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Distance: 7.7 miles
Elevation gain: About 2,550 feet
Warning: A number of these trails are unofficial and only maintained by rogue trail workers. Conditions may not be suitable for all hikers.
The woods around Larch Mountain are a great place to look for unofficial trails. Access is easy. This loop hike will let you experience the contrast between three U.S. Forest Service trails and two unofficial trails, and be home in time for dinner.
Start at Wahkeena Falls parking area, about 30 minutes east of Portland.
Follow Wahkeena Trail #420—an official, historic route that is popular among tourists and well maintained—past Fairy Falls until arriving at a fork about 1.8 miles in. Go left, following trail 420C (another authorized route) for about 1.5 miles.
By then you’ll reach Devil’s Rest. From the top of Devil’s Rest, head back down from where you came. After a few feet, you’ll notice an unofficial trail on the right: Foxglove Way.
Here is where your journey goes off the government maps. You’ll follow Foxglove Way for 0.6 miles, past several other unofficial trails, until you reach another fork. On the left is Red Shorts Way, a trail built by the notorious trail vigilante “Red Shorts.” You won’t be sampling his work today (but you can say you’ve seen it!). Go right here to stay on Foxglove Way.
After 0.4 miles, turn right onto Lily’s Lane, your second unofficial trail. Follow it for 0.5 miles (passing over Devil’s Fork Trail) until you come across Angel’s Rest Trail #415. Turn right and you’re back on official trails for the remainder of the hike.
Follow this for 1.4 miles until you reach Wahkeena Trail #420, at which point you’ll take a right back toward the trailhead. After 1.5 miles, you’ll be back to the parking lot. And you’ve completed a loop that wouldn’t be possible without the work of guerrilla trail keepers.