This site explores surveyed and mapped walking routes from Portland to the Coast. The trails and the differing routes are broken into distinct segments and areas from which they originate. The initial portions of this trail system are located in Forest Park and to the area directly north of the park – extending all the way North to Rocky Point Road. These trails were amply described in my book, Portland Forest Hikes, published by Timber Press in 2007.
The Lower Columbia corridor focuses on those trails originating in the northwest corner of Multnomah County, Columbia County and the northern portions of Washington County – basically a swath of forested lands extending westwards along the top of Washington County from Scappoose, past Vernonia and the hamlets of Chapman Landing and Bacona to Highway 47.
Bacona – Is there any written history of Bacona? If so, where might I find it? My GGGF Cyrus and GGF Grant Bacon were postmaters and GGF Grant Bacon worked at the lumber camp as well.
Most of the information I found was gleaned from the stacks of the Washington County Historical Society, and from Tracking Down Oregon by Ralph Friedman. If you have family records or stories to share I would be very pleased to hear and/or share them. I haven’t really started the History and Flora & fauna tas on this site, although I’ve got quite a b information stashed for posting soon. That kind of information would be very welcome. Jim Thayer
Bacona is an area of forest lands…useing google earth go to buxton, it’s on hwy 26 just befor the coast range..then if you go north and a touch east you’ll see it just above buxton…”logging” roads (4×4 trails) include bacona, wilderness,greener jeep,Tupper,Smoke ranch and potrazts rd To name a few..these are and have been oregon state 4×4 trails for decades…this area is literally my backyard, we are one of the original homesteads from the mid 1800 and I’ve been rideing these roads and trails for more than 30 years and know everyone by name..I had no idea until today that there were mapped hiking trails around here and I have a couple concerns so I figured I’d address them for everyone includeing the animals safety…so for people my concern is a few of these trails cut straight threw people’s property, the kind of people you dont wana come across in the woods little lone in the woods on their propety..although we are on one of the major gravel roads these homesteads are deep In the woods only accessible bye gated locked logging roads on small tracks of land pinched in between the major lumber companys and ARE NOT MARKED on most maps..I’ve only found them on old county propety maps (hint to the potrazts loop mapper)..these are true blue off grid elderly folks and most have lived in these places their whole lifes and are extremely guarded, mean and nasty..my first in counter with atleast 2 were at the end of a shotgun barrel…think “the hills have eyes”..no, their not deformed and dumb and you’ll make it home alive but it will be EXTREMELY uncomfortable and scary… they will be armed and pissed.. expect them to follow you cause they will until your well off their land..and your shorts will probly have some soil for the back yard when you get home…but in their defence…for example, you gotta think about living in town, you have basically jumped their backyard fence (locked blue gate) and are walking threw their backyard without their knowledge in a place that very few people ever come and even fewer that know these places still exist..lets just say the research on some of these trails wasnt fully done cause they cross private propety and I guarantee they dont have concent to do so…my concern for the animals is this..some of the directions are obviously useing game trails..In one part it tells you the trail may be overgrown cause the deer and elk are useing alternative routes…that says alot..animals have been useing these trails for generations much like we use roads..useing their trails because it’s easier for us has forced them to change there habits and has disrupted their habitate…its not like humans and town, they cant just go over a block or 2 and double back around the area they now associate with danger because of us..I love our woods and have allways respected the people and the animals and allways tread lightly and stick to established logging roads and state trails… i think it’s great hikers are coming out cause its beautiful and peaceful but useing animal trails for our convenience has to change..think about it, we use them cause walking thru the bushes and thickets is hard…the deer and elk feel the same way..so if your out on a hike and a road ends at a game trail just step 10ft to the side,brave the bushes and parallel the trail..and if your thinking man this suxs tromping thru bushes just remind yourself the deer and elk feel the same way…its their neighborhood and were visitors.. by the way, even though I use the word “we” I’m not a hiker…i ride a quad or drive my 69 dodge 4×4.. I dont use game trails cause I know the impact it causes and I know behoyd a shadow of a doubt I’m not on private land without permission cause I’ve studied the correct maps…and no, I’m not one of the pist off scary land owners…with all that said I wouldnt recommend the potrazts loop until the person who mapped it does more research with the correct maps and corrects the route to stay off private dangerous property’s with angry armed owners and hopefully makes changes to stay off game trails aswell..theres allways 3 or 4 directions at point A that will put you in the same spot point B out here and only 1 is the game trail..1 track you probly got a deer pulling a short cut..several tracks and churned dirt it’s a game trail..very easy to tell even for beginners…have fun and enjoy the area…but if you do the potrazts loop be safe, remember your tresspassing in spots, be prepared to be confronted by someone who’s armed…incase your wondering potrazts loop isnt the only one with homesteads, its just got the meaner ones…just so you know we do have cougar in this area that have been confirmed threw photo and kill site evidence of a feline attack, very distinct..but stay off the game trail and you cut the odds of being confronted by one in half..just sayin…