Hike: Scouters Mountain

A local sweet spot with beautiful views and classic northwest vibes.

From oregonhikers.org:

“Hike type: Loop
Distance: 1.5 miles
Elevation gain: 230 feet
High point: 932 feet
Difficulty: Easy

Description
A cluster of Boring volcanoes defines the terrain in northwestern Clackamas County. Scouters Mountain in Happy Valley is one of them and is aptly named: the Boy Scouts owned much of the crest of the mountain and had a lodge here, but eventually found maintenance costs burdensome. In 2011, a public consortium of Metro, the City of Happy Valley, and the North Clackamas Parks and Recreation District purchased the property. The Scouters Mountain Nature Park was officially opened to visitors in August, 2014. As in all Metro parks, pets are not permitted.

Walk to the kiosk at the parking area and read a description of this recently developed Metro property. There is also a trail map here. Cross back over the entrance road and take the Boomer Trail (boomer is vernacular for the mountain beaver or aplodontia). At the junction with the Heritage Trail, bear right to traverse under alders and maples before entering Douglas-fir forest. Candy flower, trailing blackberry, and fringe-cup bloom here in the spring. Notice that the trail benches in the park, salvaged from old growth Douglas-fir beams from the Boy Scout Lodge, each display a small work of nature art by sculptor John Christensen. Keep your eyes open for the friendly local deer family. Rise past a nice-sized rooty hemlock, and then gradually descend in a sword fern understory. The Boomer Trail crosses the park entrance road just above the entrance gate; another kiosk describes the elusive boomer itself.

Continue on the Boomer Trail as it makes a gentle ascent on an old road bed in coniferous woodland. You'll see some larger Douglas-firs here. The Boomer Trail then switchbacks off the road bed at some stone steps. You can keep straight here on the road bed to reach a gate, which can be opened. A sign tells you you're headed to the recently restored Christilla Pioneer Cemetery, also known as the Deardorff Cemetery. You'll head up through a carpet of vinca and nettles to reach the fenced cemetery. The gate is padlocked but a plan posted on the fence indentifies all the graves.

Return to the stone steps and head up the sword fern cloaked slope. You'll make a switchback to reach the junction with the Lava Dome Trail, a short path that circles the summit of this Boring volcano. Go left, and then turn off the trail to walk through the large covered picnic shelter at the summit of Scouters Mountain, which was built using some materials from the Boy Scouts’ Chief Obie Lodge which stood here from 1957 to 2004. From the picnic shelter, there is a good view of Mount Hood. Below runs the Lava Dome Trail past a water tank.

When you are done admiring the vista, you can hike the short Shelter Trail down the slope to the parking area, passing the junction with the Lava Dome Trail.”