5.1 hr
Overview
At the beginning of the 20th century, the forested eastern slopes of the Tualatin Hills were first proposed as a natural park by Portland civic leaders and the well-known landscape architect John Charles Olmsted (who designed Terwilliger Parkway). The east face of the hills, part of the Tualatin Mountain anticline of uplifted Columbia River Basalts, was plastered over millennia by a thick layer of wind-blown silt. In 1907, the Portland citizenry approved a bond measure to improve and expand the park system, but the city chose not to purchase land on these hills. In subsequent years, much of the slope was logged and then developers began to platt the land for future homes. In 1915, a realtor named Richard Shepard completed an 11-mile scenic road, Hillside Drive, which was designed to connect all the planned side streets. Almost immediately, winter storms initiated slides of the silt layer that required expensive repairs. In the 1930s, the Sons of Norway convinced the city to change the name to Leif Erikson Drive. By the 1940s, after numerous large landslides, most landowners had either forfeited their property or were willing to sell, and the county donated additional land. Forest Park was established in 1948. Now gated Leif Erikson Drive is a busy conduit for hikers, dog walkers, runners, and cyclists, especially on weekends.
Trail Stats
18.0 km
239 m
219 m
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Photos
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