#4 – Kelly Butte Nature park
This is #4 of 101 Cool Portland Places, Kelly Butte Park.
I love the hiking trails in Kelly Butte because it has not been “civilized” yet. Unlike Mt. tabor with it’s carved out paths and man-made structures and large quantities of joggers, Kelly Butte is a bit of untouched mountain hiking yet in the middle of the city of Portland.
Forest Park in the NW Portland hills has a similar feel as Kelly Butte, but Forest park is so much larger and epic in proportion. My favorite memory of hiking in Kelly butte is when we had the huge snow storm of 2009, a group of friends and I hiked around Kelly Butte with no civilization in sight. Then we all started to get worried cause the snow was getting deep and we might find our selves in trouble…then we thought, “wait a second, we are still in the middle of the city, the, 109th street is right down this hill, everything is going to be OK”.
As you are driving on the 205 Freeway, you can see Kelly butte to the east as you are inbetween the Division and Powell streets in SE Portland. Kelly butte does have public hiking trails and you can find them on the 103rd ave. in the Cherry Park neighborhood off Division if you go all the way up the hill.
Enjoy the hike,
Kevin
Living in Forest Park for 4 months, enjoying the Portland weather
Although this is just a pipe dream because I would never leave my family or my job, nor is it legal, but doesn’t it sound fun to Live in Forest Park in the Northwest Portland hills for a bit. Camping close-in Portland has never been easier. I figure the months would be mid-spring till the end of summer. A good 4 month adventure. I will only bring my tent, my guitar, art supplies and general basics like items for warmth, a few pounds of rice, grains and dried food. I will set camp along side a fresh water stream and live off the land. Forest Park is so huge, I can be far enough out so no one would ever see me. Forest Park has an impressive trail system, featuring nearly 70 miles of trails with over 5,100 acres of forested ‘wilderness’ overlooking the Willamette River.
I will bring many varieties of seeds to grow and some already started for a small vegetable garden big enough for me to live off of for a few months and plant them at weekly intervals so I will always have a constant supply. Firewood will be a plenty to cook food and boil water. Deciding if I want to be alone or bring someone to share this beautiful adventure with me is the question? Building shelter and tools out of the natural landscape and local wood will be a challenge but but I look forward to it.
Forest park is the largest Urban Park in the United States with more than 112 bird species and 62 mammal species found, so things to do will never be lacking. But maybe, just maybe I might walk down the hill onto NW 23rd or NW 21 in the Nob Hill district for supplies or places of interest. The Nob Hill neighborhood, also known as the NW 21st and 23rd Avenue neighborhood has more Portland entertainment then most entire cities do. Although, keeping myself entertained and finding new projects to work on inside Forest Park will be endless and amazing. I will live off of the land, I will learn off of the land. I will sing to the moon, I will dream into the firepit. I will paint the landscape, I will cook how food is meant to be eaten and I will make friends with the local wildlife. The vegetable garden harvest will end approximately around the same time as when fall rolls around. By then it will be time to pack up and live the normal life. Or wait, which one is the normal life? Maybe I’m thinking to BIG for now and all I really need is a fun camping trip in Mt. Hood for the weekend.
Set up camp in Forest Park, Portland Oregon
Kevin Levy – Portland Relocation Services
www.RelocationToPortland.com
503-267-7535
