Trail Running in Bob & Crystal Rilee Park

Shortly after recapping my favorite trails in the Tualatin Valley in Trail Running in Oregon's Wine Country, I discovered a new favorite: Bob & Crystal Rilee Park on Parrett Mountain (by Newberg). It is such a hidden gem - I have been several times and rarely see others. Little did I know, this secluded park is at the center of a scandalous controversy between the local Horse Girl community and mountain bikers... more on that later.

Sections of Rilee Park are beautifully maintained, others are more rugged, and there are even paths through grassy fields. This photo is from the beginning of the trails, just off the parking lot. Turning right takes you into the deep woods, left takes you into farm fields.

Rilee Park at-a-glance

You can read on for more of my thoughts (and the tea on that horse girl feud), but here's some quick info on Rilee Park.

• About 45 minutes from Portland - see Google Maps pin. There are a few parking lots here, I like to park at the one by the yellow house (Parrett Mountain Farm).

  
  

• Trail map

  
  

• Trail Policies

  • Dogs allowed!

  • Horses are allowed, and the park is very popular amongst local equestrians

  • Parking is free!

  • There has been a porta-potty at the Parrett Mountain Farm parking lot in the past, but last time I was there it was gone.

  • Mountain biking still not allowed for the next 90 days or so - the park will begin allowing bikes in Fall 2026!

    
    

• Official website

• There are about 12 miles of trail here! Depending on the type of run you seek, you can do a short 2-3 mile loop or a 5-6 mile outer loop without backtracking at all.

• Trails are barkchip, dirt, or mowed grass. Some less-traveled trails get extremely overgrown, but nothing impassable.

  
  

The official 2026 Rilee Park trail map - this will likely change soon , as the park has made some big decisions over the past month (June 2026).

Exploring Rilee Park

I like to park at the Parrett Mountain Farmhouse (sometimes there is a porta-potty there). If I just want a quick run or walk, I will take Russ's loop trail (see map above). If I add on the Cistern loop, it's a perfect 3-mile route. Russ's loop and the other trails east of the farmhouse are gorgeously kept up! The trails are a soft bark dust, which is glorious to run on. There are some hills, but this part of the park is very gently graded. Check the legend of the map to see the difficulty of each trail.

Truly a dream to run on! If you have bad knees, this is your park. The bark dust is like running on clouds.

If I'm feeling like doing a longer run or hike, I'll cross the road and add on Bert's Field and Forrest's loop. It gets quite hilly! The trails around the fields have some sneaky elevation gain - my route through Bert's Field, Forrest Loop, and Russ's Loop was about 6.3 miles with 1,082 feet elevation gain. It's very unique in that you are running on the edges of an actively used farm. I felt a little like I was in an old Windows PC background. There are even horses in the neighboring fields who might come say hi!

I'm kind of obsessed with farming and agriculture right now, so I loved running through the beautiful grassy fields at Rilee Park. I did not love the sneaky elevation gain however.

Some of the less-traveled paths around the farms get very overgrown with brush. Nothing is impassable, and even horseback riders can still make it through, but it can be a little uncomfortable. Especially on a rainy or wet day, it's not fun to bushwhack. At least it is easy to tell which trails will get brushy, so you can decide if you're up for the adventure or if you'd prefer sticking to the more maintained paths.

This actually isn't that bad - some sections are far worse. But this does capture the vibe of certain trails at Rilee Park. It's a stark contrast between the newly barkchipped paths of Russ's Loop, and the overgrown brush elsewhere. To me, that adds to the fun and adventure!

A Horse Girl Uprising - Spilling the Tea on Rilee Park

Okay... I promised you some gossip. It's rare that an unassuming nature park like Bob & Crystal Rilee Park finds itself at the center of a bitter feud. Unfortunately, the local community has been squabbling for years about allowing mountain bikes at Rilee Park.

In the spring of 2026, I visited Rilee Park for a routine trail run, and was shocked to see signs everywhere saying "Save Rilee Park!" Curious what the park required saving from, I googled the situation. To my amusement, I discovered the park was just under attack from evil mountain bike invaders.

I watched with my metaphorical popcorn as social media was ablaze throughout early summer. Local Horse Girls pulled out al the stops to defend "their" beloved park: citing mysterious sources that seemingly prove mountain bikes will both kill their horses and elderly birdwatchers, and even creating fake AI-generated Facebook profiles to comment on Newberg news pages.

This is hearsay, but apparently, the last time biking was allowed at Rilee Park, the Horse Community staged an "accident" between a mountain biker and a horseback rider. The incident was conveniently filmed, and used as evidence why mountain biking should never be permitted here again.

On June 26, 2026, the mountain bikers came out victorious, when the Chehalem Parks and Recreation District voted 3-2 to allow bikes at Rilee Park (starting in 90 days from the date of the decision). In just a few months, we can watch the drama play out in real time as mountain bikers start enjoying our multi-use trails.

It is still unclear to me why users of trails elsewhere in the PNW (and around the country) are able to safely coexist, yet Rilee Park patrons are somehow unable to do so. I would love to know why, but alas, I (an innocent trail runner) was blocked from the local Horse Community's Facebook pages when I politely asked.

Let's make a day of it!

Now that the tea has been spilled... back to trail running.

Bob & Crystal Rilee Park is about 45 minutes from Portland, right off Highway 99 between Newberg and Sherwood. It's a little rough during rush hour, but close enough that you can go after work on a summer evening.

Here are some of my favorite local stops in Newberg by Rilee Park:

• Coffee Cat (10 minutes away): A non-pretentious, cozy cafe with amazing cinnamon rolls. I love the vibe here - it feels like stepping into the early 2000s before $7 lattes and brutalism took over the Portland coffee scene. Unfortunately they do close at 1 pm so it won't work for a post evening run snack.

• Lyrics Cafe (12 minutes away): Another incredible coffee shop with amazing cinnamon rolls. I actually designed two rooms in my houses based off the decor here - vintage hardwood floors, olive green trim, cream walls, and bronze accents. I love to write my blog here on weekends, but it gets a little crowded.

• Critter Cabana (12 minutes away): This was such a fun surprise to wander into. There are so many animals to interact with, including free roaming tortoises, a ferret with learning disabilities, and a parrot that loves bearded men (including my husband).

• Wine Country Antique Mall (12 minutes away): Just across the highway from Lyrics Cafe! I love antique stores in old historic houses. There are so many little rooms to explore.

I love Rilee Park so much that I went on my birthday this year for a sunset walk and picnic. Personally, I'm very happy that the park is now open for more people to enjoy! I can't mountain bike to save my life, but I will always support anti-gatekeeping measure when it comes to enjoying nature.

And now for my favorite part...

One star reviews of beautiful places! I thought Rilee Park would have some whoppers in there, due to the recent drama. Surprisingly, the Horse Girls have been quiet (saving their efforts for Facebook and Nextdoor I suppose).

I did find one review from 7 months ago that made me chuckle.

"Amazing park with beautiful trails! However, the dorks on horses can be rather rude and inconsiderate!"

Huh, I thought it was the dorks on the mountain bikes who were rude and inconsiderate... I guess only time will tell who the ultimate Overlords of Rilee Park will be. Until then, I'll just enjoy my quiet trail runs until the Horse Girls attempt to ban me too!