Rock Creek Trail is a flat, paved, multi-use path in the Beaverton-Hillsboro area west of Portland that roughly follows the course of Springville and Rock creeks, tributaries of the Tualatin River.
The trail officially runs for 2 miles in the city of Hillsboro and another approximately 3.5 miles in Bethany, from the Rock Creek Powerline & Soccer Fields to the Kaiser Woods Natural Area.
The two segments of the Rock Creek Trail can be connected via about ¾ mile on neighborhood streets. The trail passes through a variety of parks, forests, wetlands, and meadows, making it a great destination for walking and running, biking, and wildlife viewing.
All parts of the path are well-maintained and easy to follow: marked crossings at big streets, trash cans and doggy bags always available, and non-skid strips on all the bridges. It’s all ADA accessible and stroller-friendly.
Restroom facilities are available at the Cherry Lane Trailhead and Orchard Park.
There are several places to park along the trail. On the far south end, there’s a parking lot at Orenco Woods Nature Park; at the far northwest terminus, you can park at the Kaiser Woods Natural Area. The most common place to park seems to be Rock Creek Powerlines & Soccer Fields.
Enjoy the trail for its cleanliness, ease of street crossings, park options, and as an alternative to Fanno Creek Trail.
Directions
To get there from Portland, take 26 West and exit on Cornelius Pass Road. Follow the road north and turn right on NW Rock Creek Blvd. The road will intersect with the park. Run along Rock Creek Blvd (south/east) until you hit the trail (for going south) or Malheur Blvd (to connect to the north part of the trail). To connect to that part, turn left on Malheur, then turn right on NW Neakahnie. Turn right off NW Neakahnie into the park and the trail.
Julie Baker is a former collegiate swimmer who runs for the Portland Running Company Race Team. She lives in Portland with her husband and two small children. Email baker.juliew@gmail.com.
