH streets so you can take the narrow path along the west side of Terwilliger to the first intersection, Vincent Place. Follow west to the end of the cul-de-sac where you will find the Scone Station, in the open rear end of an SUV. NOTE:   Snacks will be available from 9:30 to 11 am at the Thanksgiving Day Scone Station, so plan your walk to arrive there between those times. Enjoy, and continue your walk by returning to the traffic signal and crosswalk at Capitol Highway, crossing Terwilliger and proceeding south along the paved path.

Proceed south on Terwilliger for approximately 600 feet, coming to an open area where you can select from two alternatives. We recommend you take the path into the woods running parallel to Terwilliger, where you can enjoy the glory of George Himes Park; it will come out at Nebraska near the picnic tables. Alternatively, you can remain on the paved path and proceed to Chestnut Street and cross with care, following Chestnut to Burlingame Avenue. Heading right/north take Burlingame Avenue until you reach the access to the Wilson Parking lot, and then back to the where you began.

Happy Trails,
SWTrails