These 4 Trails Around Portland Will Lead You To Extraordinary Ruins

Hiking options in the Northwest are plentiful to say the least. We have so many great spots that exploring new ones hardly seems necessary. But history buffs will love these 4 hikes that all lead to historical ruins that tell the story of our area. Grab your hiking boots and hit these trails for some fun and exploration this weekend.

Brandon Seifert / Flickr

This Forest Park favorite may look haunted (and have plenty of lore to go along with it), but it is actually the remains of a public bathroom and ranger station that operated in the park in the 1950s. Access the fabled castle from the Lower or Upper Macleay parking lots for a short walk to this fun location.

Bureau of Land Management / Flickr

Head to the Wildwood Recreation Area near Mt. Hood to explore the Old Mill Ruins, which closed its doors in 1938. All that remains are the concrete remnants of the former building, found on the Old Mill Trail Nature Trail at the park.

Ian Sane / Flickr

View a piece of mining history as you pass through the Little North Santiam Mining District on the Opal Creek Trail. When you reach the end of the trail, you will have arrived in Jawbone Flats, an old mining community that today is divided between an outdoor history museum and a private environmental education facility.

A.F. Litt / Flickr

See remnants of the original Multnomah Lodge along the Historic Columbia River Highway. To get there, take the Bridal Veil exit off I-84 and head east to the Mist Falls Trailhead. A stone marker from the 1916 lodge sits alongside the road, and hiking the Mist Falls trail will lead you to the former fireplace and chimney in its original stately location.

Have you hiked any of these trails? Let us know your experience in the comments below.