Revision as of 01:43, 4 November 2016

Shady forest, Memorial Park, Wilsonville (bobcat)

Stein Barn, Memorial Park, Wilsonville (bobcat)

Trail resumption off Chia Loop, Boones Ferry Trail (bobcat)

Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus), Boones Ferry Trail (bobcat)

Tauchman House, Boones Ferry Park (bobcat)

The hike to Boones Ferry Landing from Memorial Park (bobcat) Courtesy: Google Maps

• Start point: Memorial Park Trailhead
• End Point: Boones Ferry Landing
• Trail Log:
• Hike Type: Reverse lollipop
• Distance: 4.1 miles
• Elevation gain: 180 feet
• High Point: 160 feet
• Difficulty: Easy
• Seasons: All year
• Family Friendly: Yes
• Backpackable: No
• Crowded: No

Description

While frontiersman Daniel Boone of raccoon hat and Alamo fame never set foot in Oregon, one of his descendants did. A grandson, Colonel Alphonso Boone, established a 24-hour ferry service across the Willamette River in what is now Wilsonville. His son, Jesse, soon took over the operation. The ferry operated for 107 years until the completion of the Interstate 5 bridge here in 1954. This hike takes you to that historic site, but begins in Wilsonville's 126-acre Memorial Park, which, despite offering Wilsonville Parks' entire slate of athletic facilities, also fronts on the Willamette and protects riverside forest and a riparian corridor along Boeckman Creek. Wilsonville is a young city, incorporated in 1968, and Memorial Park was established the very next year.

Walk from the parking area towards the restrooms and then down to a nut-drying shed for walnuts. Behind the shed is the restored Stein Homestead Barn, originally constructed at the turn of the 20th century. A sign details the design and history. From here, go right down a wide gravel path under oaks and maples. The trail reaches the level of Boeckman Creek, where you take a left on a spur that leads up the creek: note that the path can be muddy. Skunk-cabbage blooms here in early spring, and you'll reach a small waterfall. Return the way you came, and cross the creek to go left past a modern barn to a road. Make a left on the road, following signs for the off-leash area. Meet a trail that heads off from a parking area to the fenced dog run. The trail continues into the woods along Boeckman Creek, which is down to the left: the forest cover includes big-leaf maple, Douglas-fir, western red-cedar, hazel, blackberry, and holly. The path reenters woods and crosses a wide pedestrian bridge over the creek before winding up and reaching a small parking area on a quiet residential street (S.W. Rose Lane).

Return over the bridge and go left on a trail across a large meadow area that is east of the dog park. Hike straight into the woods at a four-way junction just past a sign telling about Ernest Kolbe, who had his summer residence here. A giant sequoia here is named after him. Trillium, waterleaf and violets form the carpet in these woods and bloom in early spring. Douglas-fir, maple, cedar, grand fir, alder and cottonwood make up the canopy. There is a very braided trail network in here as various spurs lead left to the Willamette River and other trails undulate through the green, shady forest heading west. Reach a road and you can either go down to the floating dock or head straight across to a trail that loops up past benches in mixed forest. To the left is a boundary fence. The trail emerges on a road that leads up past a covered picnic area. You'll come to a parking area and then continue straight along a wood fence. To the right are playing fields and then a swing set. Just past this on the left is a white-fence stile which leads to a path between two homes.

Take this path and reach a suburban neighborhood. Continue straight along Wilson Lane for several blocks until you reach a T-junction with Parkway Avenue. Cross Parkway and go left for one block, and then turn right onto Kalyca Street. Keep straight to another T-junction, and go left to a dead end on Chia Loop. The paved trail resumes here under cottonwoods and maples and then crosses under I-5's Boone Bridge. Soon, the path curves up and to the left, crossing a wooded ravine on a wide pedestrian/bike bridge before veering right at the fenced River Village Mobile Home Park. Then, hike above a Waste Water Pollution Control Facility, where the aroma is evident: the trail ends at the entrance road to the facility. Make a left and soon see Boones Ferry Park down below. You'll be greeted by green lawns and springtime flowers; there are public restrooms here near a children’s play area. A paved trail leads around the small park, which has no river access. You can circle the historic Tauchman House, a dwelling that began as a two-room cabin in the 1870s. The house was remodeled and became the residence of Emil Tauchman, who operated the Boones Ferry across the Willamette for 30 years, beginning in 1909. In 1971, the Tauchman House became Wilsonville's first city hall. Past the house, you find a road that leads down to the original Boones Ferry Landing on the north bank of the Willamette. The railroad bridge crosses the Willamette just to the west of here.

Return the same way to Memorial Park. Continue along the park road with baseball fields on your right. Take a trail that leads over a bridge, and then go right at a junction to walk up a paved foot trail past a cool, forested picnic area to the top of the rise. Cross the street and head straight to the parking area.

Fees, Regulations, etc.

• Dogs on leash: there is an off-leash area
• Park open 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
• Restrooms, picnic tables, playgrounds, athletic facilities

Maps

• Maps: Hike Finder
• Wilsonville Memorial Park (Wilsonville Parks & Rec)
• Wilsonville Parks, Trails and Recreation Map (Wilsonville Parks & Rec)

Trip Reports

• Search Trip Reports for Memorial Park to Boones Ferry Landing Hike

Related Discussions / Q&A

• Search Trail Q&A for Memorial Park to Boones Ferry Landing Hike

Guidebooks that cover this hike

• The Willamette River Field Guide by Travis Williams
• Wild in the City: Exploring the Intertwine edited by Michael C. Houck & M.J. Cody

More Links

• Memorial Park (Wilsonville Parks & Rec)
• Stein-Boozier Barn (Wilsonville Parks & Rec)
• Wilsonville Memorial Park Trails Plan - September 2004 (City of Wilsonville)
• Boones Ferry to Memorial Park (Ride SMART)
• Wilsonville Memorial Park and Murase Plaza (Metro)
• Memorial Park – Wilsonville (Portland Family Adventures)
• Wilsonville Memorial Park (Wikipedia)
• Boones Ferry Park (Wilsonville Parks & Rec)
• Tauchman House (Wilsonville Parks & Rec)
• Boones Ferry (Wikipedia)
• "Boones Ferry: Misconceptions versus true history" (Woodburn Independent)
• "What ferry? The story behind Boones, Scholls, Taylors road names" (Oregon Live)
• Wilsonville Parks, Trails and Recreation (Wilsonville Parks & Rec)

Page Contributors

• bobcat (creator)