Firelane 2 & 3 Loop

Distance: 4.5 miles round trip

Travel time to trailhead: 20 minutes

Walk duration: 2 hours 15 minutes

Conditions: Steep grade, slippery when wet, but beautiful in the fog.

Total elevation change: 530 ft. Just past the gate on Skyline Blvd. you achieving an elevation of 1170+ ft before the Firelane drops sharply into the park. You cross Wildwood Trail at 820 ft. and finally turn back up hill at Lief Erikson “bottoming out” at 666 ft. The upper part of Firelane 3 summits at nearly 1200 ft. where it exits from Thundercrest Lane on to Skyline Blvd.

Brief summary: Relatively accessible walk close in, with little traffic - mostly because it’s a steep grade both on the descent and ascent. Nice ridgetop view in to Douglas Fir stands on Firelane 2, with mixed hemlock and Alder stands on the uphill climb on Firelane 3. Connecting the two firelanes is the Upper Maple trail which sports has beautiful mixed conifer woods with hemlock, cedar, Douglas Fir and vine maple presenting a beautiful fall panorama in the fall. Look for brilliant red Oregon Grape leaves to put in your hat band.

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This is one of my favorite walks in the fog and rain. It is reasonably close-in and the trail is pretty good overall. Amidst tall stands of Douglas Fir, this trail affords mysterious glimpses down the slopes between the stately trunks into the deep forest below. Upper Firelane 2 shows signs of frequent deer traffic, though I’ve never been out early enough to spot them.

Access: Take NW Lovejoy until it turns into Cornell RD. Turn right on Thompson and right again on Skyline. Proceed northwards about .4 miles. As the road begins to turn leftwards, you’ll see a gate on the right at the edge of the road. This is the Firelane 2 gate.

Firelane 2 is basically a long straight drop into the park with quite a steep grade. Mostly it’s well maintained, but in spots it has become rutted by bicyclists (bikes are not permitted on Firelane 2) and the entire path has taken on the characteristic “V” shape that makes it even more difficult to navigate on foot.

On either side of this ridgetop road, the douglas fir stands carpet the hillside affording intriquing glimpses deep into the forest. Given the evidence of much use by deer, you might be rewarded with an occasional sighting early in the morning.

At the 840 ft. elevation, Firelane 2 intersects with the Wildwood Trail before proceeding further down to Lief Erikson Drive. But we will head north (left) on Wildwood for just about 20 yards where we will encounter the junction of the Wildwood Trail and the Maple Trail at the 780 ft elevation. We will proceed down the Maple Trail as it meanders down the northerly face of the same ridge we’ve been descending so far. About a quarter of a mile down you’ll spot Lief Erikson below you. Close as it may seem you’re not going there. The trail heads back up the draw and crosses Rocking Chair Creek before heading northwards again on the opposite flank. Nearly a mile (.9 miles) later the Maple trail will deposit you on Lief Erikson - well beyond the bend you spotted previously.

This stretch of the Maple trail, especially the south facing side of the Rocking Chair Creek valley is particularly scenic. It’s a beautiful mixed conifer forest with Hemlock (see photo alongside), Cedar and Douglas Fir sharing the hillside. The ground cover is predominantly sword ferns and Oregon grape - which turns brilliant red in the late fall.

Arriving at Lief Erikson, we now begin to ascend Firelane 3, which fortuitously connects at the same point. Although we will ascend over 500 ft. in the next 2.15 miles, this firelane has many gently rising slopes to break up the steep bits. Unlike the ridge to the south of Rocking Chair Creek, this ridge is mostly Hemlock and Alder and the trail is quite straight - giving that impression that you’re walking up a long sylan corridor.

Streaked Tricholoma (Tricholoma Portentosum) This mixed forest is also a good environment for many kinds of mushrooms, such as the pictured Streaked Tricholoma. It is said to be edible, but it’s  not among those mushrooms that are highly regarded in the kitchen - so it is spared...

At the upper end we enter into one of the new developments, which is securely fenced against intrusion. But frankly such fencing is also very important to keeping the impact of human habitation from penetrating more into the forest - usually via the predatory explorations of our four legged friends.

Having admired the posh new housing adoring the summit we emerge much chastened from Thunderc rest Drive on to Skyline Boulevard. At this point we’re nearly at 1200 ft.

Cross the road and you’ll find a path following Skyline Boulevard. Follow this for about 2/3 of a mile around the bend and it will return you to your patiently waiting vehicle. Aside from viewing the new housing on the western slope of the West Hills this final piece is both sunny (should the weather permit) and affords nice views into the Tualatin Valley.