Trail Profiles: Oaks Bottom

Information

This page contains information about Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge trails, including the North Woodland Trail and the Oaks Bluff Trail.

Trail Facts at a Glance

Name: North Woodland Trail and Oaks Bluff Trail
Location: Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge - North Parking and Trailhead
Hours: 5am to 10pm
Length: proposed hike is 1-mile round trip
Permitted activities include pedestrian use on all trails; motorized mobility devices allowed for people with disabilities. Dogs on-leash only. Cycling use is permitted on the paved North Woodland Trail .
Prohibited activities include off-leash dogs, fires, drones, motorized vehicles, camping, hunting and fishing, and possession of firearms. Cycling and equestrian use are prohibited on the Oaks Bluff Trail.
Date of most recent trail assessment: December 27, 2023
Public Transit: TriMet 19 and 70 buses.
- To access the trailhead from the 19 bus, exit the bus at the stop at SE Milwaukie and SE Mitchell (northbound stop ID: 3933; southbound stop ID: 3935). To access the trailhead from the 70 bus, exit the bus at the stop at SE Milwaukie and SE Mitchell (northbound stop ID: 3933; southbound stop ID: 3935).

Summary

The North Oaks Bottom parking lot is the starting point for a variety of activities including reaching the Oaks Bluff Trail to experience birding and wildlife viewing and connecting to the Springwater Corridor. Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge is a 163-acre floodplain to the Willamette River and consists of meadows, woodlands, and wetlands. This out and back proposed hike will allow visitors to experience a little bit of everything Oaks Bottom has to offer.

At the parking lot of Oaks Bottom North trailhead, there is bicycle parking. The paved North Woodland Trail begins from the parking lot with a general downhill incline of 5%. This trail is frequented by bicyclists and pedestrians.

As the paved trail continues to the right, the Oaks Bluff Trail, a gravel path, starts to the left of the paved trail. At the entrance of this trail is bicycle parking. This gravel trail continues towards a wildlife viewing point. The trail features one wooden foot bridge, a short downhill with a maximum 12% grade, and views of wetland and meadow. Many deer, birds, and other wildlife frequent this trailside. Birders and dog walkers frequent the Oaks Bluff Trail.

Location and Arrival

The Oaks Bottom North parking lot is located at the intersection of SE Mitchell Street and SE Milwaukie Avenue. If you're using google maps, type in “Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge – North Parking and Trailhead” to search for the trailhead parking lot.

The parking lot has a one-way entrance and exit. There is one dedicated ADA parking space with space to the right to unload.

The trailhead is 190 feet from the bus stop.

The entrance to the Oaks Bottom North Trailhead parking lot.

Bus stop for the 19 and 70 TriMet buses at the entrance to the parking lot and trailhead.

Trailhead Amenities

The Oaks Bottom North parking lot area includes an accessible drinking water fountain. A trash can is located on the sidewalk in front of the parking lot. There are bollards at the entrance of the trail from the parking lot with a minimum width of 49 inches.

Description of Trail

The paved North Woodland Trail begins just behind the bollards at the south end of the parking lot behind the bollards and restroom. Traversing this trail from the beginning, park visitors will experience forested areas with shaded canopy cover and a general downhill grade of 5%. Rustic cedar fencing lines some sides of the trail in protected habitat areas. Visitors can expect to hear road noise, frogs, and birds. This trail is frequented by runners and bicyclists and is wide enough for multiple people to pass.

There are two sets of seven-foot long rumble strips roughly 500 and 650 feet down the trail.

Example of grooved pavement or rumble strips.

Yellow spray paint denotes cracks and bulges in the pavement. There are at least 36in of the paved trail to get around the largest sections of cracks.

While the paved trail continues turning right, this proposed hike will take the left intersection meeting with the Oaks Bluff Trail. This trail junction goes from pavement to gravel. From the parking lot trailhead to the Oaks Bluff trailhead, the paved portion of this hike is 1,560 feet. Amenities at the Oaks Bluff trailhead junction include bicycle parking. The minimum width between bollards at this trailhead is 41 inches.

Entrance to the Oaks Bluff Trail goes from pavement to gravel and includes bicycle parking.

The beginning of this trail includes sections of compact soil and gravel as well as sections of looser gravel. This trail has had many improvements made recently, therefore the gravel is not as compact in those new sections.

Example of a newly improved section of trail with looser gravel and a mix of rock and wood edging.

Coming up to the next trail junction, visitors may continue to the right, or for the proposed hike, visitors may continue down to the left on a newly built gravel ramp or use the adjacent set of stone steps. There is no railing accompanying this ramp and has a grade of 10-12% over 22 linear feet. There are three steps leading down made from stone and gravel.

Gravel ramp next to set of stone and gravel stairs leading down to a bridge crossing.

Once down the ramp, visitors will cross a 25-foot-long wooden bridge with a width of 57 inches, railing, and mesh wire covering most of the base of the bridge. This wire may be loose in places and gravel from the trail may be built up on the lips of each end of the bridge.

Bridge crossing features wire mesh on wooden planks for traction in wet conditions.

This section of trail is by no means “smooth.” There are some small sections of loose gravel, some protruding roots in the center of the trail, protruding rock edging on the downhill side, and ponding during wet seasons.

The first true rest spot is 646 feet into the gravel portion of trail. This pullout is semicircular with a max width and depth of nine feet and four feet, respectively. After this pullout is an uphill grade of 5.5-6% over 15 linear feet.

Gravel pullout to the right of the trail overlooking a meadow of tall grass and trees.

Nearing the main viewpoint, there is another major downhill grade of 7% for 25 feet. Beyond this, visitors will arrive to the viewpoint just over 1,000 feet from the start of the Oaks Bluff Trail, or 2,600 feet from the trailhead. The viewpoint is a semicircular gravel pad on the uphill side of the trail with a maximum width and depth of 16 feet and five feet, respectively. Visitors can expect to see deer, birds, and activity from beavers.

View from the turnaround location featuring trees and tall grasses.

From here, visitors may choose to turn around and head back the way they came or continue further down the gravel trail. If visitors wish to continue, the trail quality itself is similar to what they have already traversed and does not include decent turnaround locations and starts to get rockier after a few hundred feet.

Photos of Signage and Wayfinding

Oaks Bottom Bluff Trail sign at trailhead from N Woodland Trail denoting access to pedestrians only, no bicycles. — Oaks Bottom Bluff Trail sign at trailhead from North Woodland Trail denoting access to pedestrians only, no bicycles.

Operations and Maintenance

We strive to maintain the trailhead, trailhead amenities, trails, and surrounding natural area to provide a safe experience for all users.

Be aware that wind, rain, and high water can leave trails and roads a bit of a mess with hazards like downed trees, landslides, and flooding. We address weather-related impacts as soon as resources allow. Visit our Trail Closures and Delays page for current information.