Sellwood Walk, Portland, Oregon - Columbia River Volkssport Club
by Wendy Bumgardner
On Martin Luther King Day my friend Elizabeth and I decided to enjoy a year-round walking route along the Willamette River in Portland Oregon. The walk we chose begins at the Columbia Sportswear Outlet in the Sellwood district. Besides the enticing sportswear bargains, there are many antique shops in Sellwood. We signed in the log located next to the door and headed out.Year-round walking events (YRE) are routes laid out by local walking clubs for walkers to enjoy at their convenience. The clubs of the American Volkssport Association have over 1000 of these established nationwide. Walkers arrive at the start point, register in the log, take a map and enjoy the trail. They may also purchase an award for the event and earn credit towards milestone achievement awards through the AVA/IVV.
The walk soon proceeds over the Willamette River on the Sellwood Bridge. The traffic lanes are narrow and the traffic is noisy. Beware of bicyclists also, who must ride on the sidewalk and who cannot easily be heard due to the traffic noise. The bridge offers a great view of the Willamette River, downstream to downtown Portland and upstream back towards Oregon City. Descending from the bridge you pick up the sidewalk along Macadam Blvd. for a ways and then the Willamette Greenway Trail.
The trail passes moorages and moors. There is a butterfly garden and interpretive displays. The path looks like it might be prone to flooding, but it is all paved and barring a flood you shouldn't get muddy. You follow the trail to Willamette Park where you can find restrooms. Then continue up along the river with nice views, squirrels, geese and ducks until you reach the John's Landing area.
The Water Tower Mall at John's Landing offers a variety of restaurants and many wonderful shops full of goodies from around the world. This is an ideal place to shop for the perfect gift and then enjoy a delicious meal, choosing from Italian, oriental, mexican, and deli restaurants and finishing it all at the chocolate shop. There are restrooms in the mall.
The walk then turns around and you go back along Corbett. In a couple of blocks you come to Nature's fresh northwest grocery. This is a great place to get some organic goodies. Continue a little further, then back down to the riverfront trail, back over the bridge. Now you will make a square to pass a park and back to the finish. At the finish you can shop to replace any gear you need.Columbia Sportswear Outlet, 8128 SE 13th Ave., Portland, OR
Open Mon-Fri. 9a - 6p, Sat. 9a - 5p, Sun 12-5. Closed major holidays.
YR412: Rated easy 1.
Info: Columbia River Volkssport Club.
American Volkssport Association
Starting Point: Guide to the AVA's Year-Round Events
Walking Clubs and Organizations
