Hopkins Demonstration Forest, once a family-owned tree farm 10 miles south of Oregon City, is now owned and managed by the nonprofit Forests Forever, Inc. with the participation of the local community. It is open to the public to learn about sustainable forestry practices. Admission is free. The forest is open daylight hours, seven days a week.

Upon our arrival we were greeted by a pileated woodpecker’s alarm call as he flew through the tree tops nearby. We pulled a trail map from the kiosk and began our walk on the Red Alder Trail that led us around one of eight different forestry demonstrations. Our route took us along Little Buckner Creek, where large Douglas fir and western red cedar trees hug the stream bank. This water flows into Buckner Creek, Milk Creek, the Molalla River and finally into the Willamette River near Canby. We walked around the perimeter of the 140-acre woodland, almost three miles, finding many surprises along the way.

We took turns pulling cool water from the hand pump near the Cedar Grove Shelter, and decided to stop there to enjoy lunch. On the walk back to the trailhead, we passed the only other people we saw all day—a family with two young children excited to be in the “wilderness.” Although we were so close to town, at times we felt quite remote in this little gem of a woodland.

By bike, Hopkins is eight miles from the end of TriMet line 33 at Clackamas Community College. See Metro’s Bike There! map for safe routes. Riding on Highway 213 is not advised.