Trail Running in Cooper Mountain Nature Park

Still stretching the boundaries of what could be considered "Tualatin Valley" here... but bear with me, it's worth it!

I worked at an office in Aloha for seven years! It gets a bad rep, and sure, it's a little trashy... but there are hidden gems, including Cooper Mountain Nature Park. I've been hiking here since I was fresh into the workforce out of college, and as my fitness has improved, I've started trail running here too (beware, it's hilly).

For more classic "wine country" vibes that fit the Tualatin Valley definition a little closer, you can check out my other posts here:

• Trail Running in Oregon's Wine Country

• Bob & Crystal Rilee Park (Newberg)

• Willamette Mission State Park (Keizer)

• Champoeg State Park (Newberg)

• Miller Woods Conservation Area (McMinnville)

• Chehalem Ridge Nature Park (Forest Grove)

• Luscher Farms (Lake Oswego) - okay maybe this one is a little far too

And to get directions, take a look at my interactive map of favorite trail runs in SW Portland, here.

Keep reading for more on Cooper Mountain!

Cooper Mountain has great views of the valley, especially from their visitor center patio - a great place to read, stretch, or just hang out after your run.

Cooper Mountain Nature Park at-a-glance

For those in a hurry, here are the quick facts on Cooper Mountain Nature Park.

• About 25 minutes from Portland - see Google Maps pin

  
  

• Trail map

  
  

• Trail Policies

  • No dogs or bicycles allowed

  • Parking is free!

  • There are flush toilets with sinks, and a drinking fountain at the parking lot, but supposedly the bathrooms auto-lock a little early and the drinking fountain is often shut off

• Official website from Oregon Metro

• Official website from Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation

• There are about 3.25 miles of trails in Cooper Mountain, with a pretty tough incline.

I love how the map differentiates between coniferous forest and oak savannah. It's so cool to walk through such different terrains on the same trail.

Exploring Cooper Mountain Nature Park

There is a beautiful red farmhouse at the parking lot, with bathrooms, drinking fountains, and a pavilion overlooking a view of the valley. The farmhouse is closed to the public but hosts fitness classes and private events. The pavilion has picnic tables, and I've enjoyed reading here or stretching after a run. During storms and sunsets, I've seen people with cameras and telescopes watching the view.

The farmhouse overlooks the valley and is the perfect place to watch thunderstorms.

Unfortunately Cooper Mountain is on a hill, so no matter what trail you run, you will have to climb a significant incline. It's nothing awfully steep, but it is a long slog with little relief. It took me several years to work up the courage to run here, since I underestimate my own fitness abilities and the incline intimidated me.

I usually run the outer loop and add on the Larkspur Loop trail. You'll start the loop going downhill unfortunately... so the big climb will be at the end when you're already tired. The trails are all dirt or gravel, but nicely maintained. It's about 3.25 miles to run my usual route, but the terrain is so beautiful it would still be fun to do two laps for a hilly 10k training run.

I frequently see deer here grazing in the oak savannahs. There are several viewing platforms with "trumpets" designed to magnify sounds so you can listen to bird song. I collect oak moss and other lichens to use for natural garment dying, so Cooper Mountain is a great place to visit after a storm with all the fallen branches (never pull lichen off a living tree!).

Cooper Mountain savannah in early August - these white flowers have sprung up all over Portland!

Let's make a day of it!

Cooper Mountain Nature Park is about 25 minutes from Portland. It feels far more remote than it actually is. It's south of Aloha and east of Tigard, right on the border where suburban developments turn into farmland.

Here are some of my favorite local stops by Cooper Mountain:

• Jenkins Estate (4 minutes away): I discovered Jenkins Estate when I was working in Aloha and looking for places to walk on my lunch break. I could probably write another article on Jenkins Estate, but there are only 2 miles of trail so I don't usually run here. There are gardens, private facilities for event rentals, and wooded trails. You can read more here.

• Harvey the Rabbit (7 minutes away): This is more of a drive-by attraction, but Aloha is perhaps most famous for Harvey the giant rabbit. He is visible off TV Highway at the old Harvey Marine Boat Repair shop (read more here). He holds a Christmas tree or a coffee cup in his hand depending on the season.

A shot from my last winter hike at Cooper Mountain - I definitely stayed out a little too late for comfort, but got some spooky foggy views!

Thanks for reading!

To reward people who read through the entire article, I've been including my favorite one-star Google review for each trail. Almost every single park that doesn't allow dogs has a plethora of one-star reviews from dog owners who failed to read the rules before driving over. I can understand the frustration and I also disagree with the decision to ban dogs, but leaving a one-star review because of their own failure to research is a little much.

I found only one bad review of Cooper Mountain that wasn't simply "doesn't allow dogs":

"This used to be such a lovely place to watch the sunset. I don’t suggest this park anymore, as it’s constantly run by overly aggressive park rangers that follow you and watch you from the bushes. I’ve been followed by a ranger in his truck that was hiding behind the bushes. It’s scary. As a woman who visits this area alone often, it freaks me out and I don’t feel comfortable coming here anymore."

This would be a terrifying review if it was in any way true - but how can a ranger simultaneously be in a truck (on a narrow gravel walking path no less) and also be in the bushes? Was his truck in the bushes? Was she walking on the service road?

I've never once even seen a ranger at Cooper Mountain in the 8 years I've been visiting, so I think you'll be safe from whoever this woman is writing about!