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Tryon Creek
Ferns and small cedar trees cover the forest floor, hemlock trees squeeze into spaces on the hillsides, large-leaf maple trees climb to the heavens, a few second-growth Douglas firs are beginning to establish their dominance and small streams tumble near the trails.
Next to Lewis & Clark College, Tryon Creek is the only Oregon state park within a major metropolitan area.
In early-February with overcast skies I visited the park. I enjoyed seeing many examples of nurse-stump trees – – – trees that began growing on top of a stump, sending down roots to anchor in the earth.
The six-mile hike brings back fond memories of early springtime with the beautiful white flowers of trilliums lining the trails.
A nice outing indeed.

Cedar Tree that began its life on a nursery stump

The path to law school

Red Fox Bridge

Tryon Creek (very low this time of the year)

Tree growing on a nursery stump (the stump will slowly erode away)

Stilt home abutting the Park

Lichen

Bunk Creek (taken on a previous year hike when there was more water in the streams)
All the years we lived in Portland and never once visited Tryon Park. Now we know what we missed…
It’s a great place to see trilliums in bloom in another few weeks. In fact they hold a Trillium Festival there every year.
It’s the favorite law school for bears everywhere!
Although it is really the over-sized raccoons that have the run of the place
I’ll look for the raccoons next time. I’ve seen owls and deer there though.
What a wonderful hike, John. The nurse-stump trees are fascinating and the trails are very inviting. I like “the path to law school.” Gave me a chuckle. Also likin’ all the lichen. Many thanks, as always.
Thanks for the kind words. I’m waiting for some sunshine and blue skies to arrive.
Beautiful photos. One of my favorite areas since I grew up hiking the trails before it was a state park. What a wonderful legacy for PDX.
It’s a nice gem of an area to have nearby.