If there is a place to run in Beaverton that feels like a piece of Portland’s Forest Park, this might be it.
Hyland Woods, formerly Hyland Forest Park, is a 30-acre natural area dominated by towering fir trees. There are at least eight access points to the many dirt trails crisscrossing the undergrowth of this tract in quiet south Beaverton.
Those trails are mostly soft and wide enough to pass. The largest loop you can make within the park seems to be about 1400 m., plenty long to pile up the miles without getting bored.
Getting bored? Just hop on a different trail and make a new loop.
There are hills in the park. In fact, it seems to occupy one face of a hill, but the inclines aren’t steep enough or long enough to disrupt a run or even a hard workout. Keep your eyes peeled for roots, and you’ll finish unscathed.
On a recent evening, our runners encountered only a handful of other users on the trails, and just a couple of (leashed) dogs. While you can hear the neighborhood around you while running or walking in Hyland Woods, it’s refreshingly invisible for long stretches.
-Ryan Heal
