Tryon Creek State Natural Area — Attraction in Portland

Trail Series, Part 38 If you’re searching for a destination that provides a diversity of trail experiences in Portland, Oregon, you should consider Tryon Creek State Natural Area. It offers clearly marked unpaved trails for hikers, leashed dogs, and runners; paved trails for cyclists; and unpaved trails for equestrians. Many of the trails are dedicated to either hikers/runners or equestrians, but some of them intersect for joint use. It is at such a juncture that I had the pleasure of meeting “Panama.” While admiring his majestic stature, I noticed the “shoes” that he was wearing. While I assumed they were intended to increase his traction while on the trails, I was informed that they’re actually for protection. Apparently hooves are akin to fingernails and can be prone to compacting both mud and rocks (which can cause a horse discomfort). 🤷‍♂️

While a number of the trails are moderate in difficulty, those with mobility issues should find the Old Main Trail easier to navigate (located at the South end of the parking lot).

Although there is a myriad of trails to explore spanning many acres, access to Tryon Creek is prohibited (to protect the habitat of the Steelhead and Salmon).

The Nature Center located in the center of the park offers limited free parking, restrooms, water fountains, trail maps, and some concessions (with a separate equestrian parking area available for those with trailers).

Oregon State Parks also hosts regular weekend guided walks/hikes featuring various themes including “spiders”, “fantastic fungi”, and “Ghosts of the Park.” 😳

And that’s…Henry’s...

This is the place visit if you have feet much too cold to bask in the harmless beauty of Oregon’s government-operated forests alone, as the often-incessant crowd of casual hikers will keep you company - you know, the ones who think that they are cool with their walking sticks...

they are not. You end up looking as though the only point of time that you have utilized your two legs instead of your four wheels and an office chair was at least five years ago and your only reference of hiking are heavily romanticized Instagram reels that prey on your tarnished attention span. Not that your attention span - if it were adequate - would be put to any good use anyway.

Derailing the subject further (but in my defense, I reviewed the hikers - do I get bonus points for covering every facet?): I wouldn’t rate Tryon as a one-star forest - because ideally I just want to write a description for this place - but being required to rate it rather than solely reviewing it objectively to let the reader make their personal decision that this is the place they desire (which I'd then wonder how), forces me to give this forest a solid single star, which is entirely irrelevant to the reader.

Don’t ask where the other four stars went - I reckon they got lost in the crowds… if only there were fewer people so we can find the other four in peace, huh?

My personal recommendation is to avoid this place on a bright summer weekend. Besides, cloudy or rainy weather complements this stereotypical...

TRYON CREEK STATE NATURAL AREA

I enjoy Tryon Creek Natural Area but be warned that if you are going birding there or to looking to see some of the local wildlife there, then you may be thwarted by the multiple use policies of the Park. Looking for birds and local wildlife requires a peaceful and relatively quiet environment. The multiple use policy allows for horses and dogs in the Park if the dogs are on a leash and their owners pick up their 'solid waste'. I am not sure if horse owners have to pick up their horses’ droppings but that sure would make sense. What is your guess of the percentage of dog owners who adhere to these requirements when they bring their dogs to the Park? Have you ever tried to look for birds and/or shy and elusive local wildlife with a dog(s) constantly barking or running around off leash and getting into tussles with each other with all the accompanying noise that produces? Please understand that I have had very enjoyable hikes and birding trips in the Park. Nonetheless, in a public Park, the public will want to do a wide variety of activities. The public will insist that the Park's policies allow this variety of activities which conflict with each other. For example, birding and barking dogs. This is just one example of a “tragedy of the commons” that results from public officials trying to please all users of a common area or resource with policies that result in conflicting uses and in many cases, the destruction of the...