Mary S. Young State Recreation Area

The Mary S. Young State Recreation Area is a state park located in West Linn alongside the Willamette River. It offers over 5 miles of hiking trails, lots of picnic tables, bird watching, fishing, sports fields and a large off-leash dog park. Between the popular dog park and the short hike to the river, your dog will find something fun to do. Some paved trails in the area are popular with road cyclists, and a short network of dirt trails is available for off-road bikes.  There is ample parking in the area, though the sports fields can be busy on the weekends and the parking lot can fill quickly. 

Finding the river can be a little confusing at first because the trails are not well marked, though a 10-minute walk in the river's general direction should suffice.  The trails are heavily wooded and offer some solace on hot days.  Once at the river, head north for the bridge to Cedar Island.  It takes about 30 minutes to walk around the island, but keep in mind that the east side of the island is river rock and doesn't make for a very comfortable or easy walk.