Ridge Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Fall Colors · River/Creek · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

The Ridge Trail is singletrack, pedestrian-only and begins at Bridge Ave., with entrances on either side of the St. Johns Bridge. The entrance to the south of the bridge offers the best access, with steps leading up the steep bank. After a short ways, there is a footbridge that offers outstanding views of the bridge as well as the Cascade Range in the distance. Mt. St. Helens may be seen on the left side, while Mt. Adams is visible to the right.

The six-tenths of a mile lower part of the trail is filled with a variety of beautiful forest plants such as Candy Flower, Vanilla Leaf, Western Trillium, Douglas fir, Western Hemlock, Vine Maple, and a wide selection of ferns. The trail gently winds up to the Leif Erikson trail, by way of several switchbacks and footbridges.

Once reaching the Erikson you make a slight jog to the left to continue up to the Wildwood Trail. This section winds its way at a slightly steeper grade for just over three-tenths of a mile, where you cross the Wildwood just short of the 21-mile marker to continue up the last section to Fire Lane 7.

Red Alder is common along this section as is Oregon grape, Solomons plume and Thimbleberry, as are seasonal plants such as the Wild Tiger Lily. The last part of this section flattens out considerably. After approximately .34 miles you'll reach Fire Lane 7, a doubletrack, multi-use trail.

Beautiful forest plants such as Candy Flower, Vanilla Leaf, Western Trillium, Douglas fir, Western Hemlock, Vine Maple, and a wide selection of ferns. Black-Tailed deer may sometimes be seen. Warblers, Rufus Hummingbirds, falcons and hawks are common. Mole hills are frequently present, especially on the lower section.