Mount Talbert from Sunnyside Road Hike
From Portland Hikers Field Guide
- Start point: Sunnyside Road Trailhead
- End point: Mount Talbert Summit
- Trail Log: Trail Log
- Hike Type: Out and back
- Distance: 2.6 miles
- Elevation gain: 450 feet
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Seasons: Year round
- Family Friendly: Yes
- Backpackable: No
- Crowded: Yes
Contents |
Hike Description
This is hike on the backside on Mt Talbert. The well-built trail starts rather steeply down from the tiny parking area. There's a bridge over tiny Mount Scott Creek and then the trail works its way up through a single switchback to a junction with the Cedar Park Trail. You'll see the first of the handy trail maps that have placed at all the trail junctions. Turn right here to stay on the Sunnyside Road Trail. Soon the trail changes from the graveled surface to a muddy tread as it enters the forest.
This area was logged in the early years of the 20th century, but has been relatively unspoiled since then. The forest has matured into an open stand of Douglas-firs. The understory is dominated by sword ferns and trilliums are common in the spring. The trail climbs to a junction with the Park Loop Trail. The Park Loop Trail once circled the mountain, but somehow part of it was built on private land and it's been closed. Head southward on the Park Loop Trail.
This part of the trail is an old road and the walking is a bit easier. After a quarter mile or so of the firs, you'll enter an area of oak forest. Crews have recently logged the fir trees in this area to create a oak forest ecosystem. Things are still pretty chaotic looking, but hopefully nature will soon heal the landscape. Look for Oaks Toothwort and Stream Violets here. In the evening a small herd of tiny blacktail deer can often be found grazing here.
The next trail junction is with the Summit Trail. Turn right here and continue climbing toward the summit. The trail slabs across the hill toward the east, then loops back toward the west. The summit has a single view looking southward, but the other directions are obscured by trees. To complete the hike detailed here, return the way you came. Alternatively, you can continue west on the Summit Trail and return via the West Ridge Trail.
Maps
- Maps: Hike Finder
Regulations or restrictions, etc
- None
Trip Reports
- Search Trip Reports for Mount Talbert
Related Discussions / Q&A
- Search Trail Q&A for Mount Talbert
Guidebooks that cover this hike
More Links
- See more information at Describe the link here
Contributors
- Stevefromdodge (creator)