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Barlow Wayside Park is located 11 miles east of Sandy. This forested gem is near what was once the Barlow Road segment of the Oregon Trail. Our project partners, the Mt. Hood Stewardship Council and the Bureau of Land Management, expanded the adjacent Sandy Ridge Trail biking system to connect with this park with pedestrian-only trails.
 Hiking trails | |
| 1.5 miles of trails | |
 Hours | |
| Spring March 14 - April 30 | 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
| Summer May 1 - Sept. 30 | 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
| Fall Oct. 1 - Nov. 6 | 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
| Winter Nov. 7 - March 13, 2022 | 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
Walking Trails
Approximately a mile and a half of meandering walking trails lead visitors through a majestic forest habitat. The park receives an annual rainfall of around 90 inches (almost twice as much as nearby Portland), nurturing fantastic habitat for all forms of flora and wildlife. Rustic bridges let you observe wetlands and streams close-up. Little Joe Creek wends its way through the lower portion of the park, providing shelter and sustenance for coho salmon and steelhead, which spawn here every autumn and winter. There's an informative kiosk at the entrance, interpretive panels, and a self-guided Natural History Tour Guide.
History
For 10,000 years local Indians would have fished, foraged, camped, and hunted in this area. Then, merely 170 years ago, emigrants rested at a place such as this, arriving along the historic Barlow Road, the last segment of the Oregon Trail, allowing them, their stock and covered wagons, to cross the south slope of Mt. Hood to reach the "Promised Land" of the Willamette Valley. Built in 1846 by Sam Barlow and Philip Foster, the rugged overland trail avoided the treacherous Columbia River rapids yet traversed extremely steep terrain, rivers, and dense forests. As you explore the park with its towering trees and lush habitat, we hope you may find some solace as those who came before.
