Devon Berry recently received his MBA at Western Governors’ University, adding to more than 20 years of experience in academia. He has held executive leadership positions in schools across the country, most recently acting as the executive associate dean at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) School of Nursing. Devon Berry strives to live a healthy lifestyle, and is currently training for the Portland Marathon.
The marathon spans 26.2 miles, and training for it involves running a set amount of miles per week mixed with cross-training. Fortunately in Portland, Oregon, there are no shortage of parks, trails, and roads to run to keep things interesting. Below are the four best running routes in Portland, Oregon.
Fernhill Park
If you’re not sure whether you’d rather run on a track or trail, Fernhill park in NE Portland has both—a dirt loop with a few short inclines that runs over a mile and an all-weather, 400-meter track. You can bring the family along too, with other features like a playground, baseball fields, tennis courts, and even a bathroom.
Wildwood Trail
A popular dirt-packed trail in Forest Park that runs 30 miles along the hills of NW Portland, Wildwood Trail presents multiple access points to make a running workout as long or short as you’d like. Plus, there’s well-labeled mile markers throughout to easily keep track of pace and distance.
Milo McIver State Park
More popular among anglers due to the park’s fish hatchery, Milo McIver State Park, which sits 25 miles southeast of downtown Portland, is great for runners with nearly 12 miles of trails. The paths are broken up into two sections: Rivermill and Riverbend. While the Rivermill trails offer longer loops, the Riverbend trails are closed off to horses, so you can expect more narrow paths, steeper hills, and less traffic.
Marquam Nature Park
In inner SW Portland, Marquam Nature Park has a host of shady and forested single-lane running paths that are enjoyable for their cool temps and moderate elevation gains. There are multiple entry-points, including the Flicker trailhead near OHSU. You can do Flicker’s 1.8-mile loop or tail off onto other trails such as Warbler trail and Towhee trail for a longer workout.
