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Leif Erikson Trail
4.8 ★★★★★ 260 Google reviews · Running trail in Portland, Oregon · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Mixed
- Loop distance
- 4 mi
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Leif Erikson Trail's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Popular place to hike, walk and run, with a mostly gravel path flanked by trees.
What runners say about Leif Erikson Trail
“Easy trail with but if snow in the hills making it look beautiful.”
“Easy trail with but if snow in the hills making it look beautiful.”
So beautiful! Lots of people with dogs out on the weekends and nice weather. Trails can get a little muddy so plan accordingly
Runners, walkers, hikers and all kinds of bikers love this fire road in Forest Park. It gently climbs 500 feet in the first 5 miles, which is the half-way point of this out-and-back trail. There's also access to several hiking trails that climb up and down the steep ridge. You will find more shade than views in summer.
Parking wasn't too bad late morning on a Saturday. Great for leashed dogs - really happy to see more dog owners respecting leash laws! Loved the loop we took using All Trails app. WAS SO EXCITED TO SEE TRAIL MAPS HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH NEW ONES!
I had never been on this hike! It was a rainy day very muddy! It is a wide (road?)/ trail so very easy to stay socially distant and everyone had their dogs leash(per park rules) so that was great as my dog is not a fan of random dogs approaching him.
Trail conditions & character
“)/ trail so very easy to stay socially distant and everyone had their dogs leash(per park rules) so that was great as my dog is not a fan of random dogs approaching him.”
“You can either keep on Leif Erickson trail the whole way for an easy run (or hike), or you can go off on other trails for a little more challenge/hills.”
“Very popular weekends with pleasant weather, when parking can be an issue and the going is busy within a couple of miles of the trailhead.”
“The path is almost always dry enough to run without getting inundated with mud or breaking an ankle on tree roots and rocks.”
“Easy trail with but if snow in the hills making it look beautiful.”
“You can stay on the main gravel track or head up one of the side trails—either way a win.”
“Mostly paved, the first 1/4 or so miles is rough, rocky and gravely but after that it is paved or fairly smooth.”
“It's less winding and steep than Wildwood trail, making it easier to go for a loop or out-and-back trip.”
Plan your run at Leif Erikson Trail
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceMixed — more than one surface along the route, so check the segment you plan to run
- Loop distance4 mi back to where you parked
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
Hours
| Monday | 5 am–10 pm |
| Tuesday | 5 am–10 pm |
| Wednesday | 5 am–10 pm |
| Thursday | 5 am–10 pm |
| Friday | 5 am–10 pm |
| Saturday | 5 am–10 pm |
| Sunday | 5 am–10 pm |
Running trails near Portland
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
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