Before the advent of automobiles, Portlanders took the train to get out of town.
The
Springwater Corridor is a rails to trails multi-use path connecting SE Portland with Gresham and points east. Now you can bike the route where the trains once ran.
We took the MAX Green Line to the Flavel stop, and hooked up with the broad, level, paved trail heading east. Mt. Hood looms above the trail - thrilling today as it must have been for those early train travellers.
We found a little more terrain once we hit Powell Butte Park. An extinct volcano, Powell Butte offers many trails for hikers, bikers and equestrians.
Huffing and puffing on a hot summer day, we made it to the top and checked out the "Mountain Finder" pointing to spectacular views of Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Adams, Larch Mountain, and, big on the eastern horizon, Mt. Hood.
We found a shady spot under some trees, and then wound our way downhill back to the main trail. Zooming west, we stopped at the Johnson Creek Trailhead, and then shot north for the ultimate bike-friendly brewery in town -
Hopworks Urban Brewing on SE Powell Blvd.
Topping off the warm sunny day with a pint of the Pickathon IPA concluded the perfect Portland day-trip.
Springwater Corridor to Powell Butte - Greg Hill, August 2011
