Saturday was sunny and warm and I was already in the area, so I decided to check out Gabbert Butte, part of the East Buttes area of old volcanic centers near Gresham. There's a nice little Metro Nature Park on the upper slopes above the subdivisions, with a short loop trail of roughly a mile or so to explore. It connects to other trails in the region, as one can see from the loop described in the Field Guide, but I didn't have enough time to do anything too long.
- trail signage
The Gabbert Loop Trail is in good shape -- it's been mowed/trimmmed, there's almost no blowdown to contend with even after the January storms, and it's only a bit muddy in spots. (I suspect it is a lot muddier during wet weather.) The trail undulates up and down on a dirt path that seems to follow old logging roads through an attractive second-growth forest, no long-ranging views but the forest is nice. There are a few large trees and a lot of medium-sized trees, mostly (as far as I can tell) the usual mix of Douglas fir, bigleaf maple, and western red cedar. Ivy, blackberries, holly, and other invasives were minimal. Traffic noise was usually audible, so don't expect anything too wild-feeling.
- cedars along the loop trail
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- typical trail view
Near the top of the loop is the Gabbert Water Reservoir, at the junction with the connector trail that goes towards Gresham Butte. I went along the connector trail as far as the abandoned vehicle, then looped back to the water tower and then back to the car.
- deep thoughts in the deep woods
Although the signs say that dogs aren't allowed, people don't seem to pay much attention. The dogs I met on the trail were all leashed, at least. There weren't a lot of people on the trail, all considered (i.e., midday on a sunny winter weekend) so on the whole this was a pleasant short neighborhood-ish walk that is worth doing if you're in the area. The Master Plan for the area says that more trails are being planned including more connectors to other trails in the East Buttes and beyond. I look forward to that.
- backlit trees with moss and ferns and contrail
The nearby Hogan Butte has a little nature park, too, this one managed by the City of Gresham, I believe. This small park is not a wilderness experience at all.
- the sign at the parking lot
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There's a century-old historic house (the Brite House) at the parking lot, not yet open to the public.
- Brite House, at the parking lot
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Then one walks up a short but steep paved road (or drives it, though the only parking at the top is ADA parking). At the top is a well-kept lawn and a short paved/accessible loop that includes a very nice view to the north and east, complete with little signs (in English/Spanish/Russian) that tell you what you're looking at.
Hogan Butte also features a water reservoir at the top of the park, thus thematically linking it with Gabbert Butte.
- water reservoir on the butte
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Mt. Hood was out and looking lovely, but the other big peaks (from Rainier to Jefferson, according to the sign) were hidden in clouds. There's a bathroom here (closed for the season), picnic tables, and benches. Dogs on leashes are probably allowed, given the number of people walking their dogs here. The whole thing isn't more than a half mile round trip, but since I'm checking off metro-area open spaces and Boring volcanic field open spaces and trails, I'm glad I stopped by. It's a nice place to have lunch or a snack and admire the view.
- the afternoon view to the east
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