Hike #28: Multnomah Village to Marshall Park

Our December Hike offers a chance to work off the turkey and scones you ate during Thanksgiving, and an opportunity to finish your holiday shopping.  Read on for more details.

Name:  Multnomah Village to Marshall Park
Neighborhood: Multnomah, West Portland Park, Marshall Park
Distance: 6.85 miles
Difficulty: Hard
Elevation Change: 773 ft
Start/End Location: Multnomah Arts Center
Map Links: Interactive Map

Summary:
This moderate to difficult 6.8 mi hike offers a chance to work off the turkey and scones you ate during Thanksgiving, and an opportunity to finish your holiday shopping!  Starting in one of SW Portland’s premier small business shopping areas – Multnomah Village – the the route will take you along distinctive side streets and through several of southwest Portland’s parks and natural areas.  You will make your way from the Multnomah Arts Center out to the Hydro Park then on to Marshall Park, Maricara Park, Woods Park, and back to where you started in Multnomah Village.

Description:
This is a loop hike, and although our description starts and ends in Multnomah Village at the Multnomah Arts Center, you may jump in anywhere along the route.

Starting on SW Capitol Hwy in front of the Multnomah Arts Center, head east and turn right on SW 31^st Ave. Turn left on SW Multnomah Blvd. After you cross SW 25th Ave, take the left fork of Multnomah Blvd. which will take you to SW Barbur.  Cross Barbur at the corner where the Safeway Store is to proceed down SW 19^th Ave. You are now on SW Trail #6 as you cross over the I-5 freeway. Walk south to SW Lobelia St where you will leave Trail 6; turn left for 1 block, turn right on SW 17^th Ave and enter Marigold Hydro Park.  Walk through the park to SW 15^th Ave; walk down SW Marigold St (at the south corner of the park); turn right at SW Taylors Ferry, then take the first left at SW Taylors Ferry Ct.  Turn left at SW 12^th Dr, and take the right fork onto SW 13^th Dr.  At the curve, enter Marshall Park and take the trail on the right at the fork and head towards the play structure at the bottom.  Follow the trail until it meets another trail; turn left to walk south through the park.  You will come to several junctions, but continue heading south towards SW Maplecrest Dr; cross Maplecrest and continue down the path until you reach the end of SW 11^th Dr.; turn right and leave Trail 6 at SW Kari Ln, right at SW 14^th Dr, left at Kari Ln, and right at SW Lancaster Rd.

After you pass 3 houses on the left, find a path/right-of-way that leads southwest to the end of SW Ridgeview Ln.  Go down Ridgeview; turn left at SW Luradel St.  Turn left at SW 25^th Ave, and enter the Maricara Natural area at its northeast corner.  Look for signs marking SW Urban Trail 5; take that trail through the natural area to SW 30^th Ave; cross 30^th and continue going west down SW Maricara St.  Cross SW 35^th Ave when you reach it and continue west down the path north of the buildings through Jackson Middle School to SW 40^th Ave; turn right and walk north to SW Wilbard St; cross the street and continue walking on the pedestrian Walkway there over the I-5. Follow the walkway left, then right to exit into Barbur Blvd Park & Ride (do NOT loop around to the east).  You will see Barbur World Foods across the street when you reach SW Barbur Blvd.  Use the signal at the corner of SW Barbur and SW Taylors Ferry to cross Barbur and walk down Taylors Ferry Rd.  Turn right at SW 43^rd Ave (across the street from Walgreens). At the end go down SW Trails 7 and enter Woods Memorial Natural Area. As you walk through the area don’t forget to look for beautiful flowers or fall colors on the Woods Park Mandala along the way.

In Woods Memorial Natural area, follow the Alice trail for roughly 650 ft and turn left onto the Woods Creek Trail. Follow the Woods Creek trail for ~800 ft, and turn right across the middle bridge to stay on the correct path (a left turn will take you onto the South or ZigZag Trail).  Proceed down the East side of Woods Creek past the Mandala, past lower bridge and Stairway Trail and around to the Marigold Trail then stay straight out of the park.   Turn left at SW 42^nd Ave (SW Trail 7); walk a bit to SW Garden Home Rd and turn right.  Turn left at SW 40^th Ave; right at SW Troy St; left at SW Capitol Hwy.  After walking past the shops of Multnomah Village, you are now back where you started at the Multnomah Arts Center.

Note:  Although this is already a 6.8 mi walk, at the 40th and Canby St intersection you can head into Gabriel Park and connect with several other Self-Led hike routes, or SW Trail #3 to April Hill Park and back.

Don’t forget to use the hashtag #swtrails to share your very best pictures.

Happy Trails,

SWTrails