Running trails in Milwaukie, OR
Milwaukie has 11 trails in the directory — 2 paved and 3 on crushed gravel or dirt, 1 loop that returns to the trailhead, 1 shaded, and 1 open 24 hours. Every one post opening hours, so you can check the gate before an early start. They're ranked here by rating weighted by review volume, across 2,677 Google reviews. Filter by surface, loop, distance, shade or lighting to get to the run you're actually planning — no made-up difficulty score, just the facts you'd check before driving out.
Milwaukie Bay Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 1,066 reviews
Park featuring scenic Elk Rock Island views, along with fields, picnic tables, a boat ramp, a dock and a playground.
Rivervilla Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 340 reviews
Small, quiet park overlooking the river, featuring shaded picnic areas & a fishing dock.
Risley Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 335 reviews
Lush community space featuring sand pits, swings and playgrounds, as well as tennis and basketball courts.
Elk Rock Island
4.7 ★★★★★ 304 reviews
Tranquil island offering fishing from its rocky shores, accessible by foot when the river is low.
Spring Park Natural Area
4.5 ★★★★★ 227 reviews
Wildlife-filled park boasting trees & trails, plus a modern playground & a picnic area.
Furnberg Park
4.3 ★★★★☆ 130 reviews
Quiet urban park, featuring a playground, picnic tables and a creek.
Ardenwald Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 111 reviews
Neighborhood park with a children's playground, covered patio, and concert series during the summer.
Homewood Park
4.3 ★★★★☆ 74 reviews
Compact park also featuring a playground, a trail and a play structure for kids.
Century Park
4.2 ★★★★☆ 49 reviews
Clean, small park with a playground, a tennis court and a basketball court.
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in Milwaukie
- Match the surface to your legs. Milwaukie gives you a choice: 3 natural surface and 2 paved. Asphalt and concrete are fast, predictable and runnable year-round but the least forgiving; crushed limestone and dirt take the sting out of high mileage; boardwalk is flat and scenic but slick in the wet. If your shins or knees are complaining, the fix that actually works is varying the surface you run on rather than chasing one "best" one. More natural surface trails →
- Loop or out-and-back? 1 trail here is a loop, so you finish back at the car with no backtracking — the easiest way to run a set distance without thinking about it. On an out-and-back you turn round at half your target distance, which makes any trail fit any run.
- Check the hours before a 6am run. 1 trail in Milwaukie is open 24 hours — the rest can sit inside a park that gates at dusk and doesn't unlock until well after sunrise. 11 of the 11 listings carry posted opening hours — worth a look before you set an alarm.
- Long run? Check water and restrooms first. 5 have trailhead parking, 5 have restrooms, and 2 have a water fountain in Milwaukie. Anything over an hour and those stop being nice-to-haves — and in summer, shade counts double.
- The small things that decide it. 1 shaded, 3 that runners describe as quiet, 7 dog-friendly, and 4 smooth and wide enough for a stroller or a wheelchair. Busy or quiet isn't a good-or-bad thing here: a busy path is the safer choice for a solo run at dawn, a quiet one is better for intervals.
More on all of this in the trail-running guides.
Browse Milwaukie trails by type
Running trails near Milwaukie
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.