Saturday Morning Nature Walk in Tualatin

Kick off the weekend with a low-intensity nature walk. Your host will meet you at the trailhead for a 90 minutes long walk at Tualatin Hills Nature Park. This is a mostly flat walk on mostly paved paths, with only 50ft in slow elevation the whole time. This all ages group is appropriate for any level of fitness, with no walker left behind- an amble, not a hike. All walkers will remain masked the whole walk, and should be aware that there will be other walkers present on the trail. Your host, Denee, will do a quick overview of trail etiquette before the walk, and then take you up and back on two different trails:

• Vine Maple Trail is mostly shady but also passes an open meadow and has a bridge over a small
  stream which wheelchairs can traverse. It is 1.7 mile with only 49 foot elevation gain overall.
• Oak Trail is also mostly shaded, good for bird-watching, and wheelchair-friendly. It is 2.1 miles with
  also only a 49 foot elevation gain overall.

Since there are two trails and they’re not a loop (up and back), you can choose to stop walking after completing one trail.

Because this is an area dedicated to respecting nature and wildlife, no pets (dogs, cats, etc.) are allowed, even on leashes. This will make the walk safer and also allow us to see/hear more wildlife. After the walk, we’ll gather in the seated area by the nature center to talk about the walk and have some water. Feel free to join us for that portion of the afternoon.

Safety

All attendees will need to mask with a KN94 or N95, without valves or SIP valves, the entire walk, in order to participate with the group. This includes the time along the walk itself, and the meet and greet after (we’ll distance and step away to drink water).  There will be other people on the trail who are unmasked, as it is a public space. Saturday morning is a low traffic time.

Accessibility

We’ve chosen 2 trails that are paved and accessible using a rollator, walker or wheelchair. Video below will show you the condition of the path. There is also video showing you the handicapped parking spaces, how you access the curb, and the walkway to the trailhead. There are indoor and outdoor restrooms, all of which are ADA compliant.

While a leisurely walk, this is still physical activity and may be too much exertion for some. The path is shaded by trees, and it’s expect to hit a high of 80 on this day, so consider your personal limits. No one will be left behind on the trail, and you can bow out at any time and return to the nature center, or pause between trails, or simply hang at the nature center the whole time, enjoying the outdoors, and waiting for everyone to return. There is another activity during this time (bowling/arcade/laser tag) that involves less exertion.

From the parking lot to the nature center.

From the nature center to the trailhead.