Cedar Mill-Johnson Creek Loop Hike

Cedar Mill Falls, on Cedar Mill Creek (bobcat)

Pedestrian overpass on Cedar Hills Boulevard, Foege Park (bobcat)

Japanese maple, Foege Park (bobcat)

On the Deveraux Glen Trail, Cedar Mill (bobcat)

Old beaver dam, North Johnson Creek (bobcat)

Cedar Mill Creek and North Johnson Creek loops in Cedar Mill (trails in yellow; sidewalks in orange) (bobcat) Courtesy: Google Maps

Start point: Cedar Mill Bible Church Trailhead
End point: Cedar Mill Wetlands
Hike type: Two loops with connectors
Distance: 5.4 miles
Elevation gain: 350 feet
High point: 395 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Seasons: All year
Family Friendly: Yes
Backpackable: No
Crowded: No

Cedar Mill is a rapidly developing suburb north of Beaverton. However, the area was settled early, and this hike takes you past a historic home associated with the 19th century mill and the small waterfall on Cedar Creek. Loops are possible on urban trails leading up North Johnson Creek and Cedar Mill Creek and, while there are some busy streets to walk along (Cornell Road, Cedar Mill Boulevard, Barnes Road), there are several quiet wooded refuges, wetlands, and parks to enjoy.

Walk out of the church parking lot, and bear right along Cornell Road to pass the 1863 John Quincy Adams Young House, which is boarded up and not open to visitors. Past the house, a gravel trail leads in to the Sue Conger Boardwalk, a sturdy new structure that drops to a shaded viewing platform at Cedar Mill Falls. The Jones Cedar Mill operated here from 1855 - 1891 and was begun by John Halsey Jones and his father, Justus. In 1869, it was sold to John Quincy Adams Young and William Everson. The Young House served as a post office and grocery store as well as a residence. The falls make for a picturesque tumble over a rock ledge and are especially attractive with fall color. Cedars, maples and hazel shade the area as traffic rushes by.

Steps lead up from the platform to the sidewalk on Cornell, and you'll walk a short distance over the Larry Vincent Memorial Bridge to 118th Avenue. Turn right here to pass under the big pedestrian/bike bridge, and then take a flight of stairs on your right to reach the bridge. Cross the bridge, and then bear left to take the wide paved walk heading east above Cornell. This walk offers views across Cornell to the Cedar Mill Creek bottomlands. You'll reach a cul-de-sac, where you keep straight up into Foege Park, which memorializes George Foege, Cedar Mill's first fire chief.

The paved trail leads across a lawn to another large pedestrian bridge over Cedar Hills Boulevard. After crossing, turn right in another section of Foege Park, and descend the hill with Cedar Hills Boulevard on your right. Reach the sidewalk, go left on Leahy Road at a sign for the "bridge over Cedar Hills Boulevard", walk one block, and turn right on 112th Avenue.

Cross Johnson Creek, and head up 112thAvenue. Opposite a magnolia, turn right where a right-of-way leads one block to a third large pedestrian bridge. Here’s another patch of Foege Park, one to which you'll be returning to complete the main loop. A loop trail leads around a lawn expanse and play structures. In fall, a line of yellowing poplars highlights larger cedars and Douglas-firs behind. Head down and back to the sidewalk on Cedar Hills Boulevard. At the dip, there is a view across large beaver pond on Johnson Creek to the right. Cross Cedar Hills past the Kinder Care Learning Center to pick up the Deveraux Glen Trail where it begins at the junction of Celeste Lane with Cedar Hills Boulevard.

This paved trail leads down below Cedar Hills Boulevard and then bends left above the creek in the shadows of the big condos of the Deveraux Glen development. Cedars, grand fir, big-leaf maple, Douglas-fir, hawthorn and some oaks populate the creek bottom. There are views of the creek, where you may notice a couple of beaver dams. Reach Valeria View Drive and go left. Then cross Valeria to Taylor, and head up the left side of Taylor past the Deveraux Welcome Center into the Peterkort Woods Development to pick up a paved trail on the left side of the road.

This trail begins with a descending boardwalk that leads into the Merritt Woods Natural Area. You'll see a lot of snags and blowdown in this valley. Keep along the creek, and reach an unpaved wood chip trail leading up steps at a junction. You can take the wide trail left over a pedestrian bridge to switchback up through a cedar grove to reach S.W. Washington Street.

Return the junction take the steps up to the narrow chip/gravel trail (the Peterkort Woods Loop) as it leads up along a fence line below the Peterkort Woods development (signs say: Do not leave the trail). When you reach Morrison Street, cross the road, and turn right to follow the sidewalk down one block. Then turn left to see a few steps leading up to the continuation of the trail. This section follows a fenceline down to Taylor Street.

Go right on Taylor Street, and then walk left on Windwood Way a few yards to resume the trail on your left. (Private property signs do not apply to the trail itself, which is managed by the Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District.) The path heads down the edge of the property along Peterkort Woods. You'll undulate along a creek valley and is bounded by a white fence. Look for beaver ponds, great blue herons, and egrets. The trail rises to reach Windwood Way once again. Here, you go left for 15 yards and then left again on Taylor and down to Valeria View. Go left here and retrace your steps on the Deveraux Glen Trail to Celeste Lane and Cedar Hills Boulevard.

Carefully cross busy Cedar Hills Boulevard opposite the Kinder Care. Then follow the sidewalk up above the Johnson Creek Pond to the southern entrance to Foege Park. Keep left on the paved trail, and then drop down the sloping lawn on your left to pick up a rooty, rough user trail that leads down to the pond, which abounds with egrets, herons, and waterfowl. (A wide, gently graded paved trail that switchbacks down the slope is in the planning stage.) Follow this trail out to the end of 114th Avenue, where you'll see a sign for the paved Cedar Mill Creek Greenway.

The paved trail takes you past a small creek with a beaver dam and to the ponds at the Cedar Mill Wetlands. A gravel path leads right through a thicket of dogwood, spiraea, willow, snowberry, and ninebark. Then you'll pass under a canopy of Douglas-firs. Keep right to reach a roundabout, and turn left to follow the sidewalk along Cedar Falls Drive about 90 yards. A paved trail leads back down, and you'll stay right at a redwood tree to pass between two ponds to reach the main path. Turn right again to walk out to Barnes Road.

Keep right on Barnes to cross 118th Avenue, pass a Market of Choice, and then cross Lost Springs Terrace. After a set of apartments (Timber Ridge), you'll see the paved trail and boardwalk that leads up the east side of Cedar Mill Creek. This will take you up the leafy creek valley, with apartments on your right. You'll pass Cedar Mill Creek Overlook Park with its small play area. Then some steps detour up to a stone circle on the left. Finally, you'll pass a gazebo with a picnic table. When the trail reaches the big pedestrian'bike bridge over 118th, take the steps leading down to the right reach 118th. Turn left to head out a few yards to Cornell, and make another left to return to your vehicle, passing Cedar Mill Falls once again.

Fees, Regulations, etc.

Parks and trails open sunrise to sunset
Keep dogs on leash
Share trails with bikes
Respect private property

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Cedar Mill-Johnson Creek Loop Hike

Cedar Mill-Johnson Creek Loop Hike

From Oregon Hikers Field Guide

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