Watch Wildlife & Birds

This portion of the Springwater Corridor runs along the Willamette River and connects to the large segment of the Springwater Corridor heading east to Gresham. The trail passes through Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge, affording many opportunities to bird watch.

At nearly 2,000 acres, Metro’s Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area is the largest protected wetlands within an American city. This beautiful natural area is one of the region’s best-kept secrets, hiding in a part of Portland surrounded by port terminals, warehouses and other commercial developments.

Most visitors to the natural area are surprised to find beaver, river otter, black-tailed deer, osprey, bald eagles and Western painted turtles living only minutes from downtown Portland.

This 10-foot wide hard-surfaced, shared-use trail is great for hiking, biking and jogging. It winds around wildlife interpretive areas, wetlands and ponds, duck nesting boxes and restored habitat - providing a great outdoor experience.

The trail comprises 1.5 miles of paved nature trail connecting residential, commercial and industrial neighborhoods. The trail follows Rock Creek, which flows into the Tualatin River at Rood Bridge Park in south Hillsboro and eventually into the Willamette River.