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Cooper Mountain Nature Park

Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District and Metro

Cooper Mountain Nature Park, overlooking the Chehalem Mountains and Tualatin Valley is in Beaverton, 30 minutes from downtown Portland. There are 3.5 miles of trails passing through forests, prairies and oak woodlands. All trail junctions have markers with directional signage, each capped with a park map, helpful for navigation. There is also interpretive signage with information regarding the region and features of interest.

The sidewalk along the large parking lot connects to the Nature House, accessible restrooms, a drinking fountain and one of the district's more popular nature play areas, all with accessible features.

Following the sidewalk past the playground, is the Little Prairie Loop, a 3/4 mile compacted gravel trail loop designed for wheelchair accessibility. This is where our route begins.

When approaching the Little Prairie Loop, go right to take in views of a small prairie that has remained relatively undisturbed for hundreds of years. There are benches periodically along the trail.

At the next trail junction, follow the Cooper Mountain Loop towards the Overlook Trail. These compacted gravel trails have occasional trail surface bumps and ruts. A steep grade begins after the Little Prairie Loop and exists for the majority of the loop. These trails have features that may heighten the interest and diversity for some seeking a more rigorous hiking experience.

Connecting to the parallel Overlook Trail offers a great view of the park before returning to the Cooper Mountain Loop.

Rounding the southern edge of the Loop takes you by a small pond. If you're lucky, you might catch a glimpse of a rare Northern red-legged frog. Not far from here, you will find a megaphone-shaped listening device to amplify the sounds of nature.

The Cooper Mountain Loop takes a steep uphill climb shortly after the pond. Follow on this path until the trail junctions with Blacktail Way. This trail will take you into the oak woodlands and a conifer forest.

Trail signs will return you to the Little Prairie Loop and the Nature House. Our selected route is 2.2 miles in length.

This Park is open for self-guided visits from legal sunrise to legal sunset. Bicycles and dogs [except service animals] are not allowed in the Nature Park because of damage to the sensitive habitat and their threat to wild animals. Geocaching is allowed with guidelines.

Name: Cooper Mountain Nature Park

Parks agency: Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District and Metro

Contact: Parks & Trails (503) 629-6350; Nature & Trails Coordinator, Greg Creager (503) 619-3933; Safety Services (971) 246-0169

Location: 18892 SW Kemmer Road, Beaverton, OR 97007

Hours: from legal sunrise to legal sunset

Public transit: none

Length: 2.2 miles for recommended loop; 3.2 miles all-inclusive

How difficult do we consider it: varies greatly with some steep sections and some sections of newly placed crushed rock

Date of last visit: August 4, 2021

Description

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