Trail Facts at a Glance
Name: Lower Saltzman Road
Location: The Lower Saltzman Trailhead is located at approximately 6064-6086 NW Saltzman Rd, Portland, OR 97210.
Hours: 5:00 am—10:00pm
Public transit: TriMet 16 bus. To access the trailhead via the 16 bus, exit the bus at NW St. Helens and NW Saltzman Road Avenue (stop IDs: 13293 (westbound) or 13294 (eastbound). Note that the trailhead is approximately 0.75 mi from the bus stops on Saltzman Road, which is a steep and curvy road with no shoulder or sidewalk. Visitors are encouraged to use caution if walking along this road.
Length: proposed hike is approximately 1.2 miles one way (from Lower Saltzman Trailhead to intersection with Leif Erikson Drive) or 2.4 miles round trip.
Permitted activities include pedestrian, bicycle, and equestrian uses. Motorized mobility devices allowed for people with disabilities. Dogs on-leash only.
Prohibited activities include off-leash dogs, fires, drones, motorized vehicles, camping, fireworks, hunting and fishing, and possession of firearms.
Date of trail assessment: February 20, 2025
Summary
Saltzman Road is an approximately 2.7 mile road that traverses Forest Park from the bottom of the park, near NW St. Helens Road, to the top, near NW Skyline Boulevard. This profile includes information about a portion of the trail as well as the entire length of the trail. The suggested hike is approximately 1.2 miles one-way between the Lower Saltzman Road Trailhead to the intersection with Leif Erikson Drive, or 2.4 miles round trip.
The 1.2 mile one-way hike is characterized by a generally steady uphill climb, gaining 466 feet in elevation with an average 6.2% grade. Sections of this portion of the trail contain steeper grades, including short sections (150-300 feet) between 15-20%.
The entire length of Saltzman Road is 2.7 miles one-way. It gains approximately 930 feet in elevation and averages 5.5% grade, with sections that contain steeper grades, including short sections (150-300 feet) between 15-20%.
The surface of Saltzman Road is hard-packed gravel. It is often covered with a fine layer of duff that may include fir needles, leaf rot, or other organic material. Obstacles along the trail include rocks, exposed sections of asphalt, or low depressions in which mud can form during rainy periods. Obstacles range in height from 1-6 or more inches and are irregularly located along the trail, but can generally be avoided because the trail is so wide. Sections of the trail feature noticeable camber or cross-slope, particularly on curves. Significant camber can generally be avoided by staying to the outside of curves.
The trail width varies from between 10-20 feet wide.
This is a popular route for hiking, biking, and running between NW Saltzman Road and Leif Erikson Drive, and is used to connect with other trails in Forest Park. See more information about the rest of Forest Park on the Forest Park webpage. Many visitors bring their dogs to this trailhead. Use is highest on the weekends and during the warmer, drier months.
Some city noise is audible from the trail, including faint industrial noise in the background from a distant railyard and manufacturing area in another part of NW Portland.
The trail is in moderate to complete shade at all times of year.
Plant species are typical of Northwest forests including trees such as Douglas fir and Western red cedar, shrubs and forbs such as ferns and osoberry, and other native and non-native plant species.
There is no designated ADA parking. Limited parking is available along the shoulder of NW Saltzman Road.
The closest public transit is TriMet bus line 16.
Location and Arrival
The location of the Lower Saltzman trailhead is 6064-6086 NW Saltzman Rd, Portland, OR 97210 (Lat / Lon 45.56635°N, 122.75342°W). It can be found on Google Maps.
The trailhead is accessed via NW Saltzman Road from NW St. Helens Road (Highway 30). After turning onto NW Saltzman Road, travel approximately 0.75 miles until reaching a locked park gate marking the Lower Saltzman Trailhead. Visitors should use caution if walking along NW Saltzman Road between Highway 30 and the Trailhead; this section of road is steep and curvy, and has no sidewalk and limited shoulder.
There is no designated ADA parking. Limited street parking is available along the shoulder of NW Saltzman Road (approximately 20-25 spaces). All parking is parallel parking on a gravel shoulder, with a steep drop-off on the northeast side of the road. During the rainy season, the shoulder area can become muddy and difficult to access. Visitors should use caution when parking at this location.
TriMet bus line 16 provides access to the Lower Saltzman Trailhead. You can plan your trip with TriMet, or use TriMet Lift Paratransit services. You can also access an accessible taxi service via Portland WAV by visiting their website or by calling 503-865-4928.
Trailhead Amenities
This trailhead has limited amenities, featuring only a garbage can, a dog bag dispenser, and an interpretive sign. There is no restroom at this trailhead; the closest restroom within Forest Park is a portable restroom located 1.8 miles away at the Firelane 1 Trailhead.
Description of Trail
The Lower Saltzman Trailhead features two options to enter the park: NW Saltzman Road and Firelane 4. Firelane 4 is an unimproved emergency access route through the park which is maintained for first responders, the fire department, and PP&R Rangers. It is also available for hiking, but it is closed to bicycling and equestrian use.
This profile provides details about the lower half of NW Saltzman Road. At the trailhead, NW Saltzman Road is marked by a large white gate that blocks public vehicular traffic from entering the park. Visitors may travel around the gate while it is locked. Approaching the gate from the parking area, the largest opening is to the left of the gate, where the clearance between the gate post and the vegetation on the side of the trail is approximately 40 inches.
The first 300 feet of the trail feature uphill grades of approximately 18-20% between the gate and the amenities area, which has a garbage can, dog bag dispenser, and interpretive sign.
The trail width at this point is approximately 20 feet. The trail surface is hard-packed gravel covered with a fine layer of organic material.
Beyond the amenities area to the intersection with the Maple Trail approximately 2,000 feet later, the trail narrows slightly to 10-12 feet wide. Average trail grades are 8-10%, with three stretches of 300 feet or less with 11-15% grade, and a maximum grade of approximately 17-19% for about 100 feet. The elevation gain over this 2,000-foot stretch is 181 feet, with a loss of 24 feet.
The intersection between NW Saltzman Road and Maple Trail features a large, wide, gravel area where NW Saltzman Road is bifurcated by the Maple Trail. At this location, Maple Trail goes up and to the left, and down and to the right. Small green signs mark the pathways for Maple Trail, while a white sign indicates NW Saltzman Road. This wide gravel area features some cross-slope but is more flat than other areas of the trail and could provide a rest location.
After the intersection with Maple Trail, NW Saltzman Road proceeds another approximately 2,000 feet until it intersects with Leif Erikson Drive. This stretch is characterized by an average of 6% uphill grade, with short periods of higher grades. For example, the grade reaches 16-22% for about 50 feet at one location, while it reaches 11-15% for about 150 feet at another location. The maximum grade is 14-24% for a different approximately 150-foot stretch along this trail. The total elevation gain for this 2,000-foot stretch is 290 feet, with a loss of 55 feet.
The intersection of NW Saltzman Road with Leif Erikson Drive, like the previous intersection, is a large, wide, gravel area where visitors may choose one of several paths to take, including Quarry Trail, Leif Erikson Drive east, or Leif Erikson Drive west. Visitors may also continue on NW Saltzman Road to the west/south, or turn around and proceed back east to the Lower Saltzman Trailhead, approximately 1.2 miles. Note that bicycles and equestrian use is permitted on both NW Saltzman Road and Leif Erikson Drive, and visitors may encounter bicycles moving at fast speeds and/or in groups along these two trails. Bicycling and equestrian use is not permitted on Quarry Trail. This intersection features a picnic table and wayfinding signage, and due to its size, width, and low slope, could be an appealing location for a rest break.
Between the Lower Saltzman Trailhead and the intersection with Leif Erikson Drive, the trail generally winds along a hillside featuring many small creek drainages, so visitors may encounter some areas where visibility is limited around curves. The trail width and high tree canopy contributes to a sense of openness along the trail which is uncharacteristic of many other trails in Forest Park besides Leif Erikson Drive.
If visitors choose to continue along NW Saltzman Road, the next trailhead at the top of the park is approximately 1.5 miles away, at NW Skyline Boulevard. This 1.5-mile stretch to Upper Saltzman Trailhead is characterized by similar conditions as the lower stretch; the trail width varies between 10-20 feet with a surface of hard-packed gravel covered by a fine layer of organic matter, and obstacles such as rocks, asphalt patches, and roots of 1-6 inches scattered across the trail. It averages 5% uphill grade, gaining a total of 463 feet and losing 69 feet over the 1.5 miles. Several short stretches have maximum grades 15-20% grade for 100 feet or less. The Upper Saltzman Trailhead is located on a spur road off NW Skyline Boulevard at approximately 10198-10298 NW Skyline Boulevard. It features limited parking (11-20 spaces) of parallel parking along this road. Visitors are encouraged to be mindful of parking restrictions, pedestrian safety, and private property in this area.
Photos of Signage and Wayfinding
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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