August Hike: Lower Macleay Trailhead to Pittock Mansion

With wildfire smoke keeping us off Mount Hood this month (Timberline Trail is currently closed due to the Grasshopper Fire), we're staying close to home with one of Portland's best-kept secrets: a real forest hike that starts just fifteen minutes from downtown.

Park at the Lower Macleay Trailhead (2960 NW Upshur St), where you'll find restrooms and a picnic area to start. The trail follows Balch Creek through old-growth Douglas firs and ferns, first on pavement, then gravel, until you reach the Stone House around the 0.9-mile mark, an atmospheric set of ruins locals call "the Witches Castle." (Turning back here makes for an easy 1.8-mile round trip if you're short on time.)

From the Stone House, climb south on the Wildwood Trail, switchbacking up through fern-lined slopes, crossing Cornell Road, and continuing up toward Pittock Hill. The reward at the top: Pittock Mansion, the 1914 estate built for newspaper publisher Henry Pittock, with sweeping views over the city and, on a clear day, the Cascades. Restrooms and a gift shop are on site if you want to make a stop of it before heading back down.

The details: About 5.5 miles round trip, 850–950 feet of elevation gain, 2.5–3 hours. There are no facilities between the two trailheads, so bring water. Cool, shaded canopy the whole way, a nice break from August heat and smoke alike.

As always, trail conditions can shift, check Portland Parks & Recreation's trail closures page before you head out.