Ascension Trail to Bull Mountain Hike
From Oregon Hikers Field Guide
- Start point: Fern Street Trailhead
- End Point: Sunrise Park
- Hike Type: Lollipop loop
- Distance: 2.5 miles
- Elevation gain: 460 feet
- High Point: 635 feet
- Difficulty: Easy
- Seasons: All year
- Family Friendly: Yes
- Backpackable: No
- Crowded: No
Contents |
Description
There is continuing residential expansion on Bull Mountain with local and regional agencies scrambling to reserve parks and green spaces among the new developments. The Ascension Trail ascends a deep and ferny canyon for 0.6 miles. From its high end, you can make your way to Sunrise Park, a former pasture acquired in 2013 that offers views to the Tualatin Hills. There are a couple of extra excursions described below which can add to your day: (1) a descent into the wooded wonderland of the former Cach property, now known as the Cach Natural Area; (2) a walk on suburban streets to the reservoirs at the summit of 715-foot Bull Mountain.
Walk up past the chain gate, and find yourself on the edge of a small reservoir that is rapidly silting up. Alders shade this boggy area, and Ascension Creek runs to the right. You’ll find yourself in deep ravine forested by Douglas-firs and maples with a sword fern/Oregon grape/salal understory. Soon, you’ll pass a signed junction, from which a trail switchbacks up to Lauren Lane.
Hike over a small footbridge and drop to the creek, which you’ll cross on another footbridge. The trail traverses up the north slope of the ravine. Through the trees, you can see the three-story homes on either side. Private connector trails lead to some of these properties. The upper part of the valley is wooded mostly with deciduous alders and maples. Reach an artificial sink and lawn area on Ascension Street, and go left to Mistletoe Drive.
Turn right on Mistletoe, and descend to a powerline corridor. On the far side of the corridor, past a line of bollards, pick up the paved Sunrise Trail leading off to the left into a stand of Douglas-firs. The trail makes a 90-degree turn and arrives at Sunrise Lane where it meets blocked-off 147th Terrace. Turn right on this narrow street, and keep walking along a fence until you find the entrance to Sunrise Park.
From the high vantage point of this former pasture, you can see north to Sexton Mountain, the Tualatin Hills, and Forest Park as well as west to the Coast Range. Follow a path in the grass to the left as it passes over the crest of the hill. Then turn downhill on another path which descends past building foundations and passes along two parallel lines of Douglas-firs. When you come to an old road bed, turn left and follow this track under hemlocks and maples above a deep gully. Reach a pullout on Sunrise Lane, and go left to follow the lane up the hill past rural properties. (You’ll pass the unsigned access to the Cach Natural Area here – see below.) Sunrise Lane curves around past its intersection with 150th Avenue to reach Sunrise Park. Follow Sunrise Lane back to 147th Terrace, and go left to return to your car – unless you’re heading to the top of Bull Mountain (see below).
Diversion #1: Cach Natural Area
Where you emerge on the old road track to reach Sunrise Lane, you’ll pass a house on the right as you ascend the lane. Look to your right to find a gap in the fence. A path leads in along a fence and then crosses an open field diagonally. Reach a former gate, where you’ll see a ‘No Motor Vehicles’ sign. At a junction, turn right to begin a loop around this natural area. Madrones verge a Douglas-fir forest. Keep right, and then go left to descend the slope to a cistern grate. Head down to the right on a trail banked for mountain bikes. Reach the fenced corner of a development, getting a view to the south slopes of Cooper Mountain. At the next junction, go left (a right leads you out to Bristlecone Way). Keep bearing right, and drop into a gully near an old fence line. Cross a boggy patch, and circle up to the Cach Pond.
Rhododendrons droop over this quiet pool, and yellow irises bloom here in spring. You can circle around the pond, passing an old raft, the ruins of a pier, and old lighting fixtures. Cross over the reservoir dam, and keep straight before bearing left to dip down and cross over Cache Creek on a plank. Traverse up to the right, and then loop left to reach the ‘No Motor Vehicles’ sign and hike back out across the meadow.
Diversion #2: Bull Mountain Summit
At the end of Sunrise Lane, go right on 147th Terrace. You'll need to follow this road out past Peak Court, and then turn left on Grandview Lane. A stepped trail leads out from the cul-de-sac to the powerline corridor. Views look north past the pylons to the Tualatin Hills. Turn right, however, and head south to Bull Mountain Road. Walk left for one block, and head up 144th Avenue, which makes a right angle turn at High Tor Drive. At the high point of High Tor Drive, you’re near the summit of Bull Mountain, a fenced area on your right surrounding two buried reservoirs. On a clear day, you should be able to see Mount Hood from this road.
To head back to the Ascension Trail, continue on High Tor Drive to Benchview Terrace, where you’ll make a left. Then turn left again on Mistletoe Drive, and follow this street around to Ascension Drive. Walk a short way down Ascension to pick up the upper end of the trail.
Fees, Regulations, etc.
- Dogs on leash
- Open sunrise to sunset
- Respect private property
Maps
- Maps: Hike Finder
- Walk Tigard (City of Tigard)
- Sunrise Park (City of Tigard)
- Cach Nature Park (City of Tigard)
Trip Reports
- Search Trip Reports for Ascension Trail to Bull Mountain Hike
Related Discussions / Q&A
- Search Trail Q&A for Ascension Trail to Bull Mountain Hike
Guidebooks that cover this hike
- none
More Links
- Ascension Trail (All Trails)
- Sunrise Park (City of Tigard)
- “City of Tigard celebrates Sunrise Property purchase” (KATU)
- Trails in Tigard (City of Tigard)
Page Contributors
- bobcat (creator)