It’s Wednesday AND spring break, which means it is prime time for ADVENTURE! Hopefully you are already mid-adventure, but if you’re hanging around the house, get out and go enjoy a trail! This week I’m sharing Magness Tree Farm, just outside of Sherwood. I love this trail because it’s easy to get to from Portland and a great central meeting spot when I want to hike with friends who live a little closer to town. It’s forested, so it keeps cool in the summer and it’s well covered from rain or wind on winter days. That’s right friends–this is a great one to enjoy year round!
Just off the huge gravel lot, the trail starts next to the picnic shelter. If you’re with kiddos or looking for a more low impact stroll, go with the Nagle Trail. It’s a loop, relatively flat, and paved. It crosses over the Corral Creek twice on bridges that are just PERFECT for checking out the creek!
If you veer right at the first fork on the Nagle Trail, you’ll pass the campfire area and cross the creek pretty quickly. Keep an eye to the left of the trail after crossing the creek. There are a few little spots to sit and enjoy nature: a big tree perfect for climbing, and creek access if you’re hoping for a closer look.
The trail has plenty of little benches along the way too.
Nagle Trail will loop back to the parking lot after a half mile. If you’re looking for a longer, more challenging hike, take the Forester Loop! We’ve done it with our 4 year old on foot and the baby in the carrier and it’s completely doable if your kids are used to trails. It’s a 1 mile loop, and a narrower dirt trail with some incline. It also crosses the road at three different points, so keep a tight hold on the kiddos and don’t let them run ahead too much. In exchange, you’ll get to wander through Magness Tree Farm’s thick demonstration forest. This trail drops you off about halfway through the Nagle Loop.
There are a few longer trails at Magness Tree Farm too, but these are the two that we’ve hiked and loved. I totally encourage you to stop there the next time you’re near Sherwood! The trailhead’s parking lot is at 31195 SW Ladd Hill Rd, Sherwood, Oregon 97140.
Still have questions? Get all the trail specifics here.
