Trail Profile: Firelane 1

Information

This page contains trail facts and information for the Firelane 1 trail in Forest Park.

On this page

A mowed trail with flowers on either side and powerlines overhead — Firelane 1

Trail Facts at a Glance

Name: Firelane 1

Parks agency: Portland Parks & Recreation

Location: 4332 NW St. Helens Road, Portland OR 97210 (approximate address)

Hours: 6:00 am—6:00pm

Public transit: TriMet’s 15 bus and 16 bus stop close to this trailhead. Visit TriMet's Trip Planner to plan your trip, or research arrival and departure times from TriMet bus stop 13637.

Length: The proposed hike is ~3 miles.

Permitted activities include pedestrian, cycling, and equestrian use on Firelane 1 and Leif Erikson Drive. Motorized mobility devices allowed for people with disabilities. Dogs on-leash only.

Prohibited activities include off-leash dogs, fires, drones, motorized vehicles, camping, hunting and fishing, and possession of firearms.

Date of assessment: July 2, 2024

Summary

Firelane 1 is an emergency access route that extends from the north of Forest Park along Highway 30 up to the south side of the park at NW 53^rd Drive. The proposed hike begins from a newly redeveloped trailhead along Highway 30. The closest address is 4332 NW St. Helens Road, Portland, OR 97210. The described hike begins at this trailhead and follows Firelane 1 uphill until its intersection with Leif Erikson Drive after approximately one and a half miles. From this point, hikers can turn around and hike back down Firelane 1, continue along Leif Erikson Drive in either direction for an out-and-back or longer loop hike, or continue up Firelane 1 to intersect with the Nature Trail or Wildwood Trail and create a loop back down to Firelane 1. These hike options are in a more remote area of Forest Park and feature a diversity of native plants along the route.

The trailhead begins from a parking area off of NW St. Helens Road. The parking area has space for approximately 20-25 vehicles. There is a trash can and port-a-potty at the trailhead. There are bollards blocking vehicular access to Firelane 1 at this location; the pedestrian openings accommodate bicycles, strollers, and adaptive mobility devices. Several loop hikes are possible from this trailhead. See more information about the rest of Forest Park on the Forest Park webpage.

Location and Arrival

The approximate location of the Firelane 1 Trailhead is 4332 NW St. Helens Road, Portland, OR 97210. It can be found on Google Maps.

To access the parking area, turn off of NW St. Helens Road. The parking area is a one-way driving loop with space for 20-25 vehicles with marked parking stalls, including two ADA stalls. The paved parking area is relatively flat.

A paved parking lot with sidewalk surrounding, with trees in the background and blue sky overhead — The parking area at Firelane 1

Two ADA parking stalls on a paved lot, parking signs, and other parking stalls and trees and other vegetation surrounding — ADA parking stalls at Firelane 1

A large sidewalk and paved parking area, with a garbage can, portable restroom, bike parking, and a warehouse with the word "Lovett" on it — Sidewalk and parking area at Firelane 1

Trailhead Amenities

The Firelane 1 Trailhead features limited amenities. There are two garbage cans which are emptied daily by Portland Parks & Recreation staff and a portable toilet which is regularly serviced. Bollards block vehicular access to Firelane 1.

Sidewalk with two bollards, a garbage can, and a yellow sign, with a trail of pavers leading up a hill and steps beside it, with trees and other vegetation surrounding — Entrance to Firelane 1

Description of Trail

Overview

This hike begins at the parking area and travels up Firelane 1 until its intersection with Leif Erikson Drive. From that point, hikers may continue along Leif Erikson Drive in either direction for an out and back hike or connect with another trail intersecting Leif Erikson Drive for a longer hike. Alternatively, hikers may continue up Firelane 1 to connect with the Wildwood Trail or Nature Trail, which can then reconnect to Leif Erikson Drive.

Firelane 1 is an emergency access and electrical power transmission route that features steep grades of 10-28%. The first mile of this route is in exposed sun with some pockets of shade, with wooden transmission towers at intervals along the route and electrical wires overhead. Then, the trail turns away from the transmission corridor into the forest and becomes much shadier for the next half mile until the intersection with Leif Erikson Drive. The width of the trail varies from approximately 12 inches of singletrack with 2-3 feet of mowed vegetation border, to 3-4 feet of gravel, dirt, or grass. The surface of the trail varies from pavers and stairs at the beginning, to loose gravel, to dirt, to mowed grass and other vegetation. The surface of Leif Erikson Drive is hard-packed gravel.

For the first mile of Firelane 1, hikers can hear the sounds of vehicles on NW St. Helens Road and Highway 30, as well as sounds of the nearby railyard and neighboring industrial businesses. Hikers have views of Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, and Mt. St. Helens from Firelane 1, as well as businesses along Highway 30, several bridges across the Willamette River, and the buildings of downtown Portland.

Purple flowers are in the foreground of a view across a river with city landscape in the distance, and trees and blue sky surrounding — A view from Firelane 1

After Firelane 1 turns into the forest after the first mile, the sounds of the city fade significantly and hikers will primarily experience the sounds of the natural forest, including birds and other animals.

This section of road is used by runners and cyclists, so hikers may encounter individuals or groups along the route, sometimes traveling at fast speeds.

Detailed Description

Beginning at the parking area, hikers will pass bollards to approach the bottom of Firelane 1, which begins as a very wide road paved with paving stones. A set of 52 steps on the left side allows hikers to reach the top of this section of the trail. Alternately, hikers can ascend the pavers 115 feet to the top of this section of the trail. The slope ranges from 18-22%.

A concrete sidewalk adjacent to a set of wooden and gravel steps next to a trail lined with pavers, with a yellow sign next to the steps and vegetation surrounding — Beginning of the trail and stairs at Firelane 1

A wide gravel path leads up a hill with a low concrete wall on one side and grass and other vegetation surrounding — Gravel trail at Firelane 1

A dirt singletrack trail proceeds through a mowed pathway with vegetation surrounding, and powerlines and blue sky in the distance — The mowed trail at Firelane 1

For the next 290 feet, hikers will ascend a path of loose gravel, with slopes 10-28%. The sides of the trail feature varied vegetation, including native and non-native species. When the gravel ends, the trail becomes singletrack dirt with a wide area of mowed grass and other vegetation on either side. Note that this vegetation may include poison oak. The trail proceeds northwest along the edge of the forest, the tall trees of Forest Park uphill and the Highway 30 corridor and Willamette River downhill. The elevation is varied, at times featuring slopes of 14% or up to 23%, other times more level. The trail traverses some pockets of shade but is mostly in exposed sun.

A dirt trail descends a hill and winds around trees in the distance, with tress and vegetation surrounding — The Firelane 1 trail climbs, descends, and winds

At 5530 feet from the trailhead, the trail takes a sharp turn uphill away from the transmission corridor and into the forest. At this location, hikers will notice a sign marking a pollinator meadow and many intentionally-cultivated native plant species that are friendly to pollinators.

A wooden transmission tower on the right side of the frame, with a mowed pathway on the left of the frame, a small white sign in the distance, and vegetation surrounding — Sign marking the pollinator meadow

After the trail enters the forest, it starts to climb consistently, with slopes ranging from 10-30%. Some sections are quite steep. This section of the route is very shady.

A dirt singletrack trail proceeds through a wide corridor of forest, with grass on either side of the trail and trees and other vegetation surrounding — Firelane 1 travels through the shady forest

At 7167 feet from the trailhead, hikers will reach the intersection with Leif Erikson Drive. At this location, there is a gate blocking vehicles from passing between Leif Erikson Drive and Firelane 1. The pedestrian opening around this gate is less than 40 inches.

A green forest gate in the middle of the frame, with two white concrete posts to its right and a dirt trail leading up to and beyond the gate, with trees and other vegetation surrounding — The gate at Leif Erikson Drive

From this point, hikers may turn around and hike back down Firelane 1, or they may turn left or right onto Leif Erikson Drive. From Leif Erikson Drive, hikers can choose to take any number of other trails to make a longer out-and-back or loop hike.

Signage and Wayfinding

This trailhead features limited signage at the gate.

The intersection with Leif Erikson Drive is marked with a sign. In addition, other trail intersections with Leif Erikson Drive are marked with wayfinding signs. The pollinator meadow is marked by an interpretive sign which shares facts about pollinators.

Interpretive sign sharing information about pollinators in Forest Park

Operations and Maintenance

Portland Parks & Recreation strives 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. Portland Parks & Recreation addresses weather-related impacts as soon as resources allow. Visit Trail Closures and Delays for current information.

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For information about PP&R's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act Title II, visit the Portland Parks & Recreation Civil Rights protections webpage.