Sundial Beach Hike
From Oregon Hikers Field Guide
- Start point: Graham Road Trailhead
- End point: Sundial Beach
- Hike type: Lollipop loop
- Distance: 4.8 miles
- Elevation gain: 60 feet
- High point: 40 feet
- Difficulty: Easy
- Seasons: All
- Family Friendly: Yes
- Backpackable: No
- Crowded: No
Contents |
Hike Description
A paved section of the Portland Metro Area’s 40-mile Loop runs between industrial facilities and a Columbia River beach and the Sandy River, the path following the top of a levee that skirts the Troutdale Reynolds Industrial Park. Both sides of the paved trail were part of the Superfund cleanup following the demolition of the Reynolds Aluminum Plant (the site now occupied by a FedEx Package Distribution Center) after its closure in 2002. An unpaved trail leads from the levee path through a riparian corridor dominated by cottonwoods to Sundial Beach on the Columbia River. Other trails explore the cottonwood woodlands near 16-acre Company Lake, also part of the Superfund cleanup. The Port of Portland governs the area, and No Trespassing signs are posted in certain places to protect wildlife habitat and prevent illegal camping.
In 2024, construction was under way to extend the 40-mile Loop to Harlow Road below the dike on the Sandy River side as well as west to Chinook Landing.
A paved trail runs from the pullout off Graham Road below a levee, passing an interpretive sign that describes the traditional activities of the Chinookan peoples. You'll see a construction yard and sewage treatment plant on the left. The trail rises to the top of the levee. To your right is the Sandy River, at the end of its run, and bordered by oaks and thickets of Armenian blackberry. Below the levee is a maintenance track, often used by dog walkers, that leads back along a large field to Harlow Road. You can get a view back to Broughton Bluff and north to Silver Star Mountain. After the path bends to the left following a powerline corridor, you'll get a good sighting back to Mount Hood. Watch for raptors, especially bald eagles, flapping overhead.
Continue along the crest of levee, with a woodland of cottonwood, ash, and oak to your right. Just past the second powerline pylon, you'll see a grassy ramp descending from the levee. You can follow this down to a junction, where you keep straight to reach the bank of the Sandy River. Looking right, you'll see the Sandy's confluence with the Columbia. Return to the levee path rather than taking user trails that lead through the blackberries to a wildlife habitat area and seasonal lake.
Back on the levee path, it's about another 500 yards to an open gate and wide gravel path that leads down to the right. A large FedEx facility, formerly the site of the aluminum plant, is to your left. Dropping down this track, you'll see a designated habitat area to your right with a "tree" of purple martin nesting gourds. You'll also get views to Company Lake on the left - a powerline track leads left to a ramp that can take you to the shore of the lake.
Continue on the main road bed into a riparian woodland of Oregon ash, black cottonwood, red osier dogwood, and Pacific willow. Blackberry runs rampant here as well. Pass a large, flat graveled area on your left, and keep straight at a junction. Take a footpath where it peels off the grassy track into the blackberries. This leads out to the Columbia shore at Sundial Beach, with the Sandy River confluence to your right and Lady Island across from you. There are shoals in the river here and wide sandflats at low river levels in late summer and fall. In winter, there is usually enough of a beach to walk on. However, heading right towards the Sandy gets you into increasingly soft sand with a chance of sinking deep.
Walk left along the beach or exposed sand flats. In late summer, sneezeweed, Douglas’ aster and coreopsis bloom on the willowy verge. You may have to step over a few logs, and in winter the bellowing of California sea lions can be heard where they congregate on the rock pedestals that support powerline pylons in the Columbia. Reach the west end of Sundial Beach before a gravel loading dock (Knife River) and scramble up the bank, using roots for footholds.
Take the grassy path heading east from a small, vandalized shed. When you reach a junction, bear right, cross an old slough channel, and reach a No Trespassing sign near the shore of Company Lake. Don't go past this, but you can use the spot to scope the lake for waterfowl and then return to the junction, where you turn right to rejoin the main track back up to the levee.
From the top of the levee, you can turn right to follow it a little way to get more views of Company Lake. At the end of this section is an alternative trailhead. Return the way you came, getting great views of Mount Hood on a clear day.
Fees, Regulations, etc.
- Dogs on leash on the levee trail
- Respect Port of Portland No Trespassing signs
Maps
- Maps: Hike Finder
- Green Trails Maps: Columbia Gorge West, OR #428S
Trip Reports
- Search Trip Reports for Sundial Beach Hike
Related Discussions / Q&A
- Search Trail Q&A for Sundial Beach Hike
Guidebooks that cover this hike
- none
More Links
- Sundial Beach Loop Hike (Tweets and Chirps)
- Along the Sandy to Sundial Beach (Hiking Northwest)
- “New segment of "40-mile loop" trail to open in Troutdale” (OregonLive)
- “Cleaned-up Reynolds Metals site in Troutdale sprouts promise” (OregonLive)
- 40-mile Loop Trail - Blue Lake Park to NE Harlow Road (City of Troutdale)
Contributors
- bobcat (creator)