hike · tb
44.0336, -123.0184

Middle Fork-Mill Race Loop Hike

Overview

A four-mile, 10-foot wide paved path runs from Dorris Ranch to Clearwater Park along the Middle Fork Willamette. For most of this distance, you are close to the river under a leafy riparian bower of rustling cottonwood, Oregon ash, and big-leaf maple. You can make a loop by returning using the Mill Race Path, opened to the public in 2017, which takes you along Springfield’s historic mill race, a canal dug in 1852 by Springfield’s founder, Elias Briggs. Then it’s about 1¼ miles back to the Middle Fork Path Trailhead on streets with sidewalks. Several trailheads make shorter excursions possible.

Trail Stats

Duration
3.9 hr
Length
15.1 km
Elevation Gain
58 m
High Point
186 m
Low Point
—
Grade
—

Photos

1200px MiddleForkMillRaceMap
Trail photo

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500px Bridge over the Mill Race%2C Mill Race Path
Trail photo

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500px Convergent lady beetle %28Hippodamia convergens%29 on coyote bush%2C Mill Race Path
Trail photo

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500px At Jasper Slough%2C Mill Race Path
Trail photo

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500px Georgia Pacific log pond%2C Mill Race Path
Trail photo

No caption provided.

500px Forest near the Willamette%2C Middle Fork Path
Trail photo

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The Middle Fork braiding%2C Middle Fork Path
Trail photo

No caption provided.

Tags

moderate