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Mount Scott Nature Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 110 Google reviews · Running trail in Happy Valley, Oregon · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Crushed gravel
- Loop distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Mount Scott Nature Park'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.
Park featuring kid-friendly hiking trails through forested hills.
What runners say about Mount Scott Nature Park
“There are multiple entrances and most of the trail is well maintained.”
“The trail is beautiful with a bunch of small off-shoots that lead to different roads.”
Entrance on Solomon was tough to find. I drove right past it. Just after Cresskill Rd., look for a small driveway. This is not private, its the road to the trail. There is more parking on the other side of Solomon. Look for white signs.
This is a great place to take a beginner hike. It's an easy well maintained trail. There are allot of rocks on the way up if you enter through the Mather Rd trail head. Important to note dogs are NOT allowed on the trails! You can view deer, rabbits, birds, squirrels and I have found a couger track and fox fur.
If you are from Happy Valley or live within it, this is a great trail. It has everything you need. It’s a solid mile long loop that takes about 25-35 minutes depending on pace. It has uphill elevation gain and if you take the Solomon Ct entrance you can make this more like 1.5 miles with a gnarly hill along a stream.
Not for parents with strollers though, terain is to steep and rough, but for someone or people that want to just go for a nice hike. The views are beautiful.
Trail conditions & character
“Not for parents with strollers though, terain is to steep and rough, but for someone or people that want to just go for a nice hike.”
“You can view deer, rabbits, birds, squirrels and I have found a couger track and fox fur.”
“It is on leash only and please follow the rules, this is a more urban trail although it feels quite forest'y when you're on it.”
“1 mile loop, 2 old 50s cars are down in the ravine, it's a slight scramble down but I saw 5 yr olds do it while there :)”
“Last week they were very kind gentleman wheeling gravel down the trail to make it safer for all of us.”
Plan your run at Mount Scott Nature Park
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceCrushed gravel — the rail-trail classic: softer than asphalt, still smooth enough for tempo work
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
Hours
| Monday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Tuesday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Wednesday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Thursday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Friday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Saturday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Sunday | 6 am–10 pm |
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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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