Lower Macleay to Stone House
Lower Macleay is the short Forest Park classic: a creekside walk from NW Upshur Street to the Stone House and Wildwood junction. It is the easiest pilot page to make useful for visitors, families, and anyone deciding whether to continue deeper into the park.
- Distance1.6 round trip to Stone House; 0.8 one-way from Lower Mac...
- ElevationLow to moderate; exact gain needs owned-map/guide QA befo...
- DifficultyEasy
- Time45-75 minutes
- Routeout-and-back
At a glance
- Distance
- 1.6 round trip to Stone House; 0.8 one-way from Lower Macleay trailhead to Wildwood junction
- Elevation gain
- Low to moderate; exact gain needs owned-map/guide QA before indexing
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Est. time
- 45-75 minutes
- Route type
- out-and-back
- Allowed uses
- Pedestrians and dogs on leash. Do not assume bikes or horses on Lower Macleay; verify posted PP&R symbols before publish.
Trailhead, access, and parking
Begin at Lower Macleay Park, 2960 NW Upshur Street, Portland, OR 97210. The trail starts near Balch Creek and follows the canyon into Forest Park.
Neighborhood and trailhead parking can fill quickly. PP&R trail profile should be checked again before publish for current trailhead/access notes.
Route overview
From Lower Macleay Park, follow the trail upstream along Balch Creek into the forest. The grade stays approachable, the sound of the creek keeps the route easy to follow, and the destination is the Stone House at the Wildwood Trail junction. Turn around here for a short out-and-back, or use the junction as the decision point for a longer Forest Park hike. Wildwood south climbs toward Pittock Mansion; Wildwood north opens loop choices toward Holman, Aspen, Wild Cherry, Dogwood, Alder, and Firelane 1.