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Sandy River Trail

4.3 ★★★★☆ 58 Google reviews · Running trail in Sandy, Oregon · Open 24 hours

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Mixed
Loop distance
Not reported
Shape
Loop
Shade
Not reported
Access
Open 24 hours

Confirmed from Sandy River 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.

MixedLoopOpen 24hScenicHillyTrailhead parking

Hiking area featuring a number of trails, some of which lead to a river.

What runners say about Sandy River Trail

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (58 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

🏞️ beautiful scenery 5 mentions

“Even though it was winter and a off day from rain it was beautiful.”

What a great trail! The mile walk down to the river is very easy the trail, road, is very wide and mostly rocked the entire way. While it is downhill it is not super steep making it an easy walk back up. It is very quiet and relaxing. Hearing the birds and the sound of the river flowing.

★★★★★ — Steven , Dec 2023

Overall a nice little trail. Combination of gravel, rocky areas, dirt/mud. Start out going downhill all the way, and uphill the rest of the way on the main river trail. If you’re wanting to jog, walk down, and then enjoy a nice challenging uphill run.

★★★★★ — Daniel , Apr 2022

A great place to hike any time of year. I prefer to do it when it's raining. It just feels right!

★★★★☆ — Rachael , Jul 2023

This is a great trail! This is an old road that has been converted into a trail. It can be muddy in places after some rain but mostly very good gravel and is nice and wide much of the way down. You can get all the way to the Sandy River, not a lot of bank to sit on but usually not crowded.

★★★★★ — Mike , Nov 2020

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 58 reviews →

Trail conditions & character

What this trail is actually like underfoot and overhead, taken from its own listing and from reviews. Each one links to every other trail with the same character. Busy or quiet is reported as a plain fact, not a plus or a minus — a runner heading out alone at dawn often wants company on the path, and someone running intervals wants an empty one.

🏞️ Scenic views 8 mentions

“Even though it was winter and a off day from rain it was beautiful.”

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⛰️ Hills / elevation 4 mentions

“Around 500' feet of elevation difference between the top and the bottom so it is a bit of a hike.”

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🔁 Loop trail 3 mentions

“There are several different trails that all loop around so you can spend several hours exploring right in our back yard.”

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🅿️ Trailhead parking 3 mentions

“There is not a a lot of parking at the top but again, the handful of spaces usually aren't full.”

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🪨 Crushed gravel / limestone 2 mentions

“It can be muddy in places after some rain but mostly very good gravel and is nice and wide much of the way down.”

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🌲 Natural surface / singletrack 2 mentions

“It can be muddy in places after some rain but mostly very good gravel and is nice and wide much of the way down.”

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Plan your run at Sandy River Trail

The practical stuff

  • AccessOpen 24 hours — no gate to beat, so a 5am or a 10pm run both work
  • SurfaceMixed — more than one surface along the route, so check the segment you plan to run
  • 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.
  • At the trailheadparking — reported by runners

Hours

Monday Open 24 hours
Tuesday Open 24 hours
Wednesday Open 24 hours
Thursday Open 24 hours
Friday Open 24 hours
Saturday Open 24 hours
Sunday Open 24 hours

Posted hours for the park or trailhead. Gates and parking lots often close earlier than the trail itself, and seasonal hours change — worth a check before a pre-dawn or after-dark run.

Where to find Sandy River Trail

38250 SE Marcy St, Sandy, OR 97055

Get directions

Running trails near Sandy

Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.

Sandy River Park

4.4 ★★★★☆ 61 reviews

Sandy, OR

2 miLoopNatural surfaceScenic

River beach and trails for biking and hiking, with views including river bends and cedar trees.

under a mile away

Meinig Memorial Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 907 reviews

Sandy, OR

LitScenic

Woodsy playground featuring wooden play equipment, slides, swings and a creek.

under a mile away

Tickle Creek Trail Trailhead East End

4.5 ★★★★★ 56 reviews

Sandy, OR

3 miDog-friendly

Wooded 3-mile route, also used for dog walking, traversing an area of homes and featuring creek crossings.

under a mile away

Sandy Bluff Park and Dog Park

4.4 ★★★★☆ 220 reviews

Sandy, OR

MixedDog-friendly

Fenced dog park with a separate area for smaller animals, plus a playground for ages ten and under.

under a mile away

Ancient forest trail

4.7 ★★★★★ 16 reviews

Gresham, OR

Dog-friendly

6.4 miles away

Oxbow Regional Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 1,658 reviews

Gresham, OR

12 miMixedScenicDog-friendly

Old-growth woodland recreation area on the Sandy River with 12 miles of trails & campsites.

7.1 miles away

All running trails in Sandy, OR →

Nearby towns

Listing verified July 2026 from public records, the trail's own website and runner reviews. Trail conditions change — paths flood, gates close at dusk, and shaded woods stay muddy for days after rain. Something out of date? Report a correction. Manage this trail? Send us the details — it is free.